FA Cup Preview: Aston Villa vs Chelsea

FA Cup holders Chelsea meet Aston Villa in the semi-finals of this season's competition at Wembley on Saturday.

Carlo Ancelotti's side will take on Martin O'Neill's men with confidence high after a recent 7-1 demolition of their Premier League rivals at Stamford Bridge.

But Villa have proved to be somewhat the cup specialists this season after reaching the Carling Cup final before eventually losing to Manchester United.

Chelsea's gaze may also be drifting towards the Premier League title race in the closing stages of the season, with Ancelotti wary of a backlash from United and Arsenal after the pair were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League in midweek.

Villa will aim to take advantage as the cup may mark their last remaining hopes for a successful season, with their dreams of a place in the top four of the league having dwindled in the past month.

O'Neill is hopeful star midfielder James Milner and central defender Richard Dunne will be fit for Saturday.

Milner was rested for the 1-0 win at Bolton last weekend after suffering from a sore Achilles, but has resumed training and is expected to play if he suffers no reaction.

Dunne has been nursed through recent weeks with a similar injury and pulled out of training on Thursday, however, O'Neill is optimistic he should be available.

Chelsea have a doubt over goalkeeper Hilario ahead of the showdown as they bid to retain the trophy they lifted after defeating Everton last May.

Hilario, who has been first choice during their FA Cup run, is struggling with a groin strain. Regular No.1 Petr Cech is on standby.

Newspaper speculation on Friday has also suggested Hilario is considering quitting Chelsea in the summer due to his usual role as back-up to Cech.

Right-back Branislav Ivanovic will have a late fitness test on his injured knee.

Michael Essien (knee), Ashley Cole (ankle), Ricardo Carvalho (ankle) and Jose Bosingwa (knee) are all sidelined, but the former duo should return before the end of the season.

Chelsea Must Forget About Aston Villa Thrashing, Says John Terry

John Terry has urged his team-mates to forget about Chelsea's 7-1 demolition of Aston Villa before the two teams meet at Wembley in tomorrow's FA Cup semi-final.

The Chelsea captain was told how much last month's defeat hurt Villa's players by Steve Sidwell, who swapped Stamford Bridge for Villa Park in 2008.

"The one thing that all us players have got to get out of our systems is the recent result against Villa," said Terry.

"Before we beat Manchester United last weekend we talked about how determined we were not to let them do again what they did to us last time we went to Old Trafford, and it's 100% certain that will be [the Villa manager] Martin O'Neill's approach.

"I've spoken to Siddy [Sidwell] since we beat Villa at home and he was already talking about the semi-final. He told me that Villa were fuming over the way that they got beaten and the way they played.

"It is going to be a totally different game. It is a bigger pitch at Wembley and they will probably have one or two more players back from injury as well, so we need to make sure when we go in to the game we forget what has happened recently and approach it the way we normally would."

Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, remains focused on winning the domestic Double to make up for the hurt of missing out on the Champions League.

"I never won the league and the Italian Cup," said Ancelotti. "In one year in 2003, I won the Champions League and Serie A. It is in our mind to win the Double. We are very close but nothing is decided, we have six or seven games and they will be very difficult because every team has an aim to win."

Chelsea achieved their 7-1 success over Villa without the services of Didier Drogba. The Ivorian striker was on the bench for the entire game as the goals rattled in.

But Ancelotti is keen to make it clear that Drogba will be in the starting line-up against Villa. "Didier is an important player for us," he added. "It is important for players to think they can be useful if they only play 30 minutes of a game and he did this very well against Manchester United.

"He was strong when he came on the pitch, but he will not stay on the bench on Saturday. He will start from the beginning."

Frank Lampard: We Will Try And Recreate 7-1 Thumping Against Aston Villa In FA Cup Semi-Final

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has vowed to put Aston Villa to the sword just like his side did with a 7-1 demolision a few weeks back, when the two sides meet at Wembley in the FA Cup semi-final this weekend.

Carlo Ancelotti's side hammered Villa 7-1 only a matter of weeks ago at Stamford Bridge giving them a boost ahead of Saturday's cup repeat.

But far from deflating Martin O'Neill's side, Lampard believes the thrashing has given the Villans the perfect motivation to knock the Londoners out of the competition.

"It was a good feeling to beat them like that. It's going to be a kick up the bum for them and they are going to want to address that," the England midfielder told the BBC's MOTD Xtra.

"We'll try and recreate what we did. They are going to be very determined to not get beaten again in that way."

"It will certainly put them on their toes. It is by no means certain that we'll just roll them over again, it will be a tough game.

And stranger things have happened in the cup; Crystal Palace lost 9-1 to Liverpool in the league in 1990 and then went on to beat the Reds 4-3 in one of the great FA Cup semi-finals.

"These games are on off occasions. If you turn up a bit sleepy or off the pace a team like Villa are going to beat you," Lampard added.

