I Should Still Be The Manager At Chelsea, Says José Mourinho

José Mourinho breezed back into Stamford Bridge last night to declare he was "home" and should still be Chelsea's manager. The Internazionale coach pointed out that while he has continued to accumulate silverware in Italy his former club has one FA Cup to show for the three years since his departure.

The Portuguese veered from an initially diplomatic script, marked by an admission that he would tone down his celebrations should the Italian champions eliminate their hosts from the Champions League this evening, to suggest some level of regret at the fracture of his relationship with Roman Abramovich after his glittering three-year spell in charge at the London club.

"I feel sorry but I look forward," said Mourinho. "I feel sorry because when I look at the big four teams from when I was in England, the managers are all still there: Sir Alex [Ferguson] is there. [Arsène] Wenger is there. [Rafael] Benítez is there. I did more than enough to be here. But the decision was made. Chelsea looked forward. I look forward. They move on. I move on. I keep winning important things. They keep winning ... something. They won an FA Cup.

"I have nothing to prove to Chelsea: to Chelsea's players, to Chelsea's fans, to Chelsea's board. The relations are great. When it's possible, happiness for me and happiness for them is the perfect situation. I don't believe I will be booed. I believe I will be clapped. But, for me, this game is just about getting to the quarter-finals. It doesn't mean anything else to me at all."

His only regret concerned the timing of his eventual departure, with Mourinho conceding he should have left Stamford Bridge on his own terms immediately after claiming the FA Cup in 2007. By then his relationship with Abramovich had fractured beyond repair, though the Portuguese was persuaded to remain at the club, only to be forced out in September of that year after a sluggish start to the following season.

Asked if there was one thing he could change from his time at Chelsea, he said: "I would have left the day after the FA Cup final at the end of that third season. The timing was wrong [when I eventually did leave]. I waited until September and I didn't enjoy my time after I left until I went to Inter. Being away from football was too painful. If I'd left in May I would have started the next season at a new club."

Inter – with whom he claimed the domestic title last season – may top Serie A again, albeit by a solitary point, but the 47-year-old is enduring a relatively torrid time in Italy at present. Defeat at lowly Catania last Friday has allowed Milan to gain ground in the championship race, while Mourinho and his Italian striker Mario Balotelli were reportedly embroiled in a spat at training in Milan today which has resulted in the forward being omitted from the squad for disciplinary reasons. Carlo Ancelotti has since suggested he might seek to work with Balotelli at Chelsea.

In the circumstances, and with his relations with the Italian press clearly strained, Mourinho appeared to relish a return to London and familiar haunts. "I feel at home," he said.

"I opened the door, went up to the second floor where there are people I know; to the third floor where there are people I know. The players didn't come to see me but they are working, or at the team hotel. Before the game I know everybody and I love them, and after the game the same, but, for 90 minutes on Tuesday night, I'll know nobody.

"I'll be restrained if we win, yes. Because it's Chelsea. Because it's the team where I worked for three and a half years, the same players, the same supporters who made me feel incredible every time we played in this stadium. But don't confuse this emotional control with a lack of professionalism or of me not having a desire to win. I watched the first leg seven times on DVD, stopping and going back over and over again. Chelsea is different and I have to be different but I gave everything to prepare for this game. So don't confuse my feelings for my ex-players and my ex-club with any lack of desire or motivation to win this game."

The Inter manager was confident enough to name seven of his starting line-up for this evening's collision with Ancelotti – with whom he endured a troubled relationship last season when they were on opposite sides of Milan – and said that his former club was in safe hands under their current manager. Mourinho said: "They have a good chef, yes, a chef with experience and with knowledge of the ingredients that football needs. They are in good hands."

Yet Mourinho still has designs to return to the Premier League in the future. "I have three things still to do in my career," the Portuguese said. "One thing is to come back to English football. Another is to win the Spanish championship, because no one has won Italian, English and Spanish titles.

"And another, when I'm old, is to coach my national team. But, for now, I would like to keep winning with Inter.

"I will still be the Special One whatever happens. How old is Giovanni Trapattoni? Seventy? I want to coach as long as him but, even at that age, I will still have things to prove. That's my motivation. So, after this game, I will still be the Special One. Win or lose."

Real Madrid Eyeing Chelsea's Ashley Cole

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is Real Madrid's top prospect in their plans to reinforce the left side of defence next season, reports Marca today.

The club hierarchy has reportedly developed a list of their transfer targets for the position and along with Cole, who heads the list, Los Blancos are also keeping tabs on Manchester United's Patrice Evra, Lazio's Aleksandar Kolarov, Arsenal's Gael Clichy, Fenerbache's Andre Santos, Deportivo La Coruna's Filipe Luis and Benfica's David Luiz.

Cole has reportedly been in contact with Chelsea, having expressed his desire to leave the club for a variety of personal reasons.

While right-sided player Alvaro Arbeloa has filled in nicely at left-back this season, covering for the less defensive minded Marcelo, Madrid are in need of a proficient left-back that can slot into the Blancos' attack-minded style of play.

Chelsea Are Not The Side Jose Mourinho Left But They Are Still Good Enough

Internazionale need José Mourinho's sulky charisma even more than his tactical acumen. His personality can distract opponents from the fact that his side, judged by the high standards of the Champions League elite, is unremarkable. If Chelsea keeps a clear head, they ought to overturn the 2-1 deficit from a gripping first leg. Should anyone in Carlo Ancelotti's squad need reassurance, they could get a chuckle out of reading Internazionale's recent record in the tournament.

The most they have achieved in the previous half dozen campaigns is a couple of appearances in the quarter-finals. Mourinho continued the mundane form in his first season with Inter, unable to make much of a fuss as Manchester United eased them aside. Chelsea's disappointments have been far more histrionic.

After the Portuguese had parted company with the club in the autumn of 2007, Avram Grant took them to a shootout loss against United in the final. A year later the side, under the caretaker leadership of Guus Hiddink, were beaten in the semi‑final by the referee Tom Henning Ovrebo's rejection of penalty appeals as well as Andrés Iniesta's goal for Barcelona in the third minute of stoppage time. No one can call such experiences enviable but they confirm Chelsea as a team who customarily play for high stakes.

It would be trite to believe that Mourinho can cure Inter with an injection of his personality. The limitations of even his managerial skills were set out in the comedy of Inter's loss at Catania last Friday. The introduction of Sulley Muntari, with the score at 1‑1, may have been one of the most hilariously disastrous decisions in the history of the game. It would, in all justice, be absurd to suppose that even the far-sighted Mourinho could have envisaged the consequences.

Muntari was immediately booked for a foul and then, while inside the area, lifted his arm to block the resultant free‑kick. The Ghanaian was shown a second yellow card and Catania scored from the penalty before claiming a third goal towards the end.

Inter, with a one-point lead over Milan, are still on course for a fifth consecutive title and it is scarcely their fault that the Calciopoli scandal caused such helpful havoc with Juventus, for instance, demoted to Serie B in 2006. Nonetheless, Mourinho has benefited from entering the Italian game at time of disruption, when the means and relative stability at Inter have been great assets.

For a man with such a reputation as a pragmatist, he takes part of the credit for a first-leg encounter with Chelsea that was full of entertainment and admirable technique. It will be to the benefit of European football as a whole if Mourinho can inspire a revival by the renowned Serie A clubs.

Progress, all the same, ought not to be made on that front tonight. If there is disquiet about Chelsea it reflects their own flaws more than the prowess of Inter. The Premier League table lays bare a vulnerability seldom associated with them. There are seven other clubs whose defensive record at home is superior to Chelsea's. It is not difficult to track the sources of deterioration in the post‑Mourinho period.

Ricardo Carvalho is no longer the smooth yet powerful centre-back he once was and it is open to debate whether the Portuguese or Alex ought to be paired with John Terry. The club captain has himself been affected by having the England captaincy taken from him. Petr Cech's calf muscle problem has been unsettling, too, with neither Hilario nor Ross Turnbull convincing as deputies between the posts.

Resilience has been further undermined by the loss to injury of the left-back Ashley Cole and the powerful Michael Essien. It is as if the fates have introduced a handicap system to ensure that Inter stay in contention. Chelsea should keep self pity at bay by remembering how today's visitors toiled in their group. Barcelona, naturally, won it, but it was still mediocre of Inter to register a mere pair of victories, over Rubin Kazan and Dynamo Kyiv. Mourinho's side, with three draws in that phase, seemed to depend on being difficult to beat.

There was stylishness from Inter and, particularly, from Wesley Sneijder in the first leg with Chelsea. If Ancelotti's team is not presently equipped for flawless work in defence, they will have to impose themselves in attack. It would be of benefit if Nicolas Anelka, subdued since Didier Drogba's return from the Africa Cup of Nations, rediscovered his form. Chelsea have their worries, but they also possess the means to ease them.

