Salomon Kalou Set To Lead Summer Exodus As Chelsea Plan Massive Clearout

Chelsea are ready to launch a summer clear-out of Carlo Ancelotti's squad, with striker Salomon Kalou heading up a list of star names who could be set to depart, according to a report from The Guardian.

Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Juliano Belletti are also believed to be set to depart from Stamford Bridge, with Deco having recently told Brazilian radio that a move back to South America in the summer would suit him for family reasons.

Contract negotiations with Nicolas Anelka, Joe Cole and Michael Ballack could all be affected by a reported desire amongst the Chelsea hierarchy to revitalise an ageing and seemingly somewhat jaded squad.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been rumoured to be interested in making a move for Kalou in the past, with the Gunners chief believed to have made an enquiry when he sold Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City.

Roman Abramovich Blind To Real Problem At Chelsea

Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari and, now, Carlo Ancelotti. It is all your fault that Chelsea have failed to win the Champions League, as far as Roman Abramovich is concerned.

Abramovich privately fumes about the amount of money he has spent and – in his reasoning – the unacceptable return he has received. As the Chelsea owner would have it, it's their fault that too many players and agents have grown ridiculously rich at the Russian's expense and that he has had to – Ancelotti, for now, apart – sack them all.

No one knows, for sure, what goes on in Abramovich's mind. He speaks sparingly, even to those closest to him, but having taken soundings following Chelsea's exit to Inter Milan on Tuesday, a game when it was clear that this team had run their course, the response appears to be the same: blame the manager.

Yes, the players received flak – Joe Cole, Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard, John Terry and Didier Drogba, especially, came in for criticism. All the big names with the biggest pay packets, in fact. But that was part of a theme.

These guys have cost Abramovich a fortune whereas the likes of Alex and Salomon Kalou haven't and, according to the reaction from 'the big guy', appeared to be the only ones really trying.

Abramovich has been told often enough he needs to spend big again and he is prepared to – but it will have to be, for example, Sergio Aguero at £30 million rather than the £40 million that Atletico Madrid want. And the prices for Franck Ribery, Fernando Torres, David Villa all, similarly, have to come down to attract Abramovich.

He's also been told that it's time to move some of the big names on. There are those who maintain Manchester City's offer of £30 million for John Terry should have been accepted.

But Abramovich doesn't accept it. And the core of his argument highlights his blindness to what goes wrong at Chelsea. He tells his friends this: why can't all the expensive coaches he's hired (with the exception of Mourinho, who left because he couldn't get on with the boss) mould a team in the way that Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger have? The answer, as they say, is in the question, Roman.

ASHLEY COLE TAKES STEP FORWARD

He tried to hide his presence but it was, unmistakably, Ashley Cole in the Stamford Bridge press room before Tuesday's match. He had the hood of his black top pulled over his head and was trying to squeeze himself into a corner so he wasn't noticed as he talked to who he was there to talk to.

Fair enough. There wasn't much chance the media were going to bother him anyway. What was more interesting was the fact that not only did Cole appearing to be walking comfortably, and able to put weight on his broken ankle, but that he also had a little turn of pace as he quickly exited the room once his conversation was finished. No limp. It would appear he's well on the way to recovery, which is good news for England as well as Chelsea.

PORTUGUESE TEARS OF WAR

There was some damage done on the night, however. Jose Mourinho left Stamford Bridge late on with his right hand bandaged up. It begged the question: had Roman Abramovich – or more probably one of his pumped-up bodyguards – inflicted some damage in a bone-crushing handshake of congratulations? The answer was more prosaic: Mourinho's fingers had been trapped in a door he held open for someone in the corridors of Stamford Bridge. It brought a tear to his eye. But it wasn't the only one he shed.

One reason for the long delay before Mourinho addressed the media following Inter's victory was because he wanted to compose himself. Such was the understandable emotion of the occasion that Mourinho had sobbed, tears of relief and, perhaps, regret in the away dressing room.

FOREIGN FIELDS A BIGGER LURE

Just two English clubs – Manchester United and Arsenal – will be in the draw for the last eight of the Champions League on Friday, which may lead to some hand-wringing at the Premier League. After all, with three representatives in the semi-finals for the past two seasons, and England the powerhouse of domestic football, then surely their dominance was set to continue?

It's not exactly a poor showing – indeed the spread of countries, with France the only other with two clubs, is a healthy thing. But it does puncture the myth that leading foreign players come to England because of the football, the excitement, the competition and the crowds. With a 50 per cent tax rate kicking in and the pound continuing to be weak against the euro, the reason why some players – especially those in France – are less keen to move is the reason why they wanted to come here in the first place: money.

Abramovich Will Stick With Ancelotti And Bankroll £140million Summer Spree

Roman Abramovich last night gave Carlo Ancelotti a personal training ground assurance his Chelsea job is safe despite the Blues’ Champions League humiliation at the hands of Jose Mourinho.

But the latest premature end of the quest for Abramovich’s Holy Grail will bring a summer of upheaval which will finally see the coffers opened and a wholesale change of the squad Ancelotti inherited.

Abramovich was understood to have been angry and embarrassed by Tuesday’s exit, which saw Mourinho unfurling his peacock feathers once again after overseeing the destruction of the team he created, with the blame being pinned on the Italian.

But while the Chelsea owner expected far more, his more measured response was to go to see Ancelotti at the club’s Cobham headquarters where agreement was reached over the need for radical rebuilding - at a potential outlay of £140million-plus.

