Ancelotti: "The Game Against Portsmouth Is Very, Very Important"

A despondent Carlo Ancelotti targeted Chelsea’s next game at Portsmouth on Wednesday night following a disappointing draw at Blackburn on Sunday.

Following Chelsea’s 1-1 draw Ancelotti said: "It’s difficult to explain why this has happened. We have less probability of winning the title, but we want to fight. We need to work together, stay compact and the game against Portsmouth is very, very important. We can stay close to Manchester United."

Ancelotti continued: "I don’t know how many points we need to win the title. We need to win on Wednesday. We have to win, that’s the only solution to go forward. We needed to win this game and didn’t so it’s more difficult for us. It’s been a hard week, but every week is hard. We have chances to arrive in first place."

Chelsea’s Italian boss denied the result at Ewood Park was a hangover from the Champions League exit at the hands of Inter Milan and Jose Mourinho.

Ancelotti: "I don’t know about a hangover. We prepared very well for this game and tried to win to cancel out [the defeat] against Inter. It’s not an easy moment for us and it will be difficult to recover. We have to leave this moment as quickly as possible. It was a difficult game. There was a lot of fight on the pitch. We tried to play football, but we lost confidence. They put pressure on us. Afterwards we had chances, but it was too late."

Branislav Ivanovic picked up an injury at Blackburn and is an injury doubt for the trip to Fratton Park but Petr Cech is expected to return for Chelsea.

John Obi Mikel Calls On Chelsea Team-Mates To Turn Season Around

Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has called upon his team-mates to pick themselves up after a week of disappointment domestically and in Europe, and begin to turn their season around.

After losing to Inter in the Champions League and subsequently drawing against Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League, the Blues find their European and league dreams in tatters, but Mikel hasn't given up yet.

"I think the belief, mentality and everything is still there," Mikel told the Press Association.

"In football sometimes you have a bad spell and we are having ours right now. We made the mistakes so we have to repair it."

The 22-year-old remains confident that the Blues can still lift the Premier League title, despite letting a five-point lead slip over the past few months.

"We have to fight as a team, not as individuals," Mikel said.

"We played a very good game in the first half yesterday [at Blackburn] but in the second we didn't fight well enough.

"The owner [Abramovich] just came to show support. We still have the double [league and FA Cup] to win and that's what he came to assure us.

"He's a football fan and understands but at the same time he wants us to put things right.

"Everyone was shattered after losing to Inter, which is why he came over - to tell us to keep going. All we can do now is look forward to Wednesday [against Portsmouth] and, hopefully, put things right."

Lampard Proves To Be A Class Act Yet Again

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard set the bar high for his peers yet again in terms of demonstrating fair play. Many other football players around the world would have thought twice before getting back on their feet after going to the ground in the final moments of a game. Sunday afternoon’s game against Blackburn, in particular, was one such game where circumstances could have forced any player to resort to desperate tacticts.

With the Blues struggling to take the lead in a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Ewood Park, Lampard was obviously one of the key players who the visitors were relying on. During one quick play, his teammates even managed to get the ball to him in his favored territory at the top of the box, and as Lamps broke inside the box, he lost his balance. As a result, the visiting supporters – as well as several Chelsea players – appealed hard for a penalty as soon as Lampard hit the turf.

The referee, not ideally positioned to make an immediate call, paused for a second before insisting that the play go on. One of the reasons the head official Steve Bennett was able to deliver the right verdict was the sportsmanship shown by Lampard in getting back to his feet right away. Lampard knew that despite all the desperation in the world that his club faces at the moment, he had to do the right thing to lead by example.

Not only did Lampard’s actions prove that he is one of the greatest professionals for young fans to look up to, but in maintaining his integrity, he also sent a message to those who believe that diving is an inseparable part of the modern game. To reiterate, Chelsea’s form has lately been so poor that anyone in Lampard’s shoes could have been tempted to stay down and pressurize the referee to award a penalty.

Frank Lampard, though, continues to stand out as he continues to build his reputation as one of England’s finest football players of all time.

Cole First Out As Abramovich Sees Error Of His Ways

Fifteen minutes after the final whistle blew on Chelsea’s latest unsuccessful tilt at the Champions League, Roman Abramovich, flanked by minders, took a long, lonely trudge across the pitch at Stamford Bridge.

