Ancelotti laughs off European pressure
CHELSEA manager Carlo Ancelotti insists his survival at Stamford Bridge does not depend on delivering the club’s first European Cup.
Ancelotti, who has lifted the trophy twice as a player and twice as a coach, begins his first Champions League campaign as Blues boss tonight against Porto.
The Italian’s European pedigree was one of the prime reasons for his recruitment over the summer, with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich known to be desperate to land the Continent’s biggest prize.
But Ancelotti made light of the suggestion his time at the club would be judged solely on his European success, joking that Abramovich expected Chelsea to hoover up every available piece of silverware.
“It’s not really that the club asked me to win the Champions League; they asked me to win the Champions League, the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Carling Cup,” he quipped. “Winning is not easy because it is a very particular competition, we have to try to do the best to win, and I think we have the possibility because we have a strong team and fantastic players with a fantastic mental attitude.”
Chelsea have gone tantalisingly close in recent years, reaching the semi-finals five times in the last six seasons, but Ancelotti is at a loss as to why glory has eluded them.
“I don’t know. It is not only luck, you have to believe you can do the best in this competition,” he added.
Ancelotti will be without striker Didier Drogba and defender Jose Bosingwa for tonight’s clash at Stamford Bridge.
Both are serving suspensions for their protests at last season’s controversial semi-final exit to Barcelona. Midfielders Deco and Joe Cole and full-back Paulo Ferreira are also unavailable.
Drogba has scored four goals from five games already this season, but Ancelotti said: “Didier is going very well and is scoring goals but we have the possibility to play well also without Didier.”