Even before Tuesday night, Ancelotti and the Blues hierarchy had been concerned about the danger of the Chelsea squad beginning to resemble the Saga-sponsored AC Milan side who had capitulated at Old Trafford last week.

That feeling was only reinforced by events at the Bridge, with Ancelotti out-thought by Mourinho and his players second-best in every area of the park.

When Ancelotti took the job last summer, he also accepted the philosophy of doing it with the tools he was given, rather than buying an expensive new set.

But it did not take long for Abramovich to concede that things needed to be different and - with Lens paid off and the threat of a transfer window ban over the Gael Kakuta affair ended - rather than tinker in January Ancelotti was given the green light to do it for real this summer.

That means the end of Mourinho’s generation of Chelsea “Pensioners“ and a new-look side, recruited to fit Ancelotti’s pattern of play, instead of trying to force square pegs left behind by the Special One into round holes.

Top of the wish-list are Fernando Torres, Franck Ribery and David Villa.

The odds are heavily against capturing any of them, although the Torres’ hints of disquiet with Liverpool have raised hopes.

Ribery is seemingly set for Real Madrid, Villa for Barcelona, but if either is available, then money will be no object as Abramovich seeks to find a “personality“ in his side that fits his image of what Chelsea can become under Ancelotti’s guiding hand.

In midfield, too, the need for change is pressing. Joe Cole’s miserable cameo after replacing Michael Ballack - who will accept the reduced contract terms on offer in order to stay in London - may have sealed his fate, John Obi Mikel is vulnerable and Deco is half-way back to Brazil in his head already.

Ancelotti is looking for more pace and invention, Lazio’s Marek Hamsik at the forefront of his mind, as Chelsea accept they cannot expect Frank Lampard to keep on playing every match and delivering 20-plus goals each season.

Other options include Benfica winger Angel Di Mario, fellow Argentine and Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero - despite concerns over his lack of inches - German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and Inter’s marauding Brazilian right-back Maicon.

To land even half of that list - Chelsea have also looked at Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini, Palermo centre half Simon Kjaer and Alkmaar’s Belgian striker Moussa Dembele - will require a massive outlay, increasing the expectation that academy products Kakuta, Jeffrey Bruma, Fabio Borini and Nemanja Matic will be genuine first team options.

But as the chastened Chelsea players conceded that lessons have to be learned to prevent the rest of the season from capsizing in the wake of the Mourinho bow wave, while urging the club not to throw the baby out with the bathwater, the requirement for action was implicitly understood.

Chelsea Target Fernando Torres As They Plan Squad Rebuild

Chelsea are drawing up plans to reshape their squad after being knocked out of the Champions League and despite the current squad pleading for one more chance to win Europe's top prize.

The 1–0 defeat by José Mourinho's Internazionale on Tuesday exposed weaknesses in Carlo Ancelotti's squad. The club will aim to retain the spine of the team but a number of fringe players are expected to be moved on in the summer.

Chelsea's transfer policy in recent seasons has been one of relative prudence, as successive chief executives have aimed for self-sufficiency instead of continued reliance upon Roman Abramovich's benevolence. However, the club's Russian owner has made it clear that should the right players become available at competitive prices, he will fund the occasional big signing.

Ancelotti may thus be able to consider moves for long-standing targets such as Fernando Torres, Franck Ribéry, Angel di María or Sergio Agüero. Torres is emerging as the club's principal target and the Spanish striker's future at Liverpool could be decided by the level of investment attracted to his club in the next few months. Real Madrid will compete for Ribéry's signature though the French forward, who plays for Bayern Munich, confirmed interest from Chelsea last month.

Abramovich was at the club's Cobham training base yesterday and he spoke to Ancelotti about long-term transfer policy. Funds could be raised by moving players on with the likes of Deco, Ricardo Carvalho, Paulo Ferreira, Juliano Belletti and even Salomon Kalou potentially made available. The owner's desire to reinvigorate the squad could also have implications for contract negotiations with Joe Cole and Michael Ballack, whose deals expire at the end of the season, and possibly Nicolas Anelka, who is contracted until 2011.

Previous Chelsea managers have come under serious scrutiny following elimination from the Champions League but Ancelotti, who has been at the club for nine months, retains the owner's faith and will oversee the next stage in this team's development.

"Most of the players are really happy and want to stay here and continue the adventure," said the striker Didier Drogba, 32, who was sent off late in the 1-0 second-leg defeat. "It would mean a lot to win [the Champions League] together next season because we've been trying so hard to do that for such a long time. I hope there is more to come from this team."

Their forward Florent Malouda, 29, said the current team "could have given much more than we did". Ballack, now 33, offered the telling admission that Inter's physical power had proved too much to cope with. "I don't think this team is coming to an end because you can't use this game as a means of assessing the development of the side over the whole year," the German midfielder said.

Uefa's disciplinary panel has yet to decide if Drogba's red card for violent conduct – the Ivorian stamped on Thiago Motta's ankle – will prompt further sanction. The Ivory Coast striker is nine months into a three-year probationary period for a previous offence. Drogba was banned for four matches, with a further two games suspended, for verbally abusing the Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after Chelsea's defeat in last season's semi-final, against Barcelona.

Drogba faces a mandatory two‑match ban for his most recent offence, which could be extended to four games. "The referee was a bit hard [on me] with this red card," said the striker.