His face, as ever, was inscrutable, but enough noises have come out of Stamford Bridge to tell us what he was thinking. Disappointment with Carlo Ancelotti? Yes, a little. Anger with his players for failing to deliver the performances in proportion with their pay-packets? Yes, plenty. Regret at losing sight of the big picture over the past year or two? Intriguingly, yes.

Abramovich, according to someone close to him, is facing up to having made mistakes. To an outsider, the obvious one was falling out with José Mourinho, but the Chelsea owner is more concerned by the way he has allowed his squad to grow older — and, very significantly, richer — while seeing Manchester United re-establish themselves as the dominant force in English football.

One example cited was that of the John Terry contract saga last summer, when he was wanted by Manchester City. Abramovich, apparently, was "spooked" by the possibility that his captain had been attracted to City’s riches, so Terry was offered — and duly signed — a new deal worth £151,000 a week. Six months later, Abramovich recognises that, while it would have been unwise to sell Terry, a five-year £40 million contract for a defender approaching his 29th birthday was not good business.

It goes on. Aware of the need to rejuvenate an ageing squad but committed to his ambition to make the club self-sufficient, Abramovich planned to raise funds for reinforcements this summer by selling a key player or two. But who is there to sell? The time to cash in on Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, Frank Lampard, Deco, Didier Drogba or Nicolas Anelka has gone, with their market value — and in certain cases their performance level — now in decline.

Considering it was always Abramovich’s aim for Chelsea to break even by 2010, the lack of forward planning is staggering. Although the precise figure has not yet been released, Chelsea’s wage bill for the last financial year was more than £150 million. United’s was a not inconsiderable £123 million, but the champions’ turnover was £72 million higher than Chelsea’s. In terms of wages as a percentage of turnover, Chelsea spent at least 70 per cent. The equivalent figures at United and Arsenal are 44 per cent and 33 per cent respectively.

Abramovich accepts that to rejuvenate the squad he will have to spend, but he is loath to throw good money after bad. Joe Cole, out of contract this summer, seems destined to be the first victim of a purge of the older players, but he might not be the only one.

Robinho Warns Brazilian Wonderkid Neymar To Avoid Joining Chelsea

Brazilian wonderkid Neymar is ready to take Robinho's advice and snub a move to Chelsea.

The 18-year-old, who has been backed by Pele to go to the World Cup finals this summer, is reluctant to leave his homeland at such a young age after being told to stay put by the City loan star and his own father.

Chelsea have tracked the forward for more than two years and are weighing up a £20m move, but Santos recently tied Neymar to a contract till 2014 and insist he will not be sold for less than his £31.5m release clause.

Third-party investors Grupo DIS secured 40 per cent of Neymar's economic rights when the new contract was agreed with Santos in February.

DIS deny reports that they met Chelsea officials earlier this month and say they agreed with Santos that their star player should stay in Brazil for at least another year.

Wilkins Confirms Roman Talks

Ray Wilkins has confirmed club owner Roman Abramovich held talks with the Chelsea squad in the wake of their UEFA Champions League defeat to Inter Milan.

The wealthy Russian businessman has made no secret of his desire to see the Blues crowned champions of Europe, with coach Carlo Ancelotti admitting that was his target when appointed in the summer.

A succession of managers have all been unable to deliver the greatest prize in European club football, with Claudio Ranieri, Jose Mourinho, Avram Grant, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Guus Hiddink all failing before Ancelotti's appointment.

Reports claimed that Abramovich issued an ultimatum to the squad after they crashed out of the competition at the last-16 stage to former boss Mourinho and threatened wholesale changes in the summer.

But assistant boss Wilkins has played down those suggestions and insists the playing staff are always happy to hear what the owner has to say.

Wilkins said: "It was a very positive meeting that the players have had with Roman so from that aspect he just added his support to the situation.

"We were delighted to see him, he's always extremely involved in the club.

"He owns the club and wants to have a big input into what happens. So whenever he is down it is a positive as far as we're concerned.

"He's very close to the players, he knows the way they work so therefore he wanted to have a little input with them during the week. It was nothing dramatic, it was all pretty low-key stuff so we just get on with the business now."

Wilkins accepted changes in playing personnel were likely this summer, but said that was a normal occurrence at any big club.

"Seasons pass on, people are brought in and people leave the club and that's the way football is," he said.