Chelsea Get It All Wrong With Battle Cry To Fans As They Ask Home Crowd To 'Raise The Temperature' For Crunch Clash With Inter Milan

Liverpool supporters taunt their Chelsea counterparts with the chant 'You ain't got history' while some question how many supporters have joined the bandwagon since Roman Abramovich rode into town with all those rubles.

Fans of the London club naturally bristle with indignation at the jibes - but honestly, the club doesn't always help their cause.

Have a look at this edict from the official website as Stamford Bridge gets ready to welcome the aristocrats from Inter Milan.

'Flags or scarves will be laid out at seats around the stadium for tonight's game but please bring your own colour and singing voices, and please arrive early to raise the temperature ahead of kick-off'

Yes, you read it right folks - it really does say 'raise the temperature'.

Can you honestly imagine Manchester United fans needing such instruction before one of those famous European nights at Old Trafford?

I doubt very much the Anfield crowd will ever need to be whipped up into any manufactured frenzy for the big occasions - indeed Chelsea know to their cost how loud that ground can be after that 2005 European Cup semi-final.

I don't even think London's 'lesser lights' would need such encouragement. Certainly not West Ham. Probably not Fulham either.

So as you settle down to watch live coverage of the big Champions League match, or listen in your transistor sets, try and gauge the temperature for yourself.

Ancelotti: Roman Likes Blues' Style

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti claims he has finally given owner Roman Abramovich a team that plays with the style and flair he craves.

The Russian owner has long been known to desire an attacking style of play at Stamford Bridge, and Ancelotti believes his team has delivered that this season.

With Jose Mourinho returning to West London for a Champions League showdown with Chelsea on Tuesday night, the timing of Ancelotti's comments suggests he is aiming a sly dig at his Portuguese opposite number.

The 'Special One' had an extremely successful three-year spell with Chelsea between 2004 and 2007, winning two Premier League titles, two League Cup trophies and one FA Cup.

But criticism was often rounded on Mourinho that his style of play did not match the ambitions of Abramovich, and the former Porto boss left after reported disagreements with the billionaire owner.

Ancelotti, however, claims he shares the same attacking ethos as Chelsea's wealthy chief and says he has changed things since his arrival.

He said in The Sun: "Some things we have changed. The system of play is a little bit different. We play attacking football.

"Roman wants to see the team in his identity. I think the team now is playing with his identity. We want to improve this but this is a good way to play."

Simon Kjaer Tells Liverpool, Manchester United & Chelsea: I Will Only Leave Palermo For Irresistible Offer

Simon Kjaer has said only a substantial offer will see him swap Palermo for Premier League football.

Kjaer, who turns 21 next week, is reportedly being followed by Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea.

But his signature will not come cheap as he lays out the terms and conditions.

"I have three years left with Palermo. To leave here, one of those offers that you cannot say no to will have to arrive," he told the club's official website.

Add to that a guarantee of playing first team football, and negotiations become easier.

"I am a first choice at this club, and I have the chance to play in prestigious competitions wearing the Rosanero jersey," he concluded.

Palermo currently occupies the Champions League qualification position in Serie A and welcome Inter to La Favorita on Saturday night.

Capello Not Giving Up On Bridge And Cole

Fabio Capello is playing a patient, waiting game, but is still convinced he will have both his first choice left-backs, Ashley Cole and Wayne Bridge, in his 23-man World Cup squad.

After losing David Beckham through injury this weekend, the England boss is concentrating on formulating his strongest possible squad for South Africa - and that still includes Cole and Bridge.

Cole is facing a race against time to be fit following a foot injury, while Bridge has taken the decision to make himself unavailable in light of the allegations that concerned John Terry and his former girlfriend.

An FA insider told Soccernet: "We believe that Ashley Cole will be back playing in time for the World Cup, and this is good news.

"There is still plenty of time for Wayne Bridge to think again about his decision not to want to play for England again. There is enough time for him to think about it.

"There is no rush, we are not rushing him, and I am sure Fabio will want to talk to him personally, in the hope that he will change his mind."

Capello has also invited Beckham to play again for England in the European Championship qualifiers in the autumn, which is the earliest point at which the then 35-year-old midfielder could be expected to play again.

"We hope he will be fit for next year," the England manager told Sky Sports News. "I hope he will be fit for the Euros because he is one of the best players in England."

Match Preview: Chelsea vs. Inter Milan

At the start of the season Chelsea were one of the favourites for the Champions League trophy, and indeed they have looked good in Europe this campaign, although suspicions persist as to whether they were truly tested in the group stages. Therefore, Inter were their first main test in Europe's premier club competition and they did expressed their calibre and quality a fortnight ago.

Inter might have won the first leg of their Round of 16 tie 2-1 in Milan, but Chelsea weren't particularly bad and do have a valuable away goal, which Carlo Ancelotti and the rest of the Chelsea unit will be quick to point out as a potentially crucial factor in how the two sides approach the game on Tuesday evening. Chelsea know that they have to score to progress, while a draw will be good enough for the Nerazzurri.

The Premier League side have failed to make it to the semi-finals only once in the past six years and reached the final in 2008. Last season the Blues were knocked out in the semis by Barcelona on the away goals rule. Chelsea are going strong in the Premier League this campaign too, as they are currently second in the table, two points behind leaders Manchester United with a game in hand.

Inter have not gone past the Round of 16 in the Champions League for the past three seasons and in each of the last two campaigns they have fallen to English opposition. Last season they went out 2-0 on aggregate to Manchester United as a 0-0 scoreline at home was followed by a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford. In 2007-2008 it was Liverpool who knocked them out.

But this time Inter do have a genuine chance of progressing in Europe's top tier club competition. They might have conceded an away goal, but they have a one-goal advantage going to Stamford Bridge. If the Italian champions of the last four seasons can strengthen their backline and soak up pressure playing in a traditional Italian style, then they will be confident of getting a 0-0 draw and going through.

Jose Mourinho never lost a league game at the Bridge when he was the coach of Chelsea, losing only once there in all competitions, and this will be his first return to his old stomping ground since leaving the Blues in 2007. He has proclaimed his affection for Chelsea but will certainly be looking to knock out his former club.


FORM GUIDE

Chelsea

March 13 v West Ham United (H) - WON 4-1 (Premier League)
March 7 v Stoke City (H) - WON 2-0 (FA Cup)
February 27 v Manchester City (H) - LOST 4-2 (Premier League)
February 24 v Inter (A) - LOST 2-1 (Champions League)
February 20 v Wolverhampton Wanderers (A) - WON 2-0 (Premier League)

Inter

March 12 v Catania (A) - LOST 3-1 (Serie A)
March 7 v Genoa (H) - DREW 0-0 (Serie A)
February 28 v Udinese (A) - WON 3-2 (Serie A)
February 24 v Chelsea (H) - WON 2-1 (Champions League)
February 20 v Sampdoria (H) - DREW 0-0 (Serie A)


TEAM NEWS

Chelsea

Yuri Zhirkov and Deco should both be available after having recovered from their respective injuries. Jose Bosingwa, Ashley Cole and Michael Essien are long-term injury casualties, while Ricardo Carvalho is out with a hamstring injury. Both Petr Cech and Henrique Hilario are suffering from injuries, meaning that Ross Turnbull could be given a start.

Probable Lineup (4-5-1): Turnbull, Ivanovic, Terry, Alex, Zhirkov; Malouda, Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, Kalou; Drogba

Inter

Cristian Chivu is out with injury but Marco Materazzi is back. Davide Santon was not part of the Inter squad that lost to Catania on Friday and doubts persist on whether he will be taken to London. Mario Balotelli, who has struggled with injuries in recent times, is reportedly out of the squad for Tuesday's game.

Probable Lineup (4-3-1-2): Julio Cesar; Maicon, Lucio, Samuel, Zanetti; Cambiasso, Mariga, Stankovic; Sneijder; Eto'o, Milito


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Didier Drogba (Chelsea)

The Ivorian international striker has been in excellent form so far this season and has 21 goals and six assists in 24 Premier League games, with three goals in the Champions League. He wasn't perhaps very prominent in the first leg against Inter at San Siro but Drogba will certainly be a huge threat at Stamford Bridge. Inter's otherwise strong defensive unit exhibited cracks on Friday night when they conceded three goals in Catania and the Drog, placed sixth in the Castrol Rankings, will be eager to take advantage of any defensive slip-up on Tuesday evening.

Diego Milito (Inter)

The much under-rated Argentine international striker scored in the first leg in Milan and made England international central defender John Terry look average. Milito has scored 16 goals and given three assists in 26 matches in Serie A and has struck twice in the Champions League. The 30-year-old has not accomplished much in Europe and as such he will be keen to light up the continent. Milito's attacking instincts, shooting accuracy and ability to hold the ball up and bring his team-mates into play will be an important feature for nter against a confident Chelsea side.