"I stepped on [Motta's] achilles tendon, but it was not intentional and I was more focused on the cross and the ball. I know I have had unhappy endings in Europe for the last three years [he was also sent off in the 2008 final], but I'm going to try and make it better. I hope next season will be mine."

Roman Abramovich Wants Answers After Euro Exit

Roman Abramovich held an inquest at Chelsea's training ground today following their dismal exit to Inter Milan in the Champions League.

Standard Sport understands the Chelsea owner made the trip to Cobham to meet with coach Carlo Ancelotti after they lost 1-0 to Jose Mourinho's side at Stamford Bridge and crashed out at the last-16 stage 3-1 on aggregate.

It is normal for the Russian billionaire to be seen at the training ground and there is no suggestion the former AC Milan coach's position is under threat at this stage but he was hired to win the Champions League and has failed at the first attempt.

Ancelotti told fans at a club event last week that he talks with Abramovich once a month about squad matters.

He said: "Roman is very interested in his team. We meet together maybe one time a month. We like to when he doesn't have to deal with his job and he stays in Cobham. We like to discuss everything, because he likes football, he likes Chelsea, the Chelsea players and he wants to know everything - the injuries, performance of the players and tactical questions. He is a competent man."

But the timing of any conversations today would appear to be far more significant. Mourinho, Avram Grant and Luiz Felipe Scolari have all been sacked in the past three years for failing to meet the owner's standards in Europe.

Ancelotti admitted after last night's game that he will now be under strain having seen his side lose four of their last eight matches, which has also put their title hopes in the balance.

He said: "I've worked a long time in this environment and it is normal that the manager comes under more pressure if he loses a few matches."

Chelsea could be trailing Manchester United by five points in the Premier League by the time they take on Blackburn on Sunday, while they face a tough FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa next month.

Midfielder Florent Malouda, who trained with the rest of the first-team squad this afternoon, believes Chelsea can bounce back by winning the domestic Double.

He said: "We are all disappointed but now it's over we have to think about the League. I think we failed against Inter, we have to analyse this and think about the future. The best way to bounce back is to win the Championship.

"We have quality but have to show it. It will be difficult but we're lucky because we're still in a good position in the League and the FA Cup.

"We have to think about the way we reacted after the defeat to Barcelona last year and do the same because it can still be a wonderful season. We must stay strong and we're all behind the manager."

Didier Drogba could start next season with a four-game European ban following his sending-off for stamping on Thiago Motta.

The striker's automatic two-match punishment could be doubled because of previous offences.

Drogba was suspended for three matches for his rant at referee Tom Henning Ovrebo during last season's semi-final defeat by Barcelona, a penalty which also carried the threat of a further two-game ban if he stepped out of line again.

UEFA are still awaiting the report from last night's referee Wolfgang Stark before deciding on their next move. Drogba was also sent off in the 2008 Champions League Final for pushing Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic in the face.

The Chelsea striker said the dismissal had been "difficult to take" adding: "I stepped on Motta's calf but I don't think it deserved a red card."

Florent Maluoda Hits Out After Ancelotti Plan Backfires

Florent Malouda hit out at Carlo Ancelotti’s leadership yesterday, saying Chelsea played route one stuff against Inter Milan.

Former Blues boss Jose Mourinho totally outwitted Ancelotti as the Italian champions dumped the west Londoners out of the Champions League on Tuesday.

While the Portuguese coach spent much of the match directing and organising his team, former Milan boss Ancelotti was largely static. “We had a plan and couldn’t apply this plan,” said Malouda.

“I didn’t think we used the potential of our team. We didn’t use our strengths and sometimes we played too many long balls.

“We wanted to play to our strengths and put more pace and intensity in the game, but they were looking for fouls to slow the pace of the game.

“It was strange and we didn’t seem to handle it and to find a way to keep the intensity high. It was difficult and I think that is where we lost the game.”

Chelsea needed just a 1-0 win to reach the last eight, having lost 2-1 in Italy, but they ended up crashing to a 1-0 defeat after Samuel Eto’o scored in the 79th minute.
Malouda, who had the Blues’ only serious shot on target early in the second-half, added: “We lost patience and were looking for long balls.

“That’s what they were waiting for. They were looking for fouls and there was a lot of diving, but we didn’t find a solution.

“Inter deserved their win and we are eliminated, so we can’t speak about the Champions League any more this season.”

Chelsea’s German international midfielder Michael Ballack also admitted Mourinho and his men had been superior over the two legs.

“Their full-backs are very strong and we couldn’t live with them, even with their wingers because our full-backs were blocked,” he said. “In the end we couldn’t find an answer, which is why we are so disappointed.

“If you lose, then always, something has gone wrong in there (with your tactics), but offensively was what we were most disappointed about. That was one of our poorest games in the Champions League.

“We couldn’t perform well. In the second half we had no answer.

“Inter were defensively so strong and in every duel they were unbelievable, clever and hard.

“Normally you find an answer because we are also a physical team, but we were not good on the night.

“We knew it wouldn’t be easy because it is a smaller pitch here, which is an advantage because they are an experienced team, especially in defence.

“I don’t want to speak about Jose Mourinho. We are out of this competition now and we have to think about us.

“We played against a good side. They played one of the best games in the Champions League.

“But if we played better, we would have had a much better chance. We have had a lot of good games this year and qualified first in the group.

“We were looking good and confident before the game, confident that we could beat them. “But we have to accept it like it is. I don’t think the team looks poor generally. It was just a bad day.

