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Chelsea v Monaco
1st leg 1-3
Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri admits that Chelsea will have to produce their best performance of the season if they are to overcome a 3-1 deficit in tonight’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Monaco.
“I am always positive. We have to believe in everything,” said Ranieri.
“I think Monaco has one foot in the final but we have a last chance. We need the best performance of the season and they, the worst.”
John Terry, who will captain the side in the absence of the suspended John Terry, said the team were keen to make amends for their first-leg performance.
“This is a chance to prove to everybody how much we want this.”
“It is totally in our hands,” said Terry.
“It is important we keep a clean sheet, and then hopefully the boys up front and in midfield will get the goals for us.
“The first leg is out of our system and we are all looking forward to it.
“A lot of us won’t get another chance to play in such a big game so we are going to give it everything. We have got the fans behind us at home and we will hope things go our way.”
However, Monaco coach Didier Deschamps (a former Chelsea player) is brimming with confidence as he seeks to lead a French side into the final for the first time since Marseille in 1993.
“I don’t think we will lose the game,” he said.
“We are not a team that can only defend, we must try and score.”
“I know Claudio Ranieri will think it’s possible to qualify as we did after Madrid,” he added.
“When it’s the final at stake everyone thinks they have a good chance.”
“We have to know how to defend but we have not got the team to defend, defend, defend. The important thing is to look to score a goal because that would put the tie very much in our favour.”
Chelsea defender William Gallas has declared himself fit for the game although Chelsea are without Claude Makelele and Marcel Desailly both of whom are suspended. Damien Duff and Adrian Mutu missthe game through injury.
For Monaco, winger Jerome Rothen (groin) and Croatian midfielder Dado Prso (toe) lare doubtful starters, while defender Sebastien Squillaci could return to the side after recovering from a thigh injury.
Probable teams:
Chelsea: Cudicini; Johnson, Gallas, Terry, Bridge; Parker, Geremmi, Lampard Cole (J); Crespo, Gudjohnsen.
Monaco: Roma; Ibarra, Givet, Rodriguez, Evra; Plasil, Cisse, Bernardi, Rothen; Giuly; Morientes.
Referee: Anders Frisk (Sweden)