Chelsea Boss Carlo Ancelotti Vows To Break Jose Mourinho's Unbeaten Record At Inter

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is determined for his team to end Inter's record under Jose Mourinho of never losing back-to-back matches.

The Italian giants were beaten 3-1 at the weekend by Catania in Serie A, but Ancelotti is refusing to see this as a sign that winning will be easy.

Victory is necessary though, as the Blues are 2-1 down from the first leg at the San Siro.

"We will go out of our way to break that run," Ancelotti said on Monday, when reminded of Inter's record under Mourinho

"Losing their last game could put them under pressure but on the other hand the fact that they have now got to turn around that result and react well can urge the players on to react immediately.

"We mustn't think about Inter being out of form. They have shown themselves to be a top quality team and are very strong. We have to prepare for an Inter team that is playing their best football."

Ancelotti also confirmed that Ross Turnbull would be in goal for the hosts as Petr Cech and Hilario are both still injured.

"It's not possible for Cech or Hilario to recover, so Turnbull will play and Rhys Taylor will stay on the bench like on Saturday," he explained.

"There's no chance of me taking a risk on Cech. Turnbull is a confident lad and we have confidence in him. Until now, Cech has not trained so it's impossible that he might play tomorrow.

"We have to play well as a team. Cech is injured, but Turnbull is a good goalkeeper who has played very well this season and improved every day.

"So, for me, it's not a problem. Cech has more experience than Turnbull for sure, but Ross is young and has enthusiasm to play. He wants to play and, for him, this will be a great, great experience."

There would still be time for a little socialising after the game though, depsite the intensity of the occasion.

"For sure if Mourinho wants a glass of wine after the game we can have a good conversation," Ancelotti smiled.

"This will happen regardless of the result."

Drogba: Make Some Noise

Didier Drogba has appealed to all Chelsea fans heading to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday to take up position early and help make it a night to remember.

Anyone present for recent memorable Champions League nights in SW6, such as the victory over Barcelona in 2005 or the Drogba-inspired conquests of Liverpool in the past two seasons, knows the Bridge on such occasions can be a cauldron of noise and colour, and our leading scorer emphasises the benefits of a repeat on the team's chances against Inter cannot be underestimated.

'Tuesday is very important for the club, the Champions League is a competition we really want to win,' Drogba said, talking to Chelsea TV.

'I want to send a message to all the fans to come and make some noise on Tuesday and be behind us.'

The match will see first and second-places in the African Player of the Year, announced last week, go head to head as Drogba attempts to outscore Samuel Eto'o.

'I am very happy. I was not expecting this type of present,' Drogba said on winning the continental accolade.

'Eto'o is a fantastic player and I know on Tuesday he is going to come here and do his best. He had a great season [with Barcelona] but they gave the award to me and I am happy.

'I was the first player from the Ivory Coast to win the award and I have done it twice and it is amazing because I know what it means to the country. It is an amazing year for Africa [with the World Cup] and to be best player in Africa is fantastic and I hope there is more to come.'

Drogba is also one of the favourites to win Player of the Year in England given the goal-laden season he is enjoying and Chelsea's push for honours, but he remains cautious.

'It is a new challenge and would be great but for that I think we have to win something like the Champions League. It is very important for me and the club to win major trophies first and then to be Player of the Year would be fantastic.'

Flags or scarves will be laid out at seats around the stadium for tomorrow's game but please bring your own colour and singing voices, and please arrive early to raise the temperature ahead of kick-off.

Malouda: Focused On Football

In-form Florent Malouda believes past allegiances will be no distraction for Chelsea's players when they step out at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening.

The 29-year-old Frenchman, who scored one and laid on two others in Saturday's 4-1 win over West Ham insists Jose Mourinho's return to west London as manager of opponents Inter is a far bigger deal for supporters than it is for players.

'It is more important for the fans than the players, we as players just want to beat Inter, that's the main thing,' Malouda said. 'It will be an emotional game for him but for us, as you can see from the first game, it was not disturbing for the players here at Chelsea.

'We are not thinking about history, we are trying to make history. We don't care about the past, we are just looking to win and go through tomorrow evening.'

If we are to progress to the Champions League last eight we must overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg in the San Siro. However we must not rush our play, according to the former Lyon man.

'We scored an away goal so normally we just need one goal to go through and I think wemust have patience against Inter and keep the balance of the team, so we won't rush to score an early goal, we have to be clever in this game and score, I hope, more than one goal,' he said.

'We have the experience of the first game where we had opportunities and just want to take those opportunities and score to go through.'

It is obvious from Malouda's relaxed demeanour that the afterglow from Saturday remains, and he was in relaxed mood alongside manager Carlo Ancelotti as he fielded questions in the Chelsea museum, temporarily converted to stage a pre-match press conference for the season's biggest game so far.

Asked to analyse the differences between Ancelotti and Mourinho, for whom he played just a couple of months under, Malouda responded light-heartedly, receiving a playful dig in the ribs from his coach, and the promise of a return to left-back duties if he kept it up.

'Physical differences?' he said, to laughter all around. 'It is difficult to answer, I didn't work with Jose for too much time but I appreciate both, and I would say that they both have a lot of experience as manager. There are so many differences I cannot answer the question, I just hope that Carlo will make me win my first Champions League.

'Both managers are trying to give the players they manage the ability to have confidence in their qualities and to use them at the right time,' he continued, straight face now on. 'That's the way they manage their team, they are close to their players and help get the best out of you when you play.'

Chelsea Deny Cole Reports

Chelsea have denied reports that defender Ashley Cole will not feature again this season and is behind schedule in his bid to recover from a broken ankle.

Cole suffered the injury to his left foot in the Blues' 2-1 defeat to Everton in February and recently returned from rehabilitation in France following an operation, which is understood to have been a success.

A report in a Sunday newspaper claimed that the England international could miss the remainder of the season and put his World Cup participation in doubt, but Chelsea have moved to quash the story.

The article also suggested that even the most optimistic reports from the Stamford Bridge medical team put his chances of making the England squad as "touch and go".

But describing such a claim as "nonsense", a Chelsea spokesman said: "The club's medical staff are delighted with Ashley's operation and the treatment he's received so far.

"Contrary to reports, he's recovering extremely well from his injury and he's bang on schedule."

Cole is set to return prior to the end of the season and stake a claim for a place in Fabio Capello's plans.

The defender remains his country's first-choice left-back following Wayne Bridge's decision to rule himself out of contention for England selection.

Portugal Offering An Escape Route For Troubled Keeper Henrique Hilario

Chelsea supporters may not have much confidence in Henrique Hilario, but it seems their feelings are not shared by Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz.

And, when it comes to being popular, it is a safe assumption Hilario would prefer to have the backing of his national team manager than the Stamford Bridge faithful.

Not least because there is a World Cup coming up in June, when Hilario expects to be part of Queiroz's squad competing in South Africa. And the trophy is not the only thing at stake for Hilario.

He knows he could find himself in the most viewed shop-window of all time and that a string of good performances will not only win over some of his doubters, but probably secure him a multi-million pound move to a new club to end his misery in the Premier League.

No footballer would ever want to hear themselves described as 'not as bad as people think he is' or a 'weak link' or, worse still, 'a total liability.'

Yet these are just some of the descriptions attributed to the former Porto and Nacional keeper of late due to his faltering form for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

Yet he kept a clean sheet in Chelsea's FA Cup quarter-final triumph over Stoke City and many a goalkeeper has perished against Tony Pulis's side this season.

Ridicule appears to follow him like a shadow, however, with there being a genuine disparity between his performances on the pitch and the criticism he receives off it.

Yet it seems Hilario has support in high places, just when he needs it. He remains in a fierce battle with three rivals to claim the back-up goalkeeping place to Eduardo in Queiroz's final squad.

Rui Patricio, Jose Moreira, Daniel Fernandes and Beto will also fancy their chances, but it seems Hilario remains at the forefront of Queiroz's thoughts after winning his first international cap in their 2-0 victory over China in an international friendly.

He played the second half of the game, kept a clean sheet and remains second in line. Queiroz said: "He has done well considering he hasn't always been first choice with his club. But he has experience and this counts for a lot."

Chelsea's first team coach Ray Wilkins added: "Supporters nowadays will always have a pop at the errors and as a goalkeeper, when you make a mistake you've lost a goal. But Hilario is experienced enough to come through all that."

Mourinho - I Don't Lose At The Bridge

Jose Mourinho is expecting a happy return to Chelsea, insisting he does not lose at Stamford Bridge.

The Portuguese coach enjoyed three trophy-laden years in charge of the Blues between 2004-07.

His success in England was built on the most formidable of home records, with Chelsea rarely tested never mind beaten in their own backyard.

Mourinho is set to return to west London on Tuesday with his current employers Inter Milan, with the Italians looking to defend a slender lead from the first leg of their UEFA Champions League clash.

A place in the quarter-finals of Europe's premier club competition is up for grabs, with Inter holding a 2-1 advantage.