"We're no different to any other football club. We want to improve, we want to go forward and if it means a few players go along the way and a few come in that is just the way football is run.

"Whenever a top-quality player becomes available, a top club like ours will always be involved in the process."

Hansen: Chelsea Do Not Have The Desire To Win The Premier League

Liverpool FC legend Alan Hansen believes Chelsea FC lack the desire to win the Premier League title this season, and believes Manchester United and Arsenal FC will be the main contenders for the remainder of the season.

Chelsea FC’s 1-1 draw with Blackburn Rovers at the weekend has handed the initiative to Manchester United and Arsenal FC, and Liverpool FC hero Hansen suggests age maybe catching up with Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Hansen, who won eight league titles with Liverpool FC during his illustrious Anfield playing career, believes Chelsea FC should have had the tile wrapped up by now, but recent stuttering form has enabled Manchester United and Arsenal FC to fight their way back in. Hansen suggests the likes of Jon Obi-Mikel and Michael Ballack amongst others appear to be passengers at Stamford Bridge.

The Liverpool FC legend told the Telegraph: “Chelsea's failure to win at Blackburn on Sunday, when they should have won by five or six, proved that they simply do not have the desire to win the Premier League.”

“The title run-in is well underway, but Manchester United and Arsenal are the only teams who have that genuine desire to win it.”

“There has never been a season when the title has been there for the taking as it has been this year and Chelsea should have won it by a country mile.”

“United have struggled for a long time and produced more bad performances than I can ever remember.”

“Arsenal, having lost heavily to both United and Chelsea, should have been out of the race a long time ago. Chelsea should be home and hosed by now but, for whatever reason, they have not shown the desire required to win the league.”

“Why has that happened? It could be down to a host of reasons, but biggest question is do they really want it? If you look at Arsenal and United in recent weeks, their performances tell you categorically that they desperately want to win the league.”

“That’s why I believe that the title race is now between those two. Chelsea are not out of it, but they don’t appear to want it enough.”

“Sunday was a real marker for them. Having seen United beat Liverpool following Arsenal’s win against West Ham on Saturday, Chelsea could and should have beaten Blackburn inside 25 minutes, but it didn’t happen.”

“Maybe age is catching up with Chelsea and they certainly lack pace in key areas.”

“If they don’t win the league, they will need fresh blood in the summer with four or five new signings, but what happens next all depends on Roman Abramovich and whether he has the desire to start again.”

“Chelsea might point to the injury that has cost them the services of Michael Essien because he has been a huge loss. But that excuse doesn’t wash because Arsenal have been without Robin van Persie for months and United have had to deal with both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic being injured for long periods.”

“Chelsea have too many players whose contribution comes into question. What does John Obi Mikel do? Michael Ballack doesn’t do enough, yet he looks like getting a new contract. Salomon Kalou is in and out and Nicolas Anelka, who looked brilliant earlier in the season, has now gone off the boil.”

“There are no young players coming through who look like replacing the ageing superstars.”

Carlo Ancelotti Concedes Chelsea Have Lost Composure

Carlo Ancelotti conceded tonight that his Chelsea team had lost confidence and composure after their second demoralising result in a week. Six days after going out of the Champions League they could only draw 1-1 at Blackburn Rovers and their manager admitted they were no longer favourites for the Premier League title.

Didier Drogba gave Chelsea a sixth‑minute lead with his 28th goal of the season but they threw away a winning position when El Hadji Diouf equalised in the second half. Ancelotti later accepted that Manchester United were now "strongly placed" for what would be their fourth championship in a row. "For us it is less of a probability," he said.

In all competitions Chelsea have won five and lost four of their last 11 games and Ancelotti believes the rot set in when they were beaten 4-2 at home by Manchester City on 27 February. "That result was unbelievable and since that day we have been in difficulty," he said. "The confidence is not there at the moment and winning is the only solution, starting at Portsmouth on Wednesday. It is vital that we win that one.

"It is more difficult for us to win the title now. It is not impossible but to do it we need to play better. Collectively we need to work together to go forward. I don't know how many points we need but it is possible that we will have to win every game."
Chelsea and their manager were encouraged by the fact that United still had to play at Ewood Park, on 11 April. Ancelotti said: "It will be difficult here for them, too. Blackburn at home are very strong. They have lost here only twice and you have to fight them for everything. Every team finds it difficult here."

