Chelsea manager Avram Grant insists his side have exceeded expectations this season and demands his team be respected for their efforts...

When Jose Mourinho departed in September, Chelsea were staring down the barrel of disaster. There were cries of exodus, the end of an era and the downfall of the Blues. However, eight months on, Avram Grant is going strong, and has his side on the cusp of an unprecedented double.

Jose Mourinho did not manage Champions League glory with the Blues - he didn't make it to a final, either - Grant is there, and has only Manchester United in his way.

The same applies in the league. Granted, this is a competition the Special One won back-to-back - emphatically so, at that - but Avram Grant is again just one game away from the trophy, though he is relying on Manchester United slipping up in their final fixture as well.

Grant has been keen to point out such things, and is again full of praise for his team, as they head into two of the most vital games in the club's history in the coming weeks.

"From day one our target was to be in the Champions League final and to improve our game," began the Chelsea boss.

"We've done more than I even expected, so we want to believe the season will end well and we will fight to the last minute.

"United have had a fantastic season. They've been champions many times before but this year we have given them a good battle and it is not finished yet.

"Even if they win the title on goal difference you must give my team respect.

"For more than 30 years I've visited English football, at least five times a year since I was a boy.

"Even when I didn't have much money I came here. One thing I like is that you play football until the end, not like other countries.

"Sometimes I'm too positive and too optimistic, but I believe in the traditions of English football.

"We need to win first and it's not easy for them to play at Wigan.

"I don't believe that Bruce will give the game to Manchester United.

"Maybe we can win 18-0 on Sunday, if we play against a team that will let us to. I don't think so, though."

Wigan Athletic stand in Manchester United's way, and they are coming off a sensational 2-0 victory at Aston Villa. Managed by former United skipper Steve Bruce, conspiracies of match-throwing and under-strength line-ups have been rife, but most expect a fair encounter at the JJB Stadium, Grant included.

He told Sky Sports 1: "They are on a great run at the minute. They came to the Bridge and put in a very good performance and since then, they have picked up.

"Wigan will do the Premier League justice and they will go out there wanting to beat Manchester United.

"Hopefully they will do. We have worked out socks off all year, so it will be disappointing if they don't.

"We saw the likes of many teams yesterday putting out full-strength teams and really going for it against some teams who have got nothing to go for.

"Wigan are safe now - hopefully, with a great manager like Steve Bruce, they are going to go for it.

"We have still got a tough game at home to Bolton, but if we pick up the three points, as we did today, we have got a very good chance."

He may have left Chelsea over six months ago but Jose Mourinho has been unable to resist having another dig at Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez ahead of Liverpool and Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final.

The bad feeling between the two managers is well known and has stemmed from a number of incidents that have occurred in matches between Liverpool and Chelsea, when Mourinho was in charge of the Blues.

According to Mourinho, Liverpool must win something this season to justify Benitez’s summer spending. With the Champions League the only silverware the Anfield side can get their hands on this season, his message is clear.

“Chelsea spent about £20 million on signings for the season, while Liverpool spend £27 million on one player” he has been quoted as saying referring to Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, signed from Atletico Madrid in the summer.

Mourinho, himself was accused of buying success for Chelsea whilst in charge of the London club, due to the massive amounts of money owner Roman Abramovich made available to his manager. However he has responded by throwing that accusation back at Benitez.

“Will they say Benitez brought success?” he says in a clear dig at the Liverpool manager, who managed to defeat Mourinho the last time the clubs met in the Champions League.

“Liverpool have to try to win the cups, because the investment in the team has to have a return,’ he says also referring to Liverpool’s other signings this season which include buying Javier Mascherano for £18 million and Ryan Babel for £13.5 million.

Mourinho also suggests that should Liverpool fail to beat Chelsea, after spending so much this season, that Benitez’s might find the pressure at Liverpool could become too much for him and, “that pressure can become intolerable.”

As a man relieved of his duties at Stamford Bridge, after being unable to deliver the Champions League to Chelsea despite massive investment, it should be a topic he is familiar with.

Chelsea boss Avram Grant has hailed Steven Gerrard as his ‘favourite player’ ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final clash with Liverpool, sparking speculation of a possible summer swoop for the Reds attacker.
The Liverpool captain missed yesterday’s 2-0 win at Fulham and may be forced to sit out the first leg at Anfield due to a neck injury sustained in training. Reds boss Rafa Benitez admitted: "I was talking with the physios today and it is still too early."

If Gerrard is ruled out it will be a huge blow to the Merseyside giants. However, one must be wary of Benitez’s word on the matter, given the uncertainty of Gerrard’s availability would give Grant a considerable tactical headache – one which he would not have if Gerrard was a Blue.