Mourinho is confident the Serie A giants will be the ones to book a place in the last eight, with his record at Stamford Bridge suggesting the Blues have it all to do.

"Everybody knows Mourinho doesn't lose at Stamford Bridge," he said.

"My record is unbeatable. It is amazing - we were so strong for such a long time."

While Mourinho is keen to drag up the past ahead of the crunch clash, Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has warned that his mind games will not work.

The Germany international insists the Portuguese coach is 'history' and will not be allowed to stand in the way of the Blues' quest to land the only major trophy to have eluded them over recent years.

"Jose won two League titles, that is why he is so popular here," said Ballack.

"But that is history and now we have a new coach, with new players.

"This competition is the one we couldn't win until now. That is why we are so hungry."

Ancelotti: No Need To Rush

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has confidence that goalkeeper Ross Turnbull will help the Blues to defeat Inter Milan in the second leg over their Champions League Round of 16 tie on Tuesday night.

Turnbull was in goal on Saturday for Chelsea’s 4-1 win over West Ham United which sent the Blues back into first place in the Premier League.

With first choice keeper Petr Cech still struggling with a calf injury and back-up Henrique Hilario suffering from a groin injury he picked up against Stoke City last week the young Englishman Turnbull will have to help Chelsea overcome a 2-1 deficit at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.

Ancelotti is positive that the 25-year-old keeper will assist Chelsea’s attempt to earn a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals.

"We can play with a good goalkeeper on Tuesday. Ross was not involved a lot of time in the game but he did a good save in the last minute of the match,” he told The Sun.

"He played with confidence and a good game. There was no worry. This is important.

"He deserved to play this game because he trained very well in the last month to improve his quality. We have confidence in him. I think he will play Tuesday." Carlo Ancelotti insists his side will play a patient game against Inter on Tuesday night.

The Blues need to score and to win to overcome the 2-1 deficit from the first leg but with a single strike enough to go through to the quarter-finals, it is just as important to keep the Serie A side away from our goal over the 90 minutes.

'I don't think we have to score early,' says Ancelotti. 'We need to play well, in a game with balance, because then we can still score in the last minute of the game.

'We want to start the game well and play well but we don't need a goal straight away.

'The Champions League takes out a lot of energy,' he continues, 'not only physically but mentally and it is not easy. But we have to do a very good job to maintain concentration in every game.'

Inter don't come into the game in great form having lost to Catania on Friday and drawn three and won just one of the four league games before that. They have also seen red cards shown to Sulley Muntari, Walter Samuel and Ivan Cordoba in that period.

'In Italy they have a problem with this,' reckons Ancelotti, 'they have been drawing a lot but this is a different competition, with different referees and different atmospheres.'

Chelsea are more concerned with an injury list that will again see several major players missing on Tuesday.

'I don't think too much about this because all the teams in this moment have this problem,' the manager says. 'It is important but you cannot do anything about traumatic injuries, it happens.'

For the British sports media, there will only be one story that occupies them in the build up to this week's game - Jose Mourinho's return to Stamford Bridge.

'Mourinho deserves to have a good reception because he did a fantastic job,' says Ancelotti. 'Together with Roman [Abramovich] he put a team into the best position in the world.

'I just hope that in the future, in a very long time, when I come back to Chelsea, I'll have this same reception.'

Cole Bombshell For England

Ashley Cole’s World Cup dreams are virtually over after it was revealed he will not play for Chelsea again this season.

And even the most optimistic reports from the Stamford Bridge medical team put his chances of making the England squad as 'touch and go'.

Cole broke his left ankle on February 11 against Everton and underwent an operation to have three pins inserted in the bone.

He has spent three weeks in Biarritz undergoing intensive rehabilitation but is still on crutches and cannot put any weight on the foot.

There is still major swelling around the injury and Chelsea doctors fear his recovery has fallen behind schedule because of the seriousness of the break.

A Chelsea source said: "Ashley is still in a bad way. We were hoping he would be further on in his recovery but the signs are not good as far as the World Cup is concerned. At best, it's touch and go for South Africa.

"It's hugely unlikely he will play another league game this season and that only leaves the FA Cup or Champions League finals to prove his fitness."

That would not be enough time for Cole to convince Fabio Capello that he is fit enough to travel to South Africa.

Capello's 30-man preliminary squad joins up on May 17 and travel to Austria where the England boss will cull seven players.

The Italian has made it clear he will not risk ANY injured players in the tournament which leaves him with a major problem at left back.

Wayne Bridge does not want to be considered for England duty while John Terry is in the squad.

That leaves the inexperienced pair of Leighton Baines and Stephen Warnock as Capello's only options should Cole be ruled out.

Barcelona To Battle Manchester United And Chelsea For Angel Di Maria

Benfica winger Angel Di Maria looks like being one of the major names in the summer transfer window with Barcelona the latest club to show an interest in the Argentinean.

Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona are already considering a summer swoop but face competition from Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea.

The Catalan giants believe they can secure Di Maria for less than they would have to pay for Franck Ribery as Pep Guardiola aims to sign a replacement for Thierry Henry on the left side of their attack.

Di Maria has a buyout clause of 50 million euros but Benfica will reportedly accept a fee of close to 25 million.

Alongside Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United, fellow Spanish giants Real Madrid are also keeping an eye on developments.

Reports in recent months claimed Chelsea had sent Frank Arnesen on scouting trips to watch Di Maria whilst Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson sees him as the long term replacement for Ryan Giggs.

Chelsea Midfielder Deco Hopes To Join Corinthians After World Cup

Portuguese international midfielder Deco has said on Brazilian television that he expects to leave Chelsea at the end of the season and hopes to join Corinthians.

Speaking to the "On the Road" program, Deco said: "I am anticipating a return to Brazil. I would like to go to Corinthians but if I have another good proposal from a club in Brazil I will end up going."

Deco explained that he will leave Chelsea after the World Cup as he has "some family problems" even though his contract expires at the end of the 2010/2011 season.

The 32-year-old added: "I want to go back to Brazil… the dream of playing for Corinthians is perhaps the only thing in my career left to achieve."

Deco has played 18 games for Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea side in 2009/2010, scoring two goals and providing one assist. He was an unused substitute for the 4-1 victory over West Ham on Saturday.

Reaction: Confidence Flo-Ing

Having watched his team run out comfortable winners against the only London side to have previously taken a point off them, Carlo Ancelotti was confident the Manchester City defeat is now out of Chelsea's system.

It could have been one of those afternoons when it all went badly wrong with West Ham equalising Alex's opener with a goal they had barely threatened. But the side that drew 1-1 with us at Upton Park in December and on their visit to Stamford Bridge last season were blown away by a second-half Didier Drogba brace and a Florent Malouda goal.

'We played a good match and were better in the second half,' decided Ancelotti as he assessed the 4-1 win that put Chelsea back on top.

'It was important to have a good performance and to return to playing our football with confidence. I am happy for this, not only for the result. Now we want to maintain this concentration and determination because every game could decide our future.

'It was important to have a good reaction after losing to Manchester City. We had that against Stoke City and improved on that in this game. It was a bad day against Manchester City and we came back the right way.'

Key to the win was the performance of Malouda who not only scored the third goal but tortured West Ham right-back Jonathan Spector all afternoon, supplying the delivery for Chelsea's first two goals; two of 16 crosses from the France international during his 86 minutes on the pitch.

'That was the best performance of Florent Malouda,' praised his manager.

'He did very well, worked for the team, did fantastic assists for goals and I hope that he will play like today on Tuesday. He won't play left-back,' Ancelotti smiled.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola had surprised many with his team selection by leaving out the creative Alessandro Diamanti in favour of player s he believed could do a better job counter-attacking.

'It was tough after Chelsea's second goal,' said the former Stamford Bridge favourite. 'Before that we looked okay and Scott Parker in the middle was dominating the scene. But then John Terry came through the middle and we made a mistake because Behrami and Spector both went to challenge him and Terry put the ball wide.The cross was perfect as you'd expect from a quality player like Malouda. The rest was easy for Drogba.

'That is the difference. Teams like Chelsea really punish you when you make mistakes. I believe the score at the end was too much. It doesn't reflect the game.'

It took until the final minute of the second-half for West Ham to properly test Ross Turnbull for a second time in the game and the Chelsea league debutant keeper was up to that task.

'Turnbull was not involved a lot of times but he did a good save at the last minute and he played with confidence. This is important,' said Ancelotti.

'He deserved to play this game because he has trained very well.I think he will play on Tuesday.'

Ancelotti Praises Malouda Show

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti labelled Florent Malouda the best player on the pitch after his side's 4-1 win over West Ham.

The Blues went back to the top of the Premier League with the win, although they were held 1-1 at half-time by the Hammers at Stamford Bridge.

Malouda was a constant force down the left and his performance paid dividends as he drove Chelsea to a comfortable victory after the break.