After Portsmouth on Wednesday Chelsea play Aston Villa at home and Manchester United away in what the midfielder Frank Lampard described tonight as "make or break" fixtures.

Ancelotti was asked if his team had been suffering a hangover after elimination from the Champions League by Internazionale. "I'm not sure about that but I don't think so," he said. "In the first half we played well, scored a good goal and had other chances, which we should have taken. In the second half it was more difficult for us to play on the floor because Blackburn won a lot of the second balls and when that happened we lost our composure.

"By the time we got it back it was too late. Manchester United are now top of the league and we have to run more and do better and leave this behind us as soon as possible."

Sam Allardyce, the Blackburn manager, believes Chelsea could still pull off a league and FA Cup double. "We've put a dent in their chances but they are still capable of doing it," he said.

Match Report: Blackburn Rovers 1 - 1 Chelsea

Chelsea suffered a stumble in the title race that could yet prove fatal to their chances of taking the Barclays Premier League crown to round off a week of bitter disappointment for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

A match that seemed there for the taking after Didier Drogba's early goal somehow drifted out of Chelsea's grasp.

El Hadji Diouf headed a superb equaliser as Blackburn put in such a powerful second-half performance that keeper Jason Brown was barely tested.

For Chelsea, whose record in their past nine matches is now four wins, four defeats and one draw, this was hardly a display of title-winning credentials and they are now four points behind Manchester United and two behind Arsenal, though with a game in hand.

This was underlined by the fact that the clear man of the match was none other than Rovers' 18-year-old central defender Phil Jones, making his league debut and up against Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce had gambled on him in the absence of Ryan Nelsen and Gael Givet.

That gamble may have seen rash as Drogba carved out an early chance for himself, dinking a neat curling shot just wide of the post despite being surrounded by a posse of defenders.

That was just a foretaste of what was to come as the Ivory Coast striker opened the scoring in the sixth minute with an almost effortless simplicity.

Anelka burst down the right, cut inside Jones and laid the ball back for Drogba to wrong-foot the entire Rovers defence and keeper Jason Brown with a neat left-footed finish back into the opposite corner.

Kalou threatened to further emphasise Chelsea's early dominance with a header from a corner that flew over the crossbar but from then on it was downhill for the visitors.

David Dunn won a free-kick in Morten Gamst Pedersen range after being halted by an agricultural challenge by Alex, but although the Norwegian was on target Chelsea keeper Ross Turnbull turned his effort behind.

Pedersen had another sight of goal but was wildly off-target with his volley, while Jones drew the loudest cheers from the Rovers fans so far with a series of crunching - but legal - challenges as Blackburn did their best to out-power the visitors.

Florent Malouda let fly from 20 yards out with a stinging drive but Brown managed to parry the shot, if somewhat unconvincingly.

Ancelotti was then forced to make a change just before the break with Branislav Ivanovic, who appeared to have been stood on unintentionally by El-Hadji Diouf, limped off to be replaced by Zhirkov.

Blackburn, as if scenting that Chelsea may have missed a trick by scoring just a single goal in the first half, upped the tempo in the second.

Zhirkov's first involvement for Chelsea, right at the start of the second half was to head off the line after Chris Samba had beaten the flapping Turnbull to Pedersen's long throw.

Pedersen was then left cursing again when given space to shoot from 25 yards out but missing the target by some margin.

Frank Lampard, who had been having a quiet game by his standards, was much closer with a rising effort from the same range that was a whisker away from the top right-hand corner.

The suspicion that Chelsea had seemed over-confident in settling for a 1-0 win had been growing the longer the second half went on, and in the 70th minute Diouf made them pay.

The Senegal international hung in the air above Ferreira to meet Michel Salgado's cross with a superb header down into the corner.

Chelsea, stung in action, became more direct themselves and Alex struck a piledriver from a 30-yard free-kick over the bar.

With time running down, Drogba was denied a fine winner by a good block, then Jones crowned a magnificent debut with an intercepting header to keep out John Terry.

Rovers celebrated as though they had won the Premier League. Chelsea looked as though they had just lost it.

Chelsea Owner Roman Abramovich Hands Out Ultimatum To Players And Staff - Report

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has handed an ultimatum to his players and staff to either prove their mettle - by winning a trophy, or fall prey to the axe at the season's end, the News of the World has reported.

