Skip to main content
BBC SPORT / CHELSEA
Graphics Version | BBC News Home
Sport Homepage | Football | World Cup 2010 | Formula 1 | Olympics | Vancouver 2010 | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorbikes | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Football Contents:  World Cup 2010 | My Club | Gossip | Premier League | Championship | League One | League Two | Non League | FA Cup | League Cup | Scottish Premier | Scottish League | Scottish Cups | Welsh | Irish | Europe | African Women | Football Focus | Match of the Day | Final Score | World Football | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved | Your Game

13:34 GMT, Saturday, 17 May 2008 14:34 UK

Blues trio set to play in final

John Terry, Ricardo Carvalho, and Didier Drogba

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba and defenders John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho all expect to be fit for the Champions League final in Moscow.

Doubts were cast over the availability of the key trio after Terry dislocated his elbow and Drogba hurt his knee, while Carvalho has a back injury.

But boss Avram Grant has confirmed that Terry and Drogba have been training and Carvalho declared on Friday:

"I'll be okay. I have a few more days to recover and should be 100%."

Club captain Terry and main striker Drogba picked up their knocks in the club's final Premier League match of the season against Bolton, but it now appears they will be ready for the match against Manchester United on 21 May.

606: DEBATE
How important are Terry, Drogba, and Carvalho?

Manager Grant told a news conference on Wednesday: "They [both] trained today so I don't think there is any problem."

Drogba also told French newspaper L'Equipe his injury was "nothing serious", adding: "No-one wants to miss this gigantic match."

Carvalho's injury has been a frequent niggle but he insists he will be ready to help his club claim the biggest prize in European club football - despite being unsure about his own future at Stamford Bridge.

"Over the last few years whenever we have played against United it has always been difficult," he said.

"But we have shown that we can beat them.

"We played excellent football at Stamford Bridge in the league when we won 2-1 and we beat them in the FA Cup final last season.

"It doesn't matter who wins the league, this is the Champions League. We will arrive in Moscow confident we can win."

Chelsea lost out to United in the race for the Premier League title and Drogba called the Moscow showdown "the match of our careers".

United will be looking to complete the double but the Ivory Coast international insists: "This Champions League match is different.

"We know that we can beat United, we proved it again in the league a fortnight ago.

"But they deserved their title and were rewarded for their consistency. We made too many mistakes."




E-mail this to a friend
Related to this story:

Chelsea 1-1 Bolton (11 May 08 |  Premier League )
Premier League finale as it happened (11 May 08 |  Premier League )
BBC pundits on the Premier League (11 May 08 |  Premier League )
Title race photos (11 May 08 |  Football )
Premier League photos (11 May 08 |  Football )
Wigan 0-2 Man Utd (11 May 08 |  Premier League )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Football on the BBC
Chelsea fans' views on 606
BBC London audio
Chelsea weather
BBC Sport Premier League
Chelsea
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC SPORT: 

Sport Homepage | Football | World Cup 2010 | Formula 1 | Olympics | Vancouver 2010 | Cricket | Rugby Union | Rugby League | Tennis | Golf | Athletics | Cycling | Motorbikes | Boxing | Snooker | Horse Racing | Disability Sport | Other sport... | Sports Personality | TV/Radio Schedule | Sport Academy | Fun and Games | Inside Sport | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales
Football Contents:  World Cup 2010 | My Club | Gossip | Premier League | Championship | League One | League Two | Non League | FA Cup | League Cup | Scottish Premier | Scottish League | Scottish Cups | Welsh | Irish | Europe | African Women | Football Focus | Match of the Day | Final Score | World Football | Skills | Laws & Equipment | Get Involved | Your Game

^ Back to top | BBC News Home | BBC Homepage | Feedback | Help | ©