The Frenchman set up Alex to head home the opener, and crossed for Didier Drogba to score the second before adding a third himself.

Ancelotti told Sky Sports: "He was the best player on the pitch today.

"He scored a fantastic goal, did a fantastic assist for the first goal and the second goal for Didier."

Despite the scoreline, it was not an emphatic performance from Chelsea, which makes the result even more impressive.

And Ancelotti says confidence in the squad will be high ahead of the visit of Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.

"We scored four goals and it was an important performance for us to improve our confidence," he added.

"In this period it is very important to have confidence because every game is important, every game can decide the future.

"I think the first half we played well. It was unlucky because West Ham broke with a fantastic shot from distance.

"But we played well and we wanted to maintain balance, we wanted to maintain confidence in our play.

"We did in the second half because we scored the second goal and had good control of the game until the end of the match."

The Blues go top as Manchester United do not play until Sunday, as the race for the league title starts to hot up.

Although the win puts them back on the summit, Chelsea's Italian tactician knows there is still a long way to go this season.

He remarked: "There will be a long race to win this title.

"There are strong teams - Manchester United, Arsenal - so we have to maintain our confidence and we have to maintain our play."

"We want to play our best every game.

"I knew very well that in England there are very strong teams, but we have stayed in the top for eight months and we want to stay until the end of the season."

Ross Turnbull played his first ever Premier League game for Chelsea between the sticks, and he could do nothing about Scott Parker's superb strike in the opening period.

The former Middlesbrough keeper is likely to play against Inter in midweek as Ancelotti confirmed that Petr Cech and Hilario are not expected to recover from their injuries.

He said: "Hilario and Petr Cech I think are not able to play on Tuesday."

Chelsea Special: Florent Malouda Develops Into A World-Class Star

With last weekend's FA Cup tie against Stoke City forcing Chelsea's players to wait to truly put to rest the memory of their Premier League capitulation against Manchester City, today's emphatic victory over local rivals West Ham United was just what the doctor ordered.

It was a familiar name that adorned the scoresheet in the 4-1 win, with Didier Drogba netting twice in a game the home side controlled throughout, but also could only make their superiority count in the second half.

For all their dominance in the possession statistics, however, the game could have gone in a very different direction if it hadn't been for one player — and not the Ivorian hit-man. Instead it was Florent Malouda who masterminded this victory, torturing Jonathan Spector throughout the first half and finding a cutting edge in the second that led to an assist (giving Drogba the easiest of headed chances) and a goal he fully deserved.

It was just the latest in a long line of impressive performances from the 29-year-old, who has been one of his side's most consistent performers this season. It is hard to remember the last time he had a truly poor game.

This is the Frenchman's third season in London, but he has not always enjoyed the best of times. The former Olympique Lyonnais star joined the club for around £13 million in 2007 with a big reputation, having just been voted the best player in Ligue 1, but initially struggled to make an impact in a new league and unfamiliar surroundings.

He was — prematurely, but perhaps not unfairly — labeled a bust, despite the likes of Drogba and Cristiano Ronald having similarly struggled to adapt in initial seasons before blossoming into stars of the highest order.

After settling down Malouda was making that sort of progress last season, although Luiz Felipe Scolari's unsuccessful tenure as manager rather obscured that fact. But his goal at the end of the season in the FA Cup final, under the watchful eye of caretaker Guus Hiddink, underlined the truth that everyone seemed to have missed — that he had finally arrived as a major threat in Chelsea's A-list line-up.

And then Carlo Ancelotti rode in, and Malouda had to prove himself all over again. Ancelotti's proposed diamond formation seemed to have no natural spot for the Frenchman, but he was gifted the spot on the left of the diamond after injuries to other midfielders and took the opportunity with both hands, developing a rapport with Ashley Cole that went a long way to propelling the Blues to their fantastic start.

Despite that, Ancelotti seemed reticent to play him in the biggest games — against Liverpool, or Manchester United — something that Malouda did not take kindly too.

"Before the match against Birmingham [on Boxing Day, a game in which he was sent off], I talked to the coach to tell him about my frustration," he told L'Equipe in a controversial interview late last year, where he also complained Frank Lampard received too much credit.

"The frustration is above all for the big games. I'm ready to look elsewhere. Finding another club is not a problem. But the club has closed the door to any departure, whether it be in January or in June. The coach is counting on me. We'll see from now until the end of the season."

And what we saw today was a winger at the top of his game. Malouda was at times unplayable as he weaved down the left and occasionally floated inside, and did more than any other player to ensure Chelsea got the three points they desperately needed.

What is more, he has been playing that way — with the odd exception — for a good month now. Ancelotti is quickly coming to rely on the player only six months ago he seemed unsure of. He acknowledged as much as he withdrew Malouda late on so Stamford Bridge could give him the round of applause his performance deserved.

Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Lampard are the traditional threats people think of when they assess Chelsea's danger. Malouda is quickly adding himself to that list — and for that he deserves a lot of praise.

Match Report: Chelsea 4 - 1 West Ham United

Chelsea went back to the top of the Barclays Premier League with a comfortable win over West Ham at Stamford Bridge.

Brazilian defender Alex headed Chelsea in front in the 15th minute but Scott Parker levelled with a stunning volley on the half-hour mark.

Didier Drogba rose unmarked to restore Chelsea's lead in the 55th minute before Florent Malouda's 20-yard effort in the 76th minute and Drogba's second put Carlo Ancelotti's side one point clear of Manchester United at the summit.

Chelsea goalkeeper Ross Turnbull made his league debut for the club and looked confident enough ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League last-16 return leg against Inter Milan.

The keeper, third choice all season, will be asked to play against Inter, who lead 2-1 from the first leg, due to injuries to Petr Cech and Hilario.

Chelsea were given a sterner test than they would have wanted by a West Ham side that went in 1-1 at the interval.

Ancelotti's side had the better of the early exchanges but West Ham should have been ahead in the 13th minute.

Mido's low cross from the byline found Araujo Ilan unmarked just eight yards out but the West Ham striker blazed his effort over the crossbar.

The miss proved costly for West Ham as Chelsea went ahead two minutes later through Brazilian defender Alex.

The Hammers failed to clear a corner from Malouda and when the ball was returned to the France winger, his cross was headed home by the unmarked Alex.

It was the defender's first goal of the season but it could have been worse for the Hammers seconds later.

Another cross from Malouda caused panic in the West Ham defence and a deflection off Matthew Upson looked to be heading for his own net until goalkeeper Robert Green just managed to palm it away to safety.

In the 27th minute, Chelsea carved West Ham open again and Frank Lampard's curling cross found Drogba at the far post only for the Ivorian to miss the target.

But West Ham were level in the 29th minute when former Chelsea midfielder Parker sent a 25-yard volley over Turnbull and into the top corner.

Turnbull could do nothing about Parker's effort but once again Chelsea were guilty of failing to defend a throw-in.

The goal stunned Chelsea and their response was predictable and rapid. In the 35th minute, Green had to dive at full-stretch to keep out a 20-yard low drive from Lampard.

Two minutes later, Nicolas Anelka tried his luck from 20 yards but the ball was comfortably collected by Green.

Malouda was a constant threat to West Ham and five minutes before the break he sent over another dangerous cross but Paulo Ferreira could only direct his header into the arms of Green.

Chelsea almost restored their advantage when a 53rd minute cross from Malouda just eluded Michael Ballack at the far post.

But the home side were ahead again in the 55th minute and the driving force was captain John Terry.

The Chelsea defender surged forward to the edge of West Ham penalty area and allowed Drogba to lay the ball off to Malouda on the left wing.

The France winger delivered another pinpoint cross into the six-yard box and this time Drogba headed home from point-blank range for his 26th goal of the season - his 20th in the league.

The Chelsea fans began chanting "There's only one England captain" as England coach Fabio Capello watched on from the West stand.

Moments later Chelsea were denied a third by a great save from Green who dived to his right to tip away a header from Alex.

In the 65th minute, Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole was given a chance to shine before Capello when he replaced Anelka.

It was followed moments later by a double substitution for the Hammers - Junior Stanislas replaced Kieron Dyer and Mido made way for Carlton Cole.

Malouda made it 3-1 to Chelsea in the 76th minute with a 20-yard shot into the bottom corner.

It was a fitting reward for the France winger who had set up both of Chelsea's earlier goals.

Chelsea were then denied a fourth in the 85th minute when Lampard's glancing shot hit the far post.

Drogba completed the scoring in the 89th minute with his 27th goal of the season - finishing off from close range after Green had palmed a Lampard shot into his path.

I’d Do An ‘Henry’ For England

Frank Lampard last night admitted he would do a Thierry Henry if it meant getting England through to the World Cup final.

Henry was crucified and labelled a 'cheat' for not owning up to a blatant handball in France's play-off victory over the Republic of Ireland four months ago.

Yet when asked what would he do if that happened to him in a World Cup semi-final, Lampard reckoned he would follow the Barcelona star's lead.