"I don't think it's ultimate confidence, we knew how we wanted to be with Arsenal last year, we were very strong with them, we knew how we wanted to play them."

Should Chelsea reach the final of the FA Cup then they have a real chance of winning 'the double' for the first time in their history.

It's an aim which Lampard is very much keeping at the front of his mind.

"It would be huge. As a club we haven't done that," he said.

"At the end of a very long season we're in a situation where we can do this (win the double). It's a great position to be in.

"Certain times of the season have been difficult but we have to remember we are still in there with that opportunity."

Alexandre Pato Move To Chelsea Ruled Out By Adriano Galliani

Speculation linking AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato with a summer move to Chelsea has been dismissed as 'just talk' by the Italian club's vice-president.

The 20-year-old striker looks set to be the subject of at least one or two bids from European rivals, including the Blues, Premier League rivals Arsenal, and Real Madrid.

But Milan's vice-president Adriano Galliani says Pato is not going anywhere.

'Pato is happy at Milan and he always states it,' said Galliani.

'He will remain with us.'

The Brazilian international has been out of action since 22nd March with a thigh injury, but remains Milan's top scorer with 12 goals this season.

He is under contract with the Rossoneri until June 2014, but has been continually linked with a move away from the club this year for a fee of around £35 million.

Hilario Set For Summer Switch To Sporting Lisbon

Sporting Lisbon are interested in signing Chelsea third-choice goalkeeper Hilario.

The 34-year-old has struggled to make any impression as understudy to Petr Cech and has made barely 20 appearances since joining the Blues on a free-transfer in 2006.

Lisbon are looking to add another goalkeeper to their squad to challenge current no 1 Rui Patricio and the Chelsea stopper has been targeted to do so.

Hilario was heavily criticised for his part in Chelsea's 4-2 defeat at home to Manchester City in the Premier League last month.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti has deemed the Portuguese shot-stopper surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge, with a move back to his homeland highly inevitable.

Chelsea Target Benfica's Angel Di Maria

Angel Di Maria has emerged as a target for Chelsea after sporting director Frank Arnesen watched the Benfica winger in action at Anfield last night.

Argentina star Angel Di Maria is one of Europe’s hottest properties and has been followed by Manchester United as well as Chelsea.

He has helped Benfica to the top of the Portuguese League and is valued at about £30million.

UEFA’s Proposed Regulations Will Keep Chelsea In The Clear

UEFA’s proposed rules regarding clubs finances will not adversely affect Chelsea Football Club. UEFA have stated clubs can’t spend more on transfer fees and wages then they earn through Television rights, gate receipt and merchandising. Clubs can spend unlimited amounts on youth development and ‘infrastructure’, such as stadium and training facilities.

At the end of 2009 Chelsea Football Club plc released their financial figures for the year. Chelsea FC has virtually converted all its outstanding debt into equity and the company is practically debt free. Roman Abramovich was the man who turned £350 million of Chelsea’s debt into equity, making the club debt free. Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck seemed to be expecting these rules back in 2009. He said: “The reduction will also enable the club to comply with any regulations on debt levels which are being discussed by the football community.”

Other clubs aren’t so lucky with their owners. The Glazer Family has racked up debts of over £700 million, which reside with Manchester United’s parent company Red Football Joint Venture. The Glazer’s involvement has impacted majorly on the fans at United. There has been a huge increase in ticket prices and the average price of a season ticket has gone from £487 pounds to £722. With things looking bleak the fans have stepped in.

The green and gold anti-Glazer scarves have begun to dominate the fans at Old Trafford and new ownership is on the cards. The Red Knights, a group of well off Manchester United fans, may make a bid for the club before next season and there has been talk of the fans buying a stake in the club.

Although Chelsea seems to be in the clear regarding UEFA’s proposed rulings, fellow Premier League managers aren’t so impressed by Chelsea’s finances, particularly Arsene Wenger. In an interview early this year Wenger said Chelsea were “half cheating” with their debt situation. He said that Christmas was “a time for magicians” with regard to Chelsea’s debt being written of by owner Abramovich.

With so many clubs in the Premier League with million pounds worth of money owing it’s not surprising that the debt of this English league creates 56% of the total debt across Europe. Fifa president Sepp Blatter has criticised the league’s debt: “They have two clubs in the Premier League who are not in debt. Why, because they have two sponsors and they have taken away the debt.

“Why are they in debt? Because they pay too high salaries and they spend money they don’t have.” The truth is he’s right, footballers’ wages and transfer fees have grown and grown over the last few years. A pay cap may be the answer, the Chairman of the Football League Brian Mawhinney thinks so. He said that it is inevitable that salary capping will occur because the current business model of England’s professional football league cannot be sustained without change.

No one can know the impact it could have on English football but with the debt growing something will have to be done.