“I want to win this comp-etition once and want to play as long as I can at the highest level and Chelsea is a club that play at the highest level, but Inter was a bad day for us.

“There is always a first time, the first time has to come and then maybe it is easier. But you have to fight for this first time.

“It’s like when Chelsea won the Premier League then won another one straight away. I think the team has the quality to win. We showed that every year, but it’s difficult to explain more because we had a bad day against Inter.

“Now we have to be at our best against Blackburn at the weekend. Maybe there are two or three days to be disappointed – that’s normal when you are out. You have to show a reaction and I think we will do it.”

Drogba: Tough To Go Out At Home

Following our exit from the Champions League on Tuesday, Didier Drogba knows we have to improve if we want to win the domestic league title.

The Ivorian was obviously disappointed by the midweek result, and felt there could have been at least one penalty awarded over the two ties, but he's now concentrating on the competitions we can still compete in. That means wins over Blackburn Rovers and Portsmouth in the next week are a must if we are to maintain our challenge for the Barclays Premier League.

'We are disappointed but we have to come back stronger,' insists the Chelsea number 11.

'The League is going to be a big battle, we have one game more to play [than our title rivals] and we have to go to Portsmouth,' he adds, looking ahead to the next midweek clash.

'So, we have to go there and do everything we can to be top of the League again.'

But with another Champions League campaign ending with another ban for Drogba, does the Ivorian think the Blues are unlucky in Europe's elite competition?

'At the end of the day Inter were a better team,' he reports. 'We couldn't play our game and they were stronger than us. But it is difficult to stop at this stage of the competition and be out.

'In the two games we could have won at least one penalty, but maybe the referee didn't see them or feel like giving any penalties.

'It is tough because every season you start the Champions League you have a lot of belief and then to go out like this, especially at home, it's just very difficult.'

Drogba's red card in the 86th minute means he'll miss the start of next season's European campaign.

It'll be the third season in a row this has happened following a red card in the Moscow final and further disciplinary action after our final game of the competition against Barcelona last year. Aware of the repercussions after last season's exit, Drogba accepted his sending off on Tuesday with grace, despite disagreeing with the decision.

'The referee was a bit harsh with this red card,' he says. 'I stepped on his tendon but it was not intentional, I was more focused on the ball coming from the cross.

'But it is hard and I didn't really want to discuss it at the time, I just went straight into the changing room.'

Now in terms of Champions League success, Chelsea will have to wait for the 2010/11 season.

'All the players here are really happy and we want to stay, we want to contribute to this adventure. It will mean a lot to win it next season together because we have been trying so hard for such a long time. I hope next season will be different for us in the Champions League.'

Reserves Topple Charlton At Cobham

Chelsea's second string were victorious in an entertaining friendly against Charlton at Cobham on Wednesday, but are left counting the cost after a serious injury to defender Carl Magnay.

The defender's knee gave way shortly into the second half with nobody around him, and the prognosis is not good.

Coach Steve Holland was understandably concerned following the 3-2 win over the Addicks, in which Jacob Mellis scored our first and Fabio Borini notched twice.

'Carl's injury is a bit of a disaster I'm afraid,' Holland said. 'We are still awaiting results of the scans but the early assessment is that he has damaged his anterior cruciate ligament, and that there is damage to the medial collateral ligament, and an issue with a cracked kneecap also, so that's a really nasty injury.'

There was some good news though, as 17-year-old forward Philipp Prosenik returned to action after a lengthy layoff.

'That was Philipp's first game back after four months out injured, and that was a reward for all the effort he's put in,' Holland explained. 'He's had a tough first season in England which is very difficult for him, but again he did well.'

As for the game itself, 'we were better in the second half than the first, made a bad mistake for the first goal but then got back in with a good equaliser,' assessed the coach. 'We've been on to Jacob Mellis about his end product and he did well and continues his improvement and worked very hard.

'We really got hold of the game and started to wear them out with our passing and made a lot of chances in the second half and had a fairly comfortable win. Also, it was good to see Fabio get a couple of goals as well.'

Borini was denied in the opening exchanges by some smart goalkeeping, before Charlton took an early lead after our own stopper Jan Sebek was dispossessed when trying to deal with a backpass, the visiting forward having the simplest of tasks to tap home.

Mellis quickly restored parity though with a smart left-footed finish following a Chelsea counter-attack.

Borini had another ruled out for offside and Daniel Philliskirk went close, but Charlton went ahead again with a close range finish moments after Sebek had pulled off an excellent one-on-one save.

Holland was unimpressed with his side's defending and made his point clear, no doubt reinforcing the message at half-time.

Shortly into the second period centre-half Magnay was struck down by injury, crumpling in a heap with nobody around him and requiring a stretcher.

He was replaced by schoolboy Nathaniel Chalobah who slotted into central midfield, captain Liam Bridcutt (pictured) dropping deeper into defence.

Mellis almost notched an equaliser after Borini had laid off inside the area, Nana Ofori-Twumasi doing well to pick the forward out with his right-sided cross.

A heavy challenge on Nemanja Matic should have given the Blues a penalty, but a minute later they levelled anyway, when Borini cut inside and fired hard across the goalkeeper and into the top corner from outside the area.

The Italian then put his side in front with a tidy finish through the goalkeeper's legs after some slick build-up play.

At the other end Sebek made another reflex save after a casual clearance had allowed Charlton to press, before sub Prosenik worked the away keeper with a curling shot.