Jose Mourinho attempted to sign Gerrard to Stamford Bridge for ₤32 million in 2005, but the boy from Huyton stayed with his hometown club in the hope of replicating their European success in the Premier League – which has not been forthcoming thus far, leaving him frustrated.

Nonetheless, Gerrard has been in fine form this term, having developed a dynamic and prolific attacking partnership with Spanish striker Fernando Torres. And with Chelsea seeking to give their squad a makeover in the summer, the Liverpudlian is well and truly on Grant’s radar.

Favourite

"A great player and a great person, for me the player of the year in England and maybe in Europe because of the influence he has on the team,” Grant said of Gerrard.

"He is a nice guy, a positive guy and he is an example for many people. Unfortunately he plays against me not with me, but he is still my favourite player.

"I'm not surprised about him playing up with [Fernando] Torres. In that position he probably feels more free.

"He has the quality to play in any position. But he is not my player. If you can bring him to me, I will be happy!"

Positive

This will be the third time in four years that Chelsea have faced Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals, the Blues having tasted defeat on the previous two occasions as the Reds earned final berths against AC Milan in 2005 and 2007.

With Liverpool’s higher-ups locked in a fierce and messy battle for executive control of the club, and Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich preparing a summer overhaul that could include staff as well as players, Grant and Benitez may both be relying on passage through to Moscow to secure their jobs.

And while Grant is positive his team can defeat Liverpool over two legs, he acknowledges that Benitez’s record in Europe gives him the edge heading into the first leg at Anfield.

"I think the results show what a good coach he is in Europe," said the Israeli. “He beat Chelsea two times when he was 20 points behind in the League, and one time in the semi-final of the FA Cup.

"He knows how to play against big teams. I like him as a person and as a manager, but we will give him a battle this time.

"We know the qualities of Liverpool, they know the qualities of us. I don't think there will be surprises but I have a good feeling about it, I'm always positive."

 Freedom

‘Liverpool versus Chelsea’ has earned a reputation for uninspiring football, and recent encounters have too often proved to be tight, Teutonic affairs with rarely more than a single goal scored.

But Grant is keen to avoid a tactical stalemate and take the game to the Reds at Anfield, insisting he wants to let his players express themselves on the pitch.

"First we need to score one goal away, that is the target at this level," he said. "The last games [between Chelsea and Liverpool] were too tactical.

"Football needs to be tactical, but not too tactical. You need the freedom to play.

"So I am trying with my team to give them the freedom to think with responsibility."

Mike Maguire (goal.com)

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has agreed to join one of the Milan clubs, according to former Serie A star Gianluca Vialli.

Vialli has good contacts at Chelsea, following his spell there, first as a player, and then as manager.

Ivorian striker Drogba has been linked with a transfer away from Stamford Bridge for several months now, and it is widely expected that he will move on to pastures new in the summer.

Both Milan and Inter have been strong associated with making a move, and Vialli says that he will join one of them, but would not reveal who.

"Who will we see in Italy out of Drogba, [Dimitar] Berbatov and [Fernando] Torres? Without a doubt the former," Vialli said in a video-chat with the Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I have heard that he has already signed for a team from Milan that has vertical stripes on their jersey, with two colours, one of which is black."

Vialli had a magnificent club career in Italy, starring for Cremonese, Sampdoria and Juventus, winning Scudetti and every major European honour with the latter two clubs.

He also won 59 caps for Italy, scoring 16 goals, and appearing in two World Cups, as well as Euro 88.

The Chelsea dressing room was the scene of more unrest in midweek after Chelsea captain John Terry laid into his team mates after the Blues’ win over Fenerbahce, reveals the News of the World

Television cameras picked up the defender storming off the pitch after the final whistle and now the paper has revealed that Terry was so disappointed with his team’s performance that he couldn’t wait to get back into the dressing room. Despite Chelsea winning the game 2-0 and thus booking themselves a semi-final spot in the Champions League against Liverpool, it is thought that Terry was unhappy with the way his team played the game was and couldn’t wait to tell his team mates exactly what he thought of them.

Apparently Terry is so concerned with the way his team’s performances have dipped in recent weeks that his desperate rant was designed to shake some of his team mates out of their comfort zone and ensure that they do not end the season empty-handed.

Despite being on a long unbeaten run in the league, stretching back to December, Chelsea have been facing criticism in recent weeks for their lack of goals and flair, especially when compared with some of the football being played by title rivals Arsenal and Manchester United.

Terry meanwhile is anxious that nothing is being done to halt the slide in performance level and rather than wait for manager Avram Grant to take charge of the situation decided to take the matter into his own hands.