Joe Cole Slams Critics Of His Playing Style

Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has hit back at the "lazy" critics who claim he's just a work-shy star full of fancy tricks.

Cole's cheeky back-heel goal against Manchester United last Saturday set Chelsea up for a potentially vital 2-1 victory over their Premier League title rivals.

It was a typical piece of impudence from the 28-year-old England international but such moments of individual flair have led to criticism of his overall game in recent years.

Cole's silky skills have grabbed all the attention throughout his career but those moments of class have given others the wrong impression of his commitment to a team ethic.

But Cole insists he works as hard as any winger in the game and the label of being a 'flair' player is simply unfair.

"I have steel. I've got some balls," he said. "People who market me as just a flair player are a bit lazy. Come and watch me for five or six games. I don't think there is a winger or an attacking midfielder who works as hard as me.

"I want to help my team. Sometimes I probably do it too much, maybe I should be a bit more clever, but now is not the time for that.

"Now is the time for everyone at Chelsea to do their jobs with no mistakes. If we don't make any more mistakes we could win a double."

The midfielder is still in the midst of contract negotiations with the club and many argue his future lies away from Stamford Bridge next season.

But Cole continues to insist he is happy at Chelsea and is reaping the benefits of long struggle to regain his fitness.

His battle began 15 months ago when he sustained a serious knee ligament injury against Southend in the FA Cup but since he returned to action last September, his progress has been hampered by a host of niggling setbacks.

He has also been criticised by club coach Carlo Ancelotti and England boss Fabio Capello but still harbours hopes of earning himself a place in England's World Cup final squad this summer. However, if he fails, Cole certainly knows how to bounce back.

"I've had the broadest spectrum of ups and downs a footballer can have," he said. "I've captained a side to relegation (West Ham in 2003), I've won titles (Chelsea 2005, and 2006), I've missed out on playing in a major tournament (unused squad player Euro 2004) and also started a World Cup, where I scored an amazing goal (Sweden 2006).

"I've had all the highs and lows, which is a rich thing because life is about experiences. I just keep coming back, coming back stronger."

Ancelotti Anticipates April Returns

The league and cup double that is in Chelsea sights would make club history and also personal history for our manager.

Carlo Ancelotti won the Champions League and the Italian Cup during his eight years at AC Milan, in 2003 to be precise, but never the Serie A title and the Cup in the same season. However if Chelsea maintain recent form then the English equivalent is a possibility. We would take a place alongside six clubs who have recorded the feat.

'Our aim after the defeat against Inter was this, to win the Double,' Ancelotti says as he faces games in the FA Cup and the Barclays Premier League in the next five days.

'We are very close but nothing is decided. Every game will be very difficult because we are at the end of the season and every team has an aim to reach.'

Unlike some of our rivals, Ancelotti is looking at an improving injury picture for the run-in.

Branislav Ivanovic trained on Thursday and could feature on the substitutes' bench for Saturday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley.

Ancelotti is planning an unchanged defence and midfield against Aston Villa but has decisions to make over the goalkeeper and his three-man attack.

Hilario started the previous four FA Cup games but has been affected by a groin problem this week. He will be assessed on Saturday. Didier Drogba will start but who out of Joe Cole, Nicolas Anelka, Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda plays out wide is not yet known.

Looking further ahead, Ancelotti reports:

'Ashley Cole needs some more days training but we hope he can play in the game against Stoke on 25th April. He is doing very well and so is Michael Essien. Maybe he will be one week later with respect to Cole.'

With the 7-1 home league win over Saturday's opponents still fresh in the mind, one of the Italian's main tasks this week is not so much building confidence as keeping feet firmly on the ground.

'Aston Villa want to have a good reaction to that defeat. They played well and won at Bolton last weekend,' he warns.

'Martin O'Neill is a very good psychologist and a very good coach and they will play differently.

'They have players with experience and strength and it is the semi-final of an important competition. We must forget that last game, we played very well but Saturday will be different. We have to play a strong match against a strong team.'

Malouda Wins Barclays Player Of The Month

Florent Malouda has been named Barclays Player of the Month for March, after a series of outstanding performances helped us bounce back from European disappointment in style.

The French international netted an impressive five goals in four Barclays Premier League fixtures, taking his season's tally to 13, as well as laying on another three for his team-mates.

Malouda's fine month began with a goal and two assists in our 4-1 win over West Ham at Stamford Bridge and continued with a brace of strikes as we inflicted a 5-0 defeat on Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

The best was to follow, however, as the in-form winger netted a further two goals and made another for Frank Lampard in our emphatic 7-1 home win over Aston Villa.

This is the first time that Malouda, who has 51 France caps, has won the Player of the Month award since joining from Lyon in the summer of 2007.

The decision was made by the Barclays Awards Panel, which includes representatives from football's governing bodies, the media and fans.