He would cough for the offence only after the match to save himself from a lynch mob.

The Chelsea midfielder admitted: "You know, I probably wouldn't say anything!

"I felt a bit sorry for Henry, because it was an instinctive action.

"I think it's probably easier to own up after the game. At least you're through then! That is probably the wrong thing to say, isn't it? But if I did own up and it cost us the game, I would probably be lynched when I got back to England."

Lampard does not want to tempt fate. But he told ShortList magazine he is looking forward to England reaching their first World Cup final since 1966.

And if it all goes down to penalties, he will be first in the queue to take one - despite messing up in the quarter-final against Portugal in 2006.

He added: "I'm a regular penalty-taker and I think, if that's the case, you're obliged to volunteer."

So would he be going for power or placement? Lamps revealed: "Well, I've tried to place it before and I mucked it up against Portugal. I think if you're really confident, then place it. But if you're a bit nervous, put your foot through it."

Joe Cole's Chelsea Gamble

Desperate Joe Cole is prepared to put contract talks with Chelsea on hold as he embarks on a last-ditch, 10-game campaign to save both his season and his England World Cup place.

Talks between Cole, 28, and Chelsea have stalled again, with the club unwilling to award him the pay rise he wants to put him in the same league as the top earners at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti insisted yesterday he was “100 per cent” certain Cole would be a Blues player next season, but refused to confirm whether he will be in the team against his old club West Ham today.

Cole though, is remarkably set to gamble on being a free agent in the summer and has put off any further talks in a bid to win back a permanent place in Ancelotti’s team.

A source close to Cole said: “It is now a football matter for Joe. It is not about money or length of contract. It is simply about playing football and winning his place back in the team. That is all he cares about.”

Cole will be out of contract at the end of this season and both Manchester United and Manchester City, as well as Tottenham, are showing interest.

Ahmed Al-Muhammadi Not A Chelsea Target - Agent

The agent of ENPPI wing-back Ahmed Al-Muhammadi, Nader Shawki has dismissed reports that English Premier League side Chelsea have shown interest in signing the player.

Speaking to FilGoal.com, Nader Shawki dismissed those speculations.

"The reports which say that Chelsea want to sign Al-Muhammadi are totally untrue. There are no talks with them over any deal," Shawki said.

"However, Al-Muhammadi has some offers from other English sides.

"I will sit down with ENPPI football director Alaa Abdul-Sadek within the coming few days to discuss the possibility of letting Al-Muhammadi leave the club at the end of the season."

Shawki declined to reveal the names of the interested clubs.

Al-Muhammadi, a 22-year-old right-sided midfielder, was on the verge of joining English side Sunderland in the January transfer window but ENPPI eventually turned down their bid.

He made no secret of his desire to experience European football after attracting a host of suitors over the past few years.

Al-Muhammadi, whose jinking runs down the right flank always cause troubles for opponents, played a key role in helping Egypt win an unprecedented third successive Nations Cup title in January.

He will be granted his wish of playing in the English league when the season ends, Abdul-Sadek said.

"We promised Al-Muhammadi that we will allow him to leave in the summer," he revealed.

"We are considering three offers for him to settle on the best possible choice for him and the club."

Losing To José Mourinho Would Be Unthinkable, Admits Frank Lampard

Frank Lampard has already staved off two potential indignities of late. Unlike Gary Lineker, he has avoided having to dress up as a sandwich, his face peering out between plastic tranches of ham and foam tomatoes, when filming the latest Walkers Crisps advertisement in Kent. Then, in a kickabout at Sandwich Technology school, his five-a-side team have edged out a comically dismayed Lineker's in a penalty shoot-out. Yet, if that provides some light relief, swerving the biggest ignominy of all could be distinctly trickier.

Chelsea confront Internazionale on Tuesday with a first-leg deficit to retrieve and Lampard's mentor, José Mourinho, blocking passage to the Champions League quarter-finals. This afternoon's visit of his former club, West Ham, must feel like a distraction with the main event to come. The England midfielder will have had almost three weeks to stew over that 2-1 defeat in San Siro: time to curse the non-award of a penalty for a trip on Salomon Kalou, or the profligacy that has marginally tilted this tie towards the Italian champions. Time, too, to wonder what the Special One may concoct for the return. "It plays on your mind but we have to tell ourselves the tie's in the balance," Lampard says. "The frustration is we should never have lost that first game, but now we have to be careful. Inter have good players and a very clever manager who'll come with a plan. But to go out to José? Yeah, I guess you could call that unthinkable."

That admission is natural, yet prompts immediate reflection. "You know what? I try and take all that emotion out of it. I've got more respect for José Mourinho than for any other manager I've worked with because of what he did for me. I want to win the game, but it's not like I want to get one over on him. I just want to go through to the last eight. If you'd asked me at the start of the season who I'd want to win the European Cup if it wasn't going to be us, I'd have been happy to see José win it. He was great for me and I'm still close to him."

Mourinho was staggering for Chelsea. The Portuguese will be granted a tumultuous reception on Tuesday for what will be his second return to the ground where his name was once bellowed as he plundered two Premier League titles, two Carling Cups and an FA Cup in little more than three seasons. He will be welcomed as a returning hero with affection extended by those his team directly oppose. Chelsea have signed nine senior players since his departure in September 2007, of whom only Nicolas Anelka and Branislav Ivanovic are established first-team regulars. It may be awkward for the managers who have come and gone since to acknowledge, but the core of this squad remains Mourinho's.

One of its key performers is in his debt. The impact Mourinho had on Lampard is measured in more than mere winners' medals. It says everything that the 31-year-old, by his own admission, considered joining him in Milan at the beginning of last season before opting at the last to extend his contract at Stamford Bridge. "He gave me self-belief," the midfielder says. "He carried that aura around with him. It's very obvious that he believes in himself as a manager, and as a man, but he had this way of transmitting that confidence to his players. He just tried to make me believe in the player I could be, and helped me get to where I wanted to be. It was sad losing someone like that who you respect, but what he gave me stays with me. I'm a better player and a better person for having worked with him.

"The reason he's been a successful manager everywhere he's been is because of the atmosphere he creates in the dressing room by getting close to his players, working with them, respecting them. All of us who worked with him had that. He creates a real spirit, a family atmosphere, and he gets that extra 10% out of his teams by doing that. That's why you'll find the players who worked with him will talk about the times he was with us with such fondness.

"We didn't get any of his 'mind games' before or after the first leg. I met him in the tunnel before kick-off, then he said a quick hello to most of the lads as he walked past our coach after the game – he was in pretty good spirits, as you'd expect. He'll talk ahead of the second game with one eye on the match, and say what he wants to say, but he won't make it personal. There's too much respect there for that."

The Portuguese and Inter represent a daunting obstacle blocking Chelsea's pursuit of a treble. The league leadership can be regained from Manchester United this afternoon, while Aston Villa await in the FA Cup semi-finals. Securing the European Cup, the trophy that eluded Mourinho's Chelsea, has long been Roman Abramovich's objective. "What happened to us last season against Barcelona in the semis – knowing we should have beaten the best team in Europe only, for one reason or another, to go out – still hurts," says Lampard, suppressing a shudder at the memory of Tom Henning Ovrebo's judgment and Andrés Iniesta's stoppage-time equaliser. "Another year passes and you haven't won it, and it hurts more and more. We know this squad isn't going to go on forever. The closer you get to tasting that success, the more bitter it is when you miss out.

"But that's why the club brought Carlo Ancelotti in last summer, because of the fantastic experience he brings with him, particularly in this competition. He's proven in Europe after what he achieved with Milan. The year they beat Manchester United in the semi-final and Liverpool in the final [2007] they had a fantastic team. He brings that know-how to us. He knows what is needed, particularly in the knock-out phase. That's why the game against Inter will be as much of a battle between two great managers as it is two teams. In Ancelotti, we've got a manager who can help us take that extra step.

"Everything that's happened this season must have been an eye opener for him: when you've played and coached all your career in Italy, coming to England must highlight the cultural differences in the game. That goes for the football and the style of play, the atmosphere, to the press – in Italy there's probably more attention paid to the football itself, whereas here there's also the off-the-field stuff which he wouldn't have encountered before. But he's done well. The frustrating thing is, as a group, we haven't been able to pull away at the top of the Premier League. That's down to the players. There have been times when we thought we'd push on, but then gone out and lost points."

Chelsea have not been alone in stuttering when they had expected to stride on. January was littered with wins, but there were only two victories last month together with that first-leg defeat in Italy. Key players have been lost to injury and Gianfranco Zola's West Ham may sense vulnerability across the capital. Concede today and Chelsea will have already shipped more goals this season than in any campaign since 2003-04. "But now's the time to put that consistent run of wins together," Lampard says. "There are three teams in it, but big teams put together a run in this situation. From now on in, we have to have that strong mentality to handle other sides playing before us and knocking us off the top of the league. We have to get our heads round that and go on a run of wins. But we've got the players to cope with that.