Charlton manager Phil Parkinson was watching from the sidelines, and chatted for a period with Chelsea coaches Ray Wilkins and Paul Clement, who were monitoring the performances of the young Blues.

Guard Delays Terry Meeting

The security guard who has hit by John Terry's car on Tuesday night has delayed his meeting with the Chelsea captain because he does not want to "cause a fuss".

Steve Rowley, who is deputy security manager at the club, was hit by the England defender's Range Rover after Chelsea's 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Initial reports suggested that Mr. Rowley had broken his leg but last night he released a statement confirming the collision had left it badly bruised.

Terry was not aware of the accident until he was telephoned at home in Oxshott and he was found to have no alcohol in his blood when breathalysed by Surrey Police.

Phil Hall, spokesman for the former England captain, said that Terry had intended to meet Mr. Rowley on Thursday but the security guard declined, saying that he did not want to cause a fuss.

Hall said: "John rang him this morning and after training this afternoon to ask Steve how he was.

"Steve said he was fine and that he was resting up. John discussed visiting him today but he just said: 'No, don't worry about it. It's not worth the hassle, there's nothing that you can't say that you haven't already done, it'll just turn into more of a media circus if you do come."'

"John and Steve have now agreed to meet up some time in the next week at work.

"I don't know what John has planned. I think he wants it to remain private.

"Steve has been told he needs to rest for a one week but he thinks he could be back at work sooner."

Hall revealed that the 29-year-old will meet with Surrey Police again next week.

"John will have to meet the police as is the procedure for this kind of thing," said Hall.

"The police officer who initiated the operation is off until next week apparently so he will talk to him then."

Terry has endured a tempestuous 2010 amid rumours of an affair with lingerie model Vanessa Perroncel.

Reports about Terry's relationship with Ms Perroncel, the former partner of fellow England star Wayne Bridge, put pressure on team manager Fabio Capello.

The Italian stepped in to strip him of the England captaincy during a short private meeting at Wembley at the beginning of February. Bridge later made himself unavailable for the World Cup due to Terry's presence in the squad.

Terry's wife, Toni, was in the passenger seat at the time of Tuesday's incident.

Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich Wins 'Gambling Problem' Claim Case

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has accepted an apology and substantial libel damages at the High Court, following newspaper claims that he had a serious gambling problem.

The legal action arose out of claims made by Italian newspaper La Repubblica last May in an article entitled 'A black year for Abramovich as he loses a yacht at poker'.

His solicitor, John Kelly, told the judge that his "internationally well-known and wealthy" client had suffered "distress and embarrassment" as a result of the newspaper's claims.

Kelly asserted that the report had claimed Abramovich had "suffered a heavy loss in a poker game and had been forced to hand over a luxury yacht worth half a million euros to cover his gambling debt.

"The report also alleged that Mr. Abramovich's poker playing had led to a crisis with his long-term partner Dasha Zhukova and that Mr. Abramovich was now gambling online.

"The article would have been understood to mean that he had such a serious gambling problem that he was not only jeopardizing his relationship with his long-term partner Dasha Zhukova, who had been forced to issue him an ultimatum that he either give up playing poker or she would end their relationship, but he was also seriously risking his financial stability and had already been forced to liquidate assets, through the sale of one of his yachts, in order to cover his heavy gambling debts.

"Regrettably, these allegations were not put to Mr. Abramovich or his representatives before publication. If they had been, the defendant would have been advised of the utter falsity of the allegations."

The solicitor for the publishers of the article offered her clients' apologies to Mr. Abramovich, who intends to donate the damages received to charity.

Gullit Urges Chelsea To Buy

Former Chelsea boss Ruud Gullit has urged the club to invest in new players to finally win the Champions League after branding them "powerless" against Inter Milan.

Gullit, manager at Stamford Bridge between 1996 and 1998, believes Carlo Ancelotti's squad cannot win the trophy owner Roman Abramovich craves without a fresh injection of talent.

When asked if the current squad can be crowned European champions next season, Gullit said: "Not any more. This was their last chance. They need to add players to this team.

"Against Inter it was a difficult match for them, they couldn't outsmart them and they looked powerless. The worst thing to see was no creativity, no ideas, no-one to do something and change the game."

He added on Sky Sports: "They did everything, they started 4-3-3, then went 4-4-2, then put on (Salomon) Kalou and (Joe) Cole and they had nothing. They couldn't change the game. Their best player was the goalkeeper."

Even Chelsea players admitted Jose Mourinho, their former manager, got his tactics right to send Ancelotti's men out of the competition at the last-16 stage.

"The longer the game went on we had no answer to create something, we are really disappointed," said midfielder Michael Ballack on official website chelseafc.com.

"We have to be focused on the league now and that is also a big competition for us because we haven't won it for the last few years."

Ancelotti Ready For Increased Pressure

Carlo Ancelotti admits he will come under pressure at Stamford Bridge after his Chelsea side were knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 by Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan.

The Champions League trophy was Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's priority this season after having lost out on the final in Moscow to Manchester United in 2008.

But Tuesday night's 1-0 defeat by Inter, which ensured a 3-1 aggregate loss, put paid to the dream for another season.

And after being taunted by the Inter fans, Ancelotti said: "I have been involved in football for a lot of years and I know what fans do. That doesn't change anything. I want to do my best job for Chelsea, that's all.

"My regret is we didn't play as well as we did in the first leg. But I've worked for a long time in this environment and I know exactly what expectations are.

"It's normal that a manager is going to come under pressure if he loses a few matches."