The wrath of the Russian billionaire is believed to have been irked by the manner of the defeat to Inter, and in particular former boss Jose Mourinho, who masterminded a famous victory over the Blues at Stamford Bridge amid taunting chants from travelling fans aimed at the west London club's owner.

Following the heavy handed defeat, which sent the Premier League title chasers out of the Champions League earlier than initially expected, Abramovich is believed to have arrived unannounced at Cobham on Wednesday, and called a meeting to discuss the direction in which the club is currently heading.

The owner was reportedly unhappy with the state of affairs on as well as off the pitch, and it is claimed that some players as well as coaching staff are on the verge of being shown the door if silverware does not roll into the Bridge at the end of this term.

An unnamed source who attended the meeting is quoted as saying: "Roman didn't actually say that much but it was clear from what he did say and his body language that he was absolutely furious.

"Nobody knew he was coming to Cobham on Wednesday and certainly nobody expected the three most powerful men at the club to call a meeting.

"It was Tenenbaum who did most of the talking. Well, actually, there was as much shouting as talking. He made the points that Roman obviously wanted to get across.

"The meeting lasted almost two hours and it wasn't a debate, it was the boss getting a message across and everybody was pretty clear about what it meant. If there wasn't a dramatic change, then there would be new faces coming in the summer.

"It wasn't just the players he was talking about, it was the coaches and the medical people as well. Nobody felt safe coming out of the meeting."

Chelsea Pip City To Neymar Capture

Chelsea are set to beat Manchester City to the £30million summer signing of Brazilian wonderkid Neymar.

The Santos striker, 18, was thought to be on his way to Eastlands as part of the deal that saw Robinho loaned back to his first club in January.

But Chelsea are ready to exploit a potential breakdown in the agreement.

City secured first option when Robinho joined Santos on a six-month loan deal.

But problems in meeting his wages mean if Santos cannot finalise sponsorship deals worth £375,000-a-month, the whole loan deal could collapse, with Robinho returning to Eastlands.

Real Madrid claim to have signed a pre-contract agreement with Neymar but Santos say they were not party to that. The club own 60 per cent of Neymar's economic rights with the rest belonging to South American management group Sonda.

Neymar starred for Brazil in last year's World Under-17 Championship but is not expected to be named in Carlos Dunga's World Cup squad.

Mourinho Backs Blues Squad

Jose Mourinho believes there is still time for the current Chelsea team to win the Champions League.

The former Blues coach masterminded Chelsea's exit from this season's competition with new club Inter Milan earlier this week, sparking claims the side has reached the end of an era.

Six of Tuesday's starting line-up are 29 or over, while Ricardo Carvalho (31), Deco (32) and Paulo Ferreira (31) are on the sidelines at the moment, and there has been talk of wide-scale changes needed at Stamford Bridge in the summer to make sure they are Champions League contenders next term.

But Mourinho feels only bad fortune has denied Chelsea a European title so far and reckons coach Carlo Ancelotti could still launch a tilt at Champions League glory with the current crop next season.

"They don't need to change much," he said.

"This is a great team with great professionals with people in a great age.

"They don't have a Zanetti like I have, they don't have a Toldo like I have, or a Materazzi. They don't have 36, 37 or 38 year-old players.

"They are in a perfect age, the age of experience, the age of everything, so they can do it. It is difficult to say what they need.

"We - when I say we, I mean Chelsea - lost a semi-final with a goal that was not a goal and lost a semi-final on penalties.

"They lost a final with a penalty that if they scored they win the competition.

"Last year they lost against Barcelona in a game which should have had three penalties for them.

"I think in recent years for Chelsea, this one was the year when they can say 'we lost against a team that was better than us'."

Terry Admits Chelsea Stars Fear The Axe After European Exit

Chelsea skipper John Terry fears a backlash from Carlo Ancelotti and says all the players are sweating over their places against Blackburn today.

Terry believes Ancelotti is still fuming over the way his side crashed out of the Champions League against Inter Milan.

Terry knows they cannot afford a repeat performance at Ewood Park today and he said: “We will get a bollocking from the management, from the club, for the way we played. It was a bad performance from us.

“The manager wasn’t happy. Players could be dropped for Blackburn, could lose their place in the team because of the Inter performance.”

Terry is also facing a ­backlash from UEFA after slamming German referee Wolfgang Stark and claiming Chelsea have been victimised once again by the officials in the Champions League.