It is reported that Terry singled out team mates Michael Essien, who was booked in the last minute of the game and will miss the first leg of the semi-final through suspension, and striker Didier Drogba for particular criticism.

Drogba, as has been reported many times already this season, is thought to be unsettled as it is at Stamford Bridge and looking to leave at the end of the season and this episode is only likely to have reinforced his desire to quit the West London club.

England boss Fabio Capello has hinted that John Terry's poor conduct on the pitch was the reason for his being snubbed as England captain against France tonight

Many were expecting either David Beckham, who will make his 100th England appearance in Paris, or John Terry, captain under ex-coach Steve McClaren, to skipper the Three Lions against France.
But Capello pulled a rabbit out the hat by selecting Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand for the role.

Role Model

The Italian boss refused to explain his decision to the press in detail, but appeared to suggest that ill-discipline showed by Terry in recent Chelsea games played a part.
“I don’t have to explain my decisions to anyone," said Capello. "We need to be role models when we play for England and for our clubs. Part of this involves fair play and respect towards the referee and the public who come to see the games. In that respect, we need to get back something we may be losing a bit.”

Spurs Controversy

The England boss was thought to be extremely displeased with the behaviour shown by Terry and other Chelsea players in two recent games against Tottenham. Both times Capello watched from the stands as the Blues skipper repeatedly hounded the referee, including after the full-time whistle.

“A captain must be an example to follow in training and a leader during the game," continued the manager. “And, of course, I would hope he could be an example, a role model outside the game as well - in life. That’s very important. Not just for the England captain but for everything that we, as sportsmen, show youngsters. He has to be an example.”

Terry 'Still Has A Chance'

Terry skippered England 13 times for England, all under the management of McClaren, but he missed Capello's first game in charge through injury as Steven Gerrard donned the armband. Capello made no promises that Terry would regain his captaincy, but similarly refused to rule it out.

"I will rotate the captain and I will name a permanent one in August. Until then, John Terry has a chance to become England captain.” Until then, he's picked Ferdinand, someone he believes has moved on from the controversy of a missed drugs test in 2004. "The past is the past," said the boss. "From watching Rio play and in training, I’ve seen a very good professional. He can be a very good England captain.”

France striker Nicolas Anelka looked back on his side's 1-0 win over England, reflecting on the match-winning penalty incident and the game as a whole...

The Chelsea forward told L'Equipe of the win, "It was a very good match, and I think we deserved the victory.
"We ere able to control the game. England are a great team, even though they're absent from the Euros. They were strong.
"A lack of pace? Between two great teams, you can see why people think that. But it wasn't a game with lots of scope to attack.
"From the moment we scored, we controlled it, we examined the opponent, whether or not they would attack. Eventually they didn't come forward, and it played out like that."

As for the penalty, he explained, "John Terry saw me, but I anticipated what he was doing. The ball came in at the right time: François Clerc's pass was extraordinary.
"So there I was face to face with the goalkeeper. I got ahead of Terry. He could do nothing but cause a penalty, or else I'd shoot. And then Franck Ribéry felt able to shoot, no problems."

Trezeguet
The interviewer ventured that David Trezeguet and Florent Malouda might have done more.
"Trezeguet? It was tough for him," said the ex-Bolton man. "He was marked, and the English wouldn't give him space. There weren't many crosses for him.
"He's a surface player, true, but he didn't see much of the ball.
"As for the team, we had the ball and we scored. We can't forget what he's capable of. In a competition like the Euros, he can come into play and score with ease.
"But Malouda? I thought he was good, personally. Out on the pitch we feel things differently. He was always available."

Future Prospects

Anelka looked back to look forward when discussing his chances of joining up with the squad for Euro 2008.
"I don't know what'll happen," he conceded.
"What will be will be, that's all. I think the coach already knows about his squad. I played in qualification and friendlies so I hope to be there.
"If I'm not, it'll be a disappointment, although I've overcome such obstacles before.
"Last night? It was nice to receive a standing ovation, even at the Stade de France. It wasn't so long ago that I got just the opposite..."

Frank Lampard did not even make the bench for England's defeat to France last night, with a stomach upset the apparent reason.

The Chelsea midfielder came down with the bug on the morning of the game and Capello decided to leave him out of the match, which England lost 1-0.

Lampard was by no means certain of a starting place anyway, with Barry, Hargreaves and Gerrard all making the XI in a five-man midfield.

Lampard is yet to feature under Capello having missed the Switzerland game through injury, with speculation mounting that his days as an England regular are already behind him.

A year ago the Blues star was caught in controversy when he tried to fly home before England's qualifier with Andorra in Barcelona.