Chelsea lie second to Manchester United in the Premier League and are in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Ancelotti added: "Now we have two important competitions we want to win. We'll have more pressure on the next few games, but we must be strong and have good control of our emotions.

"Maybe this defeat could be a very good motivation for the next few games. We have to be strong after this defeat. We have to have a new motivation, a good motivation, for the future."

Reaction: Never In Full Control

As the dust settled on Chelsea's Champions League exit having lost at home to an Italian side for only the second time, the two managers were in agreement. Inter were worthy winners.

Having stifled Chelsea's usually potent attack at Stamford Bridge, the Serie A champions made sure their first-leg lead was preserved when Samuel Eto'o scored late in the game. It sent the Blues out at the first knockout stage for the first time since 2006 when Eto'o, then of Barcelona, also scored in the match at the Bridge.

Four years further on Jose Mourinho deployed the Cameroon striker and Macedonian Goran Pandev in wide attacking positions and their contribution was important according to the defeated manager.

'It did not surprise me how Inter lined up because that was how they played in last 30 minutes in San Siro,' Ancelotti said, 'but one thing I was surprised by was the hard work put in by the two wide men on the night.

'Inter played a very good game,' the Italian continued. 'They put strong pressure on the pitch on our midfielders so we were not able to play how we wanted. Inter deserved to win. We were never in full control. There was only a short period when we could control the game. We could have played better.'

Many who have seen the action will believe Chelsea were denied two penalties for fouls on Branislav Ivanovic and Didier Drogba at corners, to add to the one denied to Kalou in the first leg, but the manager would not be drawn into any suggestion there is a reason why Chelsea suffer so in European competition.

'We are unlucky, only this. A penalty is when the referee whistles. The referee didn't whistle so I don't want to comment.'

Ancelotti was not able pass judgement on Drogba's late red card either. In common with most in the stadium he had missed the off-the-ball incident.

'I am very, very happy because we won and because we were the best team,' announced Jose Mourinho when it was his turn to pass comment.

'Sometimes you win because you are lucky, sometimes you win because something happened during the game that made the ball go to one side and not the other, and sometimes because you are the best team.

'Sometimes you win because you are the best team from the first minute to the last and that is the perfect game. And that team was my team so I am very happy for them, very happy for the Inter supporters and very happy for myself because I worked so much to prepare this game.

'I am not happy because my ex-players lost, I am not happy because Roman lost, I am not happy because Chelsea supporters go home sad. I am happy with our happiness, not with their unhappiness.

'Yesterday I exchanged a few SMS with John Terry I told him tomorrow somebody will be sad, but that's life.

'Possibly I am no longer so special for Chelsea supporters who will probably never forgive me.'

'We are very sorry,' summed up Ancelotti, 'but we have to stay focussed on the other competitions.

'We are now only in two competition but they are of high importance. For sure we have more pressure now on the other games but we have to be strong and have good control of our emotions - and maybe this defeat can be good motivation.'

Ballack: No Answers

Michael Ballack admitted we had 'no answers' to Inter's strong defensive display at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening.

The midfielder was talking after being eliminated from the Champions League at the first knockout stage, the first time in four years we have not reached the semi-finals at least, but he was able to give credit to an organised Inter side.

'We didn't play that well, we are really disappointed with our performance but Inter did well,' he admitted. 'We knew it would be difficult to score, we could see from the first leg. Especially in the second half today we had no answer to create chances, and the longer the game went on the harder it got. We are disappointed but have to accept it.

'The first half was okay, we had three or four chances where they defended in the last moment, but the longer the game went on we had no answer to create something, we are really disappointed.'

Things might have been different had we been given two first-half penalties, but both Ballack and team-mate Didier Drogba remained philosophical.

'If you play at this level against strong teams like Inter you have to look at these situations as well. We are not lucky, in the first leg we should get one, and tonight as well,' said the German. 'We don't want to moan but we are a little unlucky of course.'

Drogba, who was sent off after clashing with Inter midfielder Thiago Motta late in the game, felt hard done by, and added: 'I think that Inter made a great match and they deserved to win. [The dismissal] is difficult to take because yes, I stepped on his calf, but I don't think I deserved this red card.

'Probably, we missed the chance in the first match in Milan, in which we had many opportunities but we failed to score more. Tonight Inter were better. I think that now they can go very far in the competition.

'The most important thing is we are out of the competition. We didn't play the way we wanted, Inter stopped us playing and that's what made the game difficult for us. It is a difficult result and now we are going to have to focus on the league and FA Cup.'

That means quickly getting over the disappointment of elimination by bouncing back at Blackburn on Sunday. No doubt Carlo Ancelotti will be looking for the right reaction from his men.

Drogba: I Didn't Deserve Red Card

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba does not believe he deserved to be sent off against Inter Milan but was more disappointed with the result.

The Blues bowed out of the Champions League on Tuesday night after going down 3-1 on aggregate to the Italian side, managed by former Blues boss Jose Mourinho.

The tie had been delicately poised at 2-1 ahead of the second leg at Stamford Bridge but Chelsea were unable to score the goal they needed as Inter produced an excellent defensive performance.

Samuel Eto'o then struck in the 79th minute to seal Inter's success and Drogba was left to admit the better team had made it through to the quarter-finals.

The Ivorian striker nevertheless insists there is still a lot to play for this season and has switched his attention to domestic matters.

"We didn't play the way we wanted," he told Sky Sports.

"I think Inter stopped us playing the way we wanted and that's what made the game difficult for us.