"For the last three seasons we've lost the league for different reasons. Last season we had a terrible patch at the end of [Luiz Felipe] Scolari's reign but, when Guus Hiddink came in, we were probably the best team in the country and lost once in four months. We did the same under Avram Grant, starting virtually in mid-table but almost nicking the league. That's the consistency we'll need. You learn from those close failures. We know what went wrong back then, and we have to copy what went right. The treble is still there for us.

"These could be a special five months. At Chelsea we have great potential and we're fighting on all fronts. We want to win big things – the Champions League in particular – and then, come June, there's the World Cup, the biggest tournament a player can participate in. World Cups define careers. We'll go to South Africa full of confidence. All this is exciting, mouth-watering, but one thing at a time. First West Ham, then Inter." A reunion with Mourinho awaits.

Palermo's Pastore Staying Put

Serie A outfit Palermo insist they have no intention of selling star man Javier Pastore.

The Argentine playmaker is reported to be attracting interest from afar, with Manchester United, Chelsea and Juventus all said to be keen.

However, Palmero director Walter Sabatini is adamant the 20-year is going nowhere.

"Pastore will not be sold," he claimed.

"It won't happen in June, neither next season. He represents the future of this club and this is why we won't accept any bid for him."

Palermo have invested heavily in the stars of tomorrow over recent years, having offloaded a number of the more experienced members of their squad to bigger clubs.

Abel Hernandez, a teenage forward from Uruguay, is also believed to have caught the eye of potential suitors, but once again Sabatini insists there is no chance of a deal being struck.

"Abel Hernandez is another of our youngsters who will not be going anywhere," he continued.

"It is not true that Arsenal have made an offer for him."

The Sicilians are currently flying high in Serie A and have their sights set on a top four finish and UEFA Champions League qualification.

My Heart Is With Both Chelsea And Inter - Jose Mourinho

Inter coach Jose Mourinho is preparing to take on Chelsea in the second-leg of their Champions League tie next week, holding a 2-1 advantage after a win at the Giuseppe Meazza.

The 47-year-old tactician spent three years in charge of the Blues, but insists that despite knowing it will be an emotional evening, only the Nerazzurri are his priority now.

"The good thing is I don't have to walk far, from the dressing room to the bench is only five metres. I won't have to cross the field and feel the emotions and reactions of the crowd," he explained in an interview with uefa.com.

"On the field are the players, not me. They are much more important than I, because the game is won on the pitch, not on the bench. But my heart will fully be on either side. That's what a professional should do, but I cannot hide that Chelsea was a very important part of my life."

Inter were eliminated from the competition at this stage last season after falling to Manchester United and the squad underwent several changes during the summer.

"If a coach does his duty and the club supports him, as is the case for me, you can always improve," he continued.

"We bought some players last year that we did not have, such as a pure attacking midfield creative player like Wesley Sneijder.

"Up front we have more solutions like [Diego] Milito, [Samuel] Eto'o, and [Goran] Pandev. Sure we lost Zlatan Ibrahimovic, but with these three players we have more solutions and more options. In addition, Lucio was the type of defender that we lacked.

"I think now the team is more suited to the modern game."

My Week At Work: Daniel Sturridge

Striker Daniel Sturridge scored twice for the reserve team this week, and enjoyed his short stint with the second string, but still can't bring himself to give them too much praise.

The best goal I have seen this week:
The most shocking goal of the week was my first one for the reserves against Stoke, in off my back! The second wasn't lucky, that was well judged, so be careful. Samir Nasri's for Arsenal against Porto was very good, I'll say that.

The best save I have seen this week:
I'm a striker, I don't look out for keepers' saves do I? How about Alex's tackle against Stoke on Tuncay?

The best training:
Being with the reserves, the overall banter and feel of the session the day before the game was hilarious, everybody was up for it and enjoying themselves.

The worst training:
I can't be airing out the coaches for getting involved, there have been a couple of one-off incidents, but I don't know, nothing I want to tell you about!

Funniest moment of the week:
That reserve training session, we were playing some six-a-side which was funny, one team was bantering the whole time and ended up winning it, they had Nikki Ahamed, Danny Mills Pappoe, Jacob Mellis, Gokhan Tore, they did very well.

My favourite sound this week:
There's a song by Mr. Slick called 'Chillin', and I'm always listening to that because I'm always chilling myself.

Best food this week:
Anything my mum cooks, and this week I'll say her chicken, which is always amazing.

Best entertainment:
I've not watched a lot this week on TV or anything, I've stopped with the computer games at the moment, so I'm spending time in London with my friends, but I did watch 'The Taking of Pelham 123' again this week, and that's good.

The news story that stands out:
That Facebook murder, it just shows you have to be careful with it because it can obviously be dangerous.

And a special mention goes to:
Maybe the reserve boys. No why am I giving them a special mention? This should be family shouldn't it? So my family for keeping me happy through hard times.

Match Preview: Chelsea vs. West Ham United

Chelsea have been plunged into a goalkeeping crisis ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League return leg against Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan.

Chelsea lost first-choice goalkeeper Petr Cech with a calf strain in the 2-1 opening leg defeat at the San Siro and deputy Hilario collected an abductor injury during last Sunday's 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory over Stoke.

The injuries have left the Blues with just Ross Turnbull and Rhys Taylor available for the Barclays Premier League clash with West Ham.

The pair are likely to be on duty against Milan in their return last-16 tie as coach Carlo Ancelotti admits it is unlikely Hilario or Cech will have recovered in time to play.

The loss of Hilario is a real blow for Ancelotti as Turnbull has made just two appearances for the club this season.

Turnbull, who joined on a free transfer from Middlesbrough last summer, played in the 4-0 Carling Cup win over Bolton and Chelsea's 2-2 draw with APOEL in this season's Champions League group stage.

"We have a problem with the goalkeepers,'' admitted Ancelotti.”We don't know if Hilario or Petr are able to play on Tuesday.

"I want to put the best line-up out because it's an important game. We don't have to think about the Inter game.

"We need to win and go back to the top of the table, so I want to put the best players out. But we have problems. Michael Essien, Ashley Cole, and Jose Bosingwa are out. Also Ricardo Carvalho and Hilario is not able to play. So, in goal, Turnbull will play.

"Cech is doing physiotherapy. He did not train on the pitch, so it's very difficult for him to recover for Tuesday.

"Hilario had a problem against Stoke and has not been able to train this week. An Adductor muscle in his groin is the problem. On the bench will go Rhys Taylor, our young goalkeeper from the reserve team.

"I'm not worried. The performance of the team does not rely upon the goalkeeper. I don't want to say we can play without a goalkeeper, because that's an important player for the team, but I have confidence in Turnbull.

"He has not played a lot of games this season but, with the work with our goalkeeping coach, he has improved very well. I have no problem about playing Turnbull against Inter Milan.''

Meanwhile, West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola believes his team need 10 more points to beat the drop - and is challenging his players to upset the form book and pick three of them up at his former club.

The Hammers' disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Bolton last weekend leaves them on 27 points, three above the Barclays Premier League relegation zone with 10 matches remaining.

With their next two games coming away at title challengers Chelsea and Arsenal, many believe it will be West Ham's final eight fixtures which will determine whether they reach the 37-point mark demanded by Zola.

But the Italian sees no reason why the recovery following the loss to Bolton cannot start at Stamford Bridge, a ground where he served Chelsea with distinction between 1996 and 2003.

"Personally, I think 37 should make it for us,'' Zola said, when asked how many points his team will need to secure their top-flight status.

"Some people are saying less, but I want to be sure that 37 will be a good target for us.

"It will be fantastic for me to win at Stamford Bridge. The situation is that we need those points. For me and my team, I think it will be a big boost forward.

"I think we have enough quality here to do it. But we have to improve our consistency.''

Zola will make changes to his team, in terms of both preparation and personnel, for the Chelsea match.

Fit-again centre-back Danny Gabbidon is set to come into the line-up in place of James Tomkins, who was arguably at fault for both goals West Ham conceded against Bolton.

England striker Carlton Cole could start up front on his own, with Zola reverting to a 4-5-1 formation as he looks to improve his side's dreadful away record this season.

With Julien Faubert ruled out with a hamstring injury, Jonathan Spector could be switched from left-back to right-back, with Swiss youngster Fabio Daprela coming in as a replacement.

Ancelotti: Trust In Turnbull

Carlo Ancelotti has been talking injuries ahead of the West Ham game as he welcomes Yury Zhirkov back into his squad and prepares to give a Chelsea league debut to Ross Turnbull.

Hilario has a groin injury suffered in the match against Stoke last weekend and has not trained all week. He is a doubt to face Inter on Tuesday and will not play tomorrow (Saturday).