Chelsea were fuming that they were not given a penalty when Didier Drogba appeared to be wrestled to ground in the first half by Walter Samuel. They were also angry Salomon Kalou was not given a penalty in the first leg.

The former England skipper is so outraged he has urged the Chelsea hierarchy to take up the issue with Europe’s governing body as he feels drastic action needs to be taken. When asked if Terry thought there was a conspiracy against Chelsea, he added: “I don’t know. I am not going to say the word conspiracy, which is not the term I am using.

“But I am so frustrated by what happened and it is not good enough. We were at home and we didn’t get one decision.

“I think we need someone at the club to take it up with UEFA because it has gone on for two years now. People might say I am being one-sided, but it just wasn’t good enough.”

Michael Ballack Confirms Chelsea Contract Offer

German international midfielder Michael Ballack has confirmed he has received a new contract offer from Chelsea and he expects to put pen to paper in the coming weeks.

The 33-year-old is out of contract at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season and is quoted in Bild this morning confirming the new deal.

Ballack: "The club has made me an offer. It shows how happy they are with me that they plan to keep me."

The former Bayern Munich midfielder continued: "Now it’s just a question of clarifying a few details of how long it will be and then we will agree."

Bild add that Ballack is seeking a one year extension to his contract with the option of another season until 2011/2012.

Michael Ballack has made 31 appearances for Chelsea in the Premier League and Champions League this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists. He has also been booked twice and sent off once.

Chelsea Defender Cole Set To Return For Season's Final Six Weeks

Chelsea and England defender Ashley Cole is expected to return for the final six weeks of the season, according to the Sunday Mirror.

The England defender broke his left ankle during Chelsea's defeat to Everton in February.

Following surgery, Cole has undergone intensive rehabilitation during a three week spell in France.

There had been media reports which claimed that it was hugely unlikely that Cole would play again this season, jeopardizing his selection for Fabio Capello's World Cup squad.

But, Cole's operation on his ankle was deemed a complete success, his recovery is going well and now the left-back is expected to return for the final six weeks of Chelsea's season.

The news will be welcomed by both Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti and England coach Fabio Capello, who is already without left-back Wayne Bridge, who ruled himself out of World Cup contention.

Chelsea Defender John Terry Bemoans Referee's 'Bad Performance' In Champions League Loss

After crashing out of the Champions League in a 1-0 loss to Inter Milan at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea captain John Terry criticised the refereeing during their crucial European matches.

The Blues were eliminated in the round of 16 by a 3-1 aggregate score, but the former England captain believes that the referee did not help the Blues.

"It was a bad performance by us but a really bad performance from the referee,” Terry told The Guardian.

"It is not good enough at this stage of the competition. We were at home and we didn't get one decision. We do our best to get ourselves in this position and for two years running we get let down by bad refereeing."

German referee Markus Stark was in charge of the second leg and refused a couple of Chelsea’s penalty appeals, decisions that Terry believed should have been given.

"I'm not going to say the word conspiracy. But I'm so frustrated by what happened. The penalty on Didier Drogba was blatant and how the referee and linesman miss those decisions frustrates me."

Terry also revealed that the referee was discourteous to the Chelsea skipper when he was inquiring as to why the penalties were not given.

"When a decision didn't go our way I, as captain, went to speak to the German referee and he turned his back on me. I wasn't shouting. I went to try to talk to him and when he wouldn't talk that is when I got frustrated. That is just pure disrespect."

Terry Risks UEFA Punishment After Slating Referees

Chelsea captain John Terry has criticised the standard of UEFA's elite referees following his side's elimination from the Champions League by Inter Milan last week.

Terry, who was widely quoted in Sunday's British newspapers, could be cited by the European governing body after claiming that bad refereeing contributed to Chelsea's loss not only to Inter but also to Barcelona last season.

Chelsea had two penalty appeals turned down by German referee Wolfgang Stark against Inter on Tuesday while Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo turned down four penalty appeals at Stamford Bridge against Barcelona last season.

Terry also claimed that Stark "disrespected him" as Chelsea captain by turning his back when he went to speak to him.

"It was a bad performance by us but a really bad performance from the referee," Terry said. "It is not good enough at this stage of the competition. We do our best to get ourselves in this position and for two years running we get let down by bad refereeing. We need someone at the club to take it up with UEFA."