"It is a difficult result and now we are going to have to focus on the league and the FA Cup."

Drogba was shown a red card for a foul on Thiago Motta in the closing stages to complete a miserable night for Carlo Ancelotti's men.

He thinks the decision was harsh, but concedes it was not a significant incident as Chelsea's European dreams were shattered for another season.

"It is difficult to take because, yes I stepped on his calf, but I don't think I deserved this red card," said Drogba.

"But it is something that happened in the game. The most important thing is that we are out of the competition."

Ashley Cole And Michael Essien Have A Laugh As Chelsea Slump To Inter Defeat

Defeat in the Champions League and his much-publicised marital problems don't seem to be bothering Ashley Cole, or Chelsea pal Michael Essien, as they share a joke in the stands at Stamford Bridge.

Cole, without a wedding band after his recent split from wife Cheryl, was pictured in the seats near the Blues bench on Tuesday night as the home side slumped to a 1-0 defeat against old manager Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan.

Both the England left-back and Essien are out injured, and their absence cost a below-par Chelsea dearly as they crashed out of Europe in the last-16.

But the on-field problems of their team-mates clearly didn't stand in the way of a good joke as Ghana international Essien laughs and smiles as he and Cole exchanged pleasantries.

As well as his ongoing ankle injury, which will keep him out for at least another month, Cole has been pleading with his estranged wife not to divorce him before this summer's World Cup in South Africa.

And, in a bid to escape the intense media spotlight in England, the defender has also been linked with a move to Spain to join La Liga leaders Real Madrid ahead of next season.

Inter Defeat Shows Signs Chelsea Are Turning Into Carlo Ancelotti's Embarrassing AC Milan

Though Jose Mourinho has not played Chelsea since his departure by "mutual consent" in September 2007, beating them for the second time in three weeks on Tuesday night must have felt incredibly familiar.

Not because he was up against so many players he signed and managed, not because he was on his old ground and not even because another of his fearless predictions once again came true.

Condemning an ageing force of superstars to another critically damaging defeat is what he has been doing for the season-and-a-half he has been in Italy. The Inter boss has had the beating of city rivals AC Milan not just on head-to-heads, but on their points tally as well, and Chelsea are showing almost all the symptoms of going the same way.

A spectacular team was assembled by Carlo Ancelotti at the beginning of the decade. Backed by one of the most rich and powerful men in football's history, Silvio Berlusconi, Ancelotti was able to bring in Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Nesta, Clarence Seedorf, Filippo Inzaghi and many more to formulate a team that would prove one of the most dominant in Europe and a consistent force domestically.

But when the return didn't quite match the mammoth investment, doubled up by the implications of the 2006 Calciopoli scandal and Serie A's overall decline in revenue, this great Milan side began growing old together. And not in the good way.

There was no sign of a new generation coming to take the place of the old, nor was there the ambition to go the extra financial mile to sign a new set of emerging stars. The 2007 Champions League triumph aside - which itself was in many ways an anomaly and a swansong for a once superb side - Milan have been on the most humiliating slide for what has now been several years.

Ancelotti has moved on, but the song remains the same at San Siro, and now too at Stamford Bridge. Here we have the blueprint of a domineering Chelsea side assembled almost entirely by Jose Mourinho from 2004 to 2007, backed by hundreds of millions of owner Roman Abramovich's personal fortune.

This is a team whose fortunes in their prime mirrored those of Milan. Chelsea were an unbeatable force domestically, but also-rans in Europe.

The decline is taking the same ominous shape it did at San Siro. The owner has lost far too much (with the recession doing for Abramovich the hard work that Calciopoli and Serie A's revenue decline did for Milan) and has so far shown no willingness to spend his way out of trouble. The squad, while talented, are all of the same age and beginning to exhibit the same weaknesses, and the coach is precisely the same person.

A person who trusts in experience and class, who trusts in what's familiar and who trusts in forward planning. He is a creature of habit, and has quite clearly already found his groove at Stamford Bridge - so much so that he had no semblance of a clue of how to respond to Jose Mourinho's tactical masterstrokes on Tuesday evening.

For long enough now, Serie A has looked an old and tired proposition when faced with the Premier League, but it was Inter's incredible energy, boundless determination and tactical invention that did for a tired and predictable Chelsea over the two legs of this tie.

It was an ominous role reversal that says as much, if not more, about Chelsea's shortcomings as pretenders to the European throne as it does about Inter's resurgence under Jose Mourinho.

It's not too late for the Blues, and escaping the transfer ban for the Gael Kakuta saga is a blessing they cannot afford to pass up. There needs to be a summer shake-up. A game-changer. Where are Chelsea's three strikers up front to defend with attack, their creative genius in midfield or their wonderkid on the bench?

It won't all cost the earth, but it will require the coach and sporting director - whether or not they are still Ancelotti and Frank Arnesen - to have the courage and the vision to make it happen this summer. Gambles will have to be taken now, swallowing many a bitter pill with the hope of avoiding the impending putrid aftertaste that is the washed-up and near-unsalvageable state of AC Milan.

Terry's Car In Collision With Security Official

Chelsea have confirmed that captain John Terry was involved in an accident outside Stamford Bridge on Tuesday which resulted in a club security officer suffering a leg injury.

The Metropolitan Police said on Wednesday that they were called to an incident after Chelsea's Champions League defeat by Inter Milan and that a 35-year-old man had been taken by ambulance to a west London hospital.

"Police were called shortly before 11.15 pm on Tuesday to reports of a collision between a car and a pedestrian," a Met Police spokesman said.

"A 35-year-old man suffering a broken leg was taken by ambulance to a west London hospital where he is described as being in a stable condition.

"The car, a 4x4, did not stop at the scene. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing. The Metropolitan Police Service did request Surrey Police conduct a breath test on our behalf, which was carried out. We don't discuss the results."

Chelsea said Terry had not been aware of the incident at the time but spoke to the police and the member of staff when he was told about it. The club said they understood that the security official had not suffered a broken leg.

"We can confirm there was an unfortunate accident as John Terry left Stamford Bridge last night," Chelsea said in a statement.

"When driving out of the stadium at approximately 1-2mph in a queue of traffic exiting the ground, his car was surrounded by photographers and fans.

"In the melee that ensued a member of Chelsea's security staff was knocked to the ground, making contact with the car. He suffered a badly bruised leg.

"John was aware at the time that there was a lot of contact with his car during the incident but not that anyone was injured as a result. Upon hearing of the injury, John spoke to the police. He has also been in contact with the staff member to check on his welfare."

Terry was stripped of the England captaincy last month following newspaper revelations that he had an extra-marital affair with the ex-partner of England and former Chelsea team mate Wayne Bridge.

Match Report: Chelsea 0 - 1 Inter Milan

Jose Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge in triumph as Inter Milan sent Chelsea crashing out of the Champions League.

Samuel Eto's clinical strike 11 minutes from time settled a scrappy encounter and sealed a place in the quarter-finals for Mourinho at the expense of the club he left in 2007 after a hugely successful three-and-a-half years.

And the misery for Chelsea and coach Carlo Ancelotti was complete when Didier Drogba was sent off in the closing minutes after a penalty area clash with Thiago Motta.

Mourinho's Inter were able to keep a subdued Chelsea at arm's length for the majority of a tense evening littered with fouls and spells of ill-feeling, with even the self-appointed "Special One" being targeted for abuse by the supporters who once idolised him as frustration spread around Stamford Bridge in the closing moments.

He celebrated in relatively muted fashion when Eto'o capped a spell of Inter pressure with the crucial goal, after Diego Milito had missed the chance to seal Chelsea's fate even earlier.

Chelsea had their moments in a frantic first half, with Michael Ballack shooting just wide and Nicolas Anelka seeing a close-range effort cleared off the line by Motta, while keeper Julio Cesar saved well from Florent Malouda after the break.

And Chelsea were also left claiming they were victims of a clear injustice in the first half when Drogba was dragged to the ground by Walter Samuel as they wrestled to reach a corner.

This apart, Inter were able to restrict Chelsea, who failed to show the wit and guile required to break them down, demonstrating the defensive discipline and resilience that is the trademark of any Mourinho team.

He did not milk Inter's win at the final whistle, but Mourinho may just appreciate the irony of the fact that he has ended Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's dream of bringing the Champions League to Stamford Bridge.

For Ancelotti and Chelsea, the task is now to regroup and refocus their sights on the Premier League and the FA Cup.

Mourinho stated his attacking intent with the presence of Goran Pandev, Milito and Eto'o, but after a positive start the game soon descended into a predictable war of attrition.

Chelsea's Ballack posted the first moment of danger, but he dragged his shot low and wide past Cesar's upright from the edge of the area. Drogba was also denied by a defiant block from Maicon as he closed in on goal.

Inter knew that vital away goal would leave Chelsea with a huge task, and Eto'o wasted a wonderful opportunity to provide it for them after 33 minutes.

Maicon's cross deceived John Terry, but Eto'o appeared surprised at getting the chance and directed a poor header down and well over the bar.

In a frantic finale to the first 45 minutes, Walter Samuel threw himself in front of Malouda as he drove into the box, while Motta rescued Inter with a goalline clearance as Anelka forced a shot beyond Cesar.

The tension was robbing the game of any real quality and also resulted in plenty of short tempers. And Chelsea were particularly infuriated when referee Wolfgang Stark ignored penalty appeals as Drogba was clearly dragged to the ground by Samuel as the grappled to reach a corner.

Both teams left the pitch to a frustrated chorus of jeering at the interval, with Chelsea coach Ray Wilkins clearly angry at the events of the first half.

Mourinho's gestures from the sidelines made it clear he wanted Inter to exploit the areas around Chelsea left-back Yuri Zhirkov, but the Russian full-back twice rescued his side with perfect challenges on Eto'o and Pandev as they closed in on keeper Ross Turnbull.

Malouda brought a fine save from Julio Cesar at his near post, but once again Chelsea were having trouble producing the invention needed to break the deadlock.

Ancelotti responded by sending on Joe Cole just after the hour, but this was only the signal for Inter to create, and waste, their best chance as Milito snatched at his effort with only Turnbull to beat, much to Stamford Bridge's relief.

Inter had been the more dangerous team after the break, and the killer away goal they had been threatening duly came with 11 minutes left. Wesley Sneijder's pass cut Chelsea apart and Eto's showed great expertise to guide his finish around Turnbull.

Mourinho indulged in some fairly low-key fist-pumping, but the rest of Inter's backroom staff and players celebrated wildly as Chelsea's players were forced to accept their Champions League hopes were over for another year.

As time ran out and emotions ran high, Drogba appeared to stand on Motta's foot and saw red. It was a moment that summed up Chelsea's miserable night.

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.'