Ricardo Carvalho is also out of the West Ham match as he recovers from a hamstring niggle but injuries apart, Ancelotti will be fielding his strongest team.

'We need to come back to the top of the table and so I want to put the best line-up out,' confirmed the Chelsea manager after Friday's training.

'We have some problems because we have injuries to some players, but I am not worried. I have trust in Turnbull. He hasn't played a lot of games but with our goalkeeper coach, he has improved very well.'

The 25-year-old has made two Chelsea appearances since signing from Middlesbrough in the summer.One was a full 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw against APOEL at the Bridge in the Champions League. He also came on midway through the first half of the Carling Cup win at home to Bolton when Hilario was injured and kept a clean sheet.

He last played in the Barclays Premier League when Boro lost at the Bridge in January 2009.

The goalkeeper on the bench will be Rhys Taylor, a 19-year-old from the reserve squad who played in the FA Youth Cup Final two years ago and was an unused sub for three first-team games during the Christmas and New Year period 2007/08.

'Yury Zhirkov is fit,' Ancelotti reported. 'He trained very well this week and has recovered completely. He can play tomorrow and also Tuesday and I don't think Carvalho has a problem for Tuesday.

'Maybe we will have a problem with goalkeepers because we don't know about Hilario and Petr Cech is doing physio but he hasn't trained on the pitch, so it is very difficult for him to recover for Tuesday.'

Ancelotti also had news on more long-term injured Ashley Cole and Michael Essien. They return to Cobham today from their rehabilitation in France after surgery.

Essien after an initial complication that has put his recovery back three to four weeks is progressing well.

'We are sure that he will play before the end of this season if his recovery continues without roblem.Ashley Cole is doing very good recovery, very fast. We have to look at him but we hope to have him before the three months.'

That was the time period initially predicted for the left-back's recovery. While he is considering his own injured players, Ancelotti has empathy for his opposite number this weekend, Gianfranco Zola.

'It is not easy for him because he has had a lot of injuries. Now, after the recovery of Carlton Cole, they have the possibility to play well until the end of the season. I hope West Ham stay in the Premier League because I think Gianfranco did a very good job this season. It is a very difficult job but he didn't lose his focus.

'The last Italian manager we played against beat me, but I am happy to meet my ex-player.'

Chelsea And Man City Want Neymar

Chelsea and Manchester City lead the race to sign Santos forward Neymar, according to the Brazilian's agent.

The 18-year-old has long been linked with a move to the Premier League, with Manchester United also credited with an interest.

It has been reported that Robinho's loan move, and possible permanent deal, to Santos will give City the priority option for Neymar if he becomes available for transfer.

But the teenager's representative, Augusto Frederico Pena, has announced that Chelsea are rivals to the Eastlands outfit for a contract escape clause which is understood to stand at €35million (£32m).

Pena told calciomercato.it: "There is every likelihood that Neymar will leave Santos in the summer. I think there are more opportunities for English teams.

"In the Premier League, he is followed by Chelsea and Manchester City, although there is nothing concrete."

Terry Hopes To End Mourinho's Dream

Captain John Terry is convinced Chelsea can end Jose Mourinho's bid for Champions League glory when the former Blues boss returns to Stamford Bridge next week.

Mourinho's Inter Milan will arrive in London on Monday holding a 2-1 advantage from the first-leg of their last-16 tie at the San Siro.

It will be the first return to Stamford Bridge for Mourinho since September 2007, when he departed after leading the club to every domestic honour including successive Barclays Premier League triumphs in 2005 and 2006.

Terry, who scored in the FA Cup victory over Stoke last weekend, is confident Chelsea can overcome Inter's slender lead and reach the last eight of the tournament at the expense of the 'Special One'.

Terry said: "Returning to Stamford Bridge with a one-goal deficit and an away goal against the Italian champions is a starting point most sides would take and this side believes we can turn it around.

"We are going for three trophies right now and every game is crucial. Only winning will do."

Agent: Contract Talks For Borini

Chelsea striker Fabio Borini is in talks with the Blues over a new contract, according to his agent.

The talented teenager joined the London club as a trainee in July last year and has shown plenty of promise since then.

He has featured eight times in the first team squad, playing on the domestic scene and in Europe.

Having impressed on each occasion, Borini is now close to securing a new deal which will see him at the club for the foreseeable future.

"There will soon be a meeting with Chelsea for the renewing of the contract," Borini's agent Marco De Marchi told Calciomercato.it.

"In London, Fabio is very good," he added. "The management are very pleased with his performances and Carlo Ancelotti rates him highly."

Asked if Borini may be loaned out to his native Italy once a deal had been tied up, De Marchi said: "I don't think so.

"He wants to remain with the Blues but if there are other options we will evaluate them."

Carlo Ancelotti Keeps Joe Cole Guessing At Chelsea With Liverpool Waiting In Wings

Relations between Joe Cole and Chelsea have been affected by the news that the club are in active negotiations to extend the contracts of both Nicolas Anelka and Michael Ballack.

Cole, whose deal expires on June 30, and his advisers were under the impression that all contract talks were on hold until the summer. Not so, say Chelsea, who firmly dispute that claim. But it has not helped the 28 year-old's sense of being wanted at the club he joined seven years ago.

Cole had asked for a new, improved offer more than two years ago and was told to wait by the then chief executive Peter Kenyon. The priority was tying down Frank Lampard. A serious knee injury, with Cole out for nine months, caused a further delay while other Chelsea players have signed new deals in the meantime. Significantly the midfielder has failed to hold down a first-team place on a regular basis under Carlo Ancelotti.

The official position remains from both sides that player and club want a deal to happen – and one may well be concluded – but it's highly unusual for an international in his prime to be in the situation that Cole now finds himself in, especially going into a World Cup finals which he is danger of missing out on. Certainly part of his negotiations was to get himself into the "upper quartile" of earners at Stamford Bridge with an improvement on his £80,000-a-week salary to take him into six figures.

That has been balked at by Chelsea but although it's clear that money, and length of contract, is a factor the greater concern now appears to be Cole's inability to convince Ancelotti to play him. The recent failure to come on against Inter Milan in the Champions League – the manager preferred to use the pace of Daniel Sturridge – did not go unnoticed while, in fairness, Cole has not been playing convincingly.

Cole is now in a quandary. There will be no shortage of clubs interested in him this summer – and tentative offers are being made – with Liverpool understood to be keen followed by Tottenham Hotspur. Cole has, also, always hankered after the idea that he could play in Spain, having appeared as a La Liga pundit but with a baby on the way, does he want to go overseas?

Carlo Ancelotti '100% Sure' Joe Cole Will Stay At Chelsea

Despite rumours of a move away from the club, Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti believes out-of-contract midfielder Joe Cole will stay at Stamford Bridge next season.

The Englishman's contract runs out in the summer, and he has reportedly attracted interest from Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham after so far failing to agree a new deal with his current club.

But Ancelotti, who has used Cole only sparingly this season, is certain the 28-year-old will remain with the club he supported as a boy.

"He will stay at Chelsea next year - of that I am 100 per cent clear. He will be in the squad for next year," Ancelotti said ahead of Saturday's game against West Ham United.

"It’s my aim and the aim of the club to keep him in the squad because Joe Cole is an important player, a very professional player, and one who has a lot of quality.

"For these reasons, we want to keep him.”

Ancelotti's assistant Ray Wilkins echoed the sentiment, playing down reports that the club's board was reluctant to offer Cole a new deal.

“We are desperate to keep Joe. I know the club is and we as a management group feel the same. He is a valuable asset to us," he said.

“I have spoken to Joe on numerous occasions and he is upbeat about his future here.

"He loves Chelsea. He wants to stay at Chelsea and I’m sure the club and his people will sort the situation out.

"We sincerely hope he is here next season."

Drogba Is Africa's Number One

Didier Drogba has been named the African Player of the Year for the second time in his career.

The Chelsea striker previously won the honour in 2006 and has been in the top three places on four other occasions.

On Thursday evening of what is his 32nd birthday, Drogba beat the challenges from other nominees Michael Essien and Samuel Eto'o to receive the 2009 award.

The winner is voted by the national coaches from the 54 countries affiliated to the Confederation of African Football.

Unable to be at the ceremony in Ghana due to his Chelsea training commitments, it was collected on Drogba's behalf by an official of the Ivorian Football Federation.

Both Drogba and Essien were named in the African Best XI for 2009.

Essien was quick to congratulate his Chelsea team mate and friend. Speaking from his rehab camp in France he said:

'Congratulations to Didier for winning this superb award. He has worked hard over the last year for Chelsea and Ivory Coast and he deserves every award he wins.

'The winner is chosen by people who know and understand the game and all three of us in the running would have loved to have won it, but there can be only one winner and this time it is Didier - Well done mate.

'I hope this is a sign of things to come in the upcoming Chelsea versus Inter Champions League game. For a Chelsea player to beat an Inter player Eto'o for the award could be a good omen ahead of the game.'