Terry, who has made plenty of headlines for the wrong reasons this season, now faces the risk of a punishment from UEFA after remarking: "I'm not going to say the word conspiracy. I am not using that term, but I'm so frustrated by what happened.

"Florent Malouda got fouled inside the box in the first half and the referee waved play on. Didier Drogba gets manhandled and if the referee misses it, we have the linesman.

"When a decision didn't go our way I, as captain, went to speak to the referee and he turned his back on me.

"I wasn't shouting. I went to try to talk to him and when he wouldn't talk that is when I got frustrated. That is just pure disrespect.

"If I get myself in trouble, then so be it. I owe it to our fans to speak out."

No UEFA spokesman was available for comment.

Terry will not lead England at the World Cup in South Africa this year after he was stripped of the national captaincy last month following newspaper revelations that he had had an extra-marital affair with the former partner of team mate Wayne Bridge.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Wants To See 'Refreshment' At Chelsea

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti needs to "freshen up" his squad at Stamford Bridge in the summer according to former Blues striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

The Italian's side have become a little one-dimensional over the course of the campaign, with the focus on efficiency rather than style.

Hasselbaink feels injuries have exacerbated that situation but more creativity is still required, especially after the manner of the Blues' Champions League exit at the hands of Inter.

"I was quite frustrated seeing them lose the way they did," the former Dutch international told Sky Sports' 'Goals on Sunday' programme.

"They are a good side, but I said this a year and a half ago - they need refreshment.

"They need some help in the creativity. They have the power but they struggle to create a little bit.

"Everything is focussed on [Frank] Lampard and [Didier] Drogba, everything is going through the middle.

"What doesn't help Chelsea is Jose Bosingwa being injured, Ashley Cole being injured and Michael Essien out.

"It has been very, very difficult with injuries."

With the Champions League beyond their reach for another season, Hasselbaink insists winning the Premier League must be the Blues' main focus now, despite them also being in the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

"They still have a great chance to win the league, but they have not been playing well for the last four or five weeks," he added.

"Now they only have the championship. They have the FA Cup of course, but they have won that the last two years. They need to focus on the league."

Carlo Ancelotti Is Right Man For Chelsea, Says Graeme Le Saux

Didier Drogba's dismissal as Chelsea crashed out of the Champions League to Jose Mourinho and Inter Milan cannot be condoned. His stamp on Thiago Motta cannot be excused. The incident can, though, be understood.

Chelsea's players had grown increasingly frustrated at Inter's robust approach, their complaints to referee Wolfgang Stark increasingly vocal as he waved away two penalty appeals when first the Ivorian and then Branislav Ivanovic were mauled to the ground.

It is at these moments that referees are presented with a difficult decision, perhaps the toughest of all the calls officials must make. Give a penalty and discourage all such behaviour all over the pitch for the rest of the game. Fail to do so, as Stark did, and achieve the exact opposite. His lack of action encouraged Inter's cynicism and led directly to Drogba's dismissal. It was a sending off borne of frustration, and I can sympathise with that.

Two of the three red cards I earned in my career were a result of reacting to an opponent's provocation. They book-ended my time in the game, the first picked up as a youngster, the second when I was with Chelsea at Blackburn in a match when I was so wound up before kick-off that I probably had a yellow card before I went on the pitch.

Like me, Drogba deserved to be sent off, but that does not change the fact that referees have a duty to make decisions, however difficult, to take that opportunity to draw the line between what is and what is not allowed. I do not believe Stark's failure to do so was premeditated. It was simply poor refereeing.

That should not detract, of course, from the fact that over the two legs Inter deserved to progress. Chelsea were not especially poor, and had either of those penalty decisions been given the tie may have swung in their favour, which shows how fine the margins are between success and failure for the game's elite. They were not, though, and Carlo Ancelotti's side are now left to concentrate on the FA Cup and, first and foremost, the Premier League.

With the disappointment of their elimination from Europe fresh in their minds, and all of the attendant psychological and physical effects, Chelsea must face up to a pivotal week of their season. They travel to Blackburn on Sunday, face Portsmouth at Fratton Park on Wednesday before returning to Stamford Bridge to host Aston Villa. It is the sort of week that makes or breaks a title challenge.

Blackburn, particularly, will present a thorough examination of the character of this Chelsea team and Ancelotti's ability to get the right response to a setback from his players. Chelsea have no time for a hangover. It is about a team's determination, their personality and their will to win.

No players could approach such an arduous run of fixtures fully fresh. You are going on to the pitch tired, you have been travelling and playing, travelling and playing, scarcely doing any training at all, but you have to overcome all of that, do your job and hope that those players in your side who can win a game single-handedly perform.

Chelsea have several of those, not least Drogba and Frank Lampard, and they also boast a bigger and deeper squad than most. Ancelotti's side will need to call on all of that if they are to take nine points from these three games and seize the initiative in the title race.

Even if they fail to do so, even if they fail to win the Premier League, there can be no doubt this has been an immensely positive season for Chelsea and for Ancelotti.

Ever since Mourinho left in 2007, Chelsea have been searching for a replacement of similar stature and in Carlo, they have found that. He has the credibility and charisma Mourinho boasted, and the good relationship between manager and players that is portrayed in public is echoed in private. From speaking to those at Stamford Bridge, it is clear Ancelotti and his staff have created an excellent working environment.

That shines through on the pitch. Players like Ashley Cole and Florent Malouda have flourished. The manager has handed young players their opportunity, and it is clear he is not picking by reputation. He has got every single player on board and convinced them to believe in his methods.

Elimination from the Champions League has led to suggestions that all of the good work Ancelotti has done might be under threat, but I believe Chelsea's powerbrokers know they have the right man. All he needs is the chance to mould the side to his tactical ideology.

That should not encompass a major overhaul. For all the talk of Fernando Torres or the like, Chelsea need just one or two players – a creative dynamo would be top of their agenda – who fit in with Ancelotti. It is all well and good spending £50 million on a player, but if they are not suitable for the manager's vision, they will have little impact.

For Ancelotti to cast Chelsea in his own image, as Arsène Wenger has done in the style he has brought to Arsenal or Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford, he needs time. Mourinho had a plan, and was given the space to execute it. The signs from his first season in English football, wherever the title ends up, are that Ancelotti deserves that too.

Match Preview: Blackburn Vs Chelsea

Chelsea face a stern test of their title credentials as they look to bounce back from European disappointment.

Blackburn have an impressive record at Ewood Park this season, losing just two games in the Premier League, and their home form has kept them away from the relegation battle.

Rovers are currently 10 points clear of the bottom three in 12th position and will feel they can push into the top half of the table if they enjoy a strong finish to the campaign.

Having knocked Chelsea out of the Carling Cup in December, prevailing on penalties after a thrilling 3-3 draw, Blackburn will go into the clash in confident mood.

But Sam Allardyce will be without Paul Robinson for around a month after the goalkeeper was substituted with a torn calf muscle in the defeat to Tottenham.

Jason Brown came on at White Hart Lane and could start against Chelsea, although Mark Bunn has been recalled from his loan spell with Sheffield United to provide an extra option.

Ryan Nelsen (knee) and Lars Jacobsen (hernia) are still sidelined, while Gael Givet (groin) is also out and on-loan striker Franco di Santo cannot play against his parent club.

However, David Dunn came through the encounter against Spurs unscathed and should start again.

Chelsea bowed out of the UEFA Champions League in midweek after losing 1-0 at home to Inter Milan, coached by former manager Jose Mourinho.

The onus had been on the Blues to attack after Inter won the first leg 2-1 and Carlo Ancelotti will have been disappointed by how rarely they threatened the Italians' goal.

But Ancelotti must now focus on domestic matters as Chelsea continue to fight for silverware in the Premier League and FA Cup.

Chelsea are currently two points behind league leaders Manchester United but have control of their own destiny with a game in hand.

Third-choice goalkeeper Ross Turnbull has played between the posts in the absence of injured No.1 Petr Cech and also Hilario, who are both still doubtful.

Michael Essien, Ashley Cole and Jose Bosingwa are still sidelined, so there are unlikely to be many changes from the side beaten by Inter.

Joe Cole will hope to start as time runs out for him to impress England manager Fabio Capello ahead of the World Cup.

Possible starting XIs:

Blackburn: Brown, Salgado, Chimbonda, Samba, Olsson, Andrews, Dunn, Emerton, N'Zonzi, Pedersen, Kalinic.

Chelsea: Turnbull, Ivanovic, Terry, Carvalho, Zhirkov, Mikel, Lampard, Ballack, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba.