Group H: Wins for Chelsea and PSG

Chelsea virtually guaranteed themselves a place in the knockout phase of the Champions League when they beat CSKA Moscow 2-0 for their third successive victory on Wednesday. Meanwhile, defending champions Porto are struggling to make the last 16 following their 2-0 defeat at Paris Saint Germain.


Chelsea took advantage of some woeful Russian defending at set pieces to win with headers from John Terry after nine minutes and Eidur Gudjohnsen in first half stoppage time.

Chelsea failed to dominate possession with the Russian champions looking comfortable coming forward, although they rarely created any threatening chances.

The night was a special one for Chelsea's billionaire Russian owner Roman Abramovich who has many friends at CSKA. He is also the major shareholder in the oil company Sibneft, CSKA's shirt sponsors -- but the sentiment ended there as he delighted in Chelsea's win.

PSG STUN HOLDERS PORTO

Paris St Germain restored their hopes of reaching the Champions League knockout stage when they beat holders Porto 2-0 on Wednesday. Two goals in three minutes earned the French side a deserved victory over the struggling Portuguese, who are now bottom of the group with just one point from three matches.

After a laboured start Vahid Halilhodzic's PSG side played some neat football and Charles-Edouard Coridon scored the club's first goal in this season's competition on the half-hour mark with Portugal's Pedro Pauleta adding a second two minutes later.

PSG are third in the stadnings with three points behind leaders Chelsea who have a maximum nine points and CSKA Moscow, who the London club beat 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, with four.

Mutu: "They will not sack me"

Disgraced striker Adrian Mutu says Chelsea will not sack him for failing a drugs test in training, although he acknowledges he is unlikely to have a future with the London club. "They will not sack me," the Romanian international told the British press Friday.

"But I am almost certain Chelsea will not pay my contract during any suspension period I might get," Mutu nonethess acknowledged.

"In the meantime I will just have to wait for the decisions, which the (English) FA and my club will take. Even I find it hard to believe that I might have a future at Chelsea so, most probably, I will have to go back and play in Italy again."

Mutu, who faces a ban for failing his drugs test, denied on Thursday that he had taken cocaine.

"I didn't take cocaine. I took something to make me feel good, I'll tell you later what it was," he told Romanian television after leaving a meeting at the English Football Association.

On Tuesday, English players' union chief Gordon Taylor said Mutu had admitted testing positive for cocaine.

NO COMMENT

An FA spokesman said the ruling body would not be making any comment on the case.

Chelsea have also refused to comment, saying only that the striker had been signed off by their medical department. Once a player has failed a drugs test the matter becomes the responsibility of the FA rather than the club.

The case is likely to take at least two weeks before the FA decides the length of any suspension.

Mutu, who returned from two days in Italy on Thursday, has agreed to counseling and to waive the right to a test of a B sample.

The 25-year-old Romanian, who joined Chelsea from Parma in August 2003, has had little impact on the team since falling out of favour with the then coach Claudio Ranieri in the second half of last season.

Mutu has managed only two brief substitute appearances this season and said that even before his failed drugs test he had come close to physically assaulting Ranieri's successor, Jose Mourinho, during a row.

"I have to admit that in the heat of our confrontation I did actually threaten Mourinho about what would happen if he ever went to Romania," Mutu told British newspapers.

"In a moment of total madness, I almost hit him, too. But now I am calmer and I must say I have nothing against the coach."

Robben's Rovers return

Dutch international winger Arjen Robben will play his first game for Chelsea on Saturday after recovering from a pre-season foot injury. "I don't know whether I shall start with him but for sure he will play," an upbeat Mourinho told a news conference on Friday ahead of the match against Blackburn.

Robben, 20, performed impressively at Euro 2004 and joined Chelsea in July from PSV Eindhoven, having signed earlier in the year. The London side later bought PSV striker Mateja Kezman, who had linked productively with Robben in the Dutch league but who has so far failed to score for Chelsea.

With Didier Drogba out for another month following a groin operation and Adrian Mutu sidelined after failing a drugs test, Chelsea are short of attacking options. They have scored only eight times in nine Premier League games and are five points behind goal-happy league leaders Arsenal.

"He's one more option for me," Mourinho said. "Robben's not a pure striker but he's an attacking player."

Chelsea go into Saturday's game buoyed by their third successive Champions League win on Wednesday when they beat CSKA Moscow 2-0.

They need to win domestically, however, to keep in touch with the unbeaten leaders who play Manchester United in the weekend's blockbuster on Sunday.

"On Saturday it's important to reduce the gap then wait for the match at Old Trafford," Mourinho said.

The Portuguese coach suggested if United lost to Arsenal their championship challenge would be over. "They would be too far behind. That is why I don't think they will lose," he said.

Should United lose they would drop 14 points behind Arsenal.

If second-placed Chelsea fail to win points against Blackburn they could also find the gap too wide.

"If we don't beat Blackburn I won't watch the game on Sunday," Mourinho said.

If Robben's on the left wing, Duff's fate??

Quote:

Post by scorgio
If Robben's on the left wing, Duff's fate??

Duff must get his body slimming 1st lah.. hehe

Must go to Marie France Bodyline. hahaha

LONDON - Chelsea cruised to a 4-0 win over Blackburn, reclaiming second spot in the Premiership, courtesy of a hat-trick from striker Eidur Gudjohnsen. Everton had earlier beat Norwich 3-2 at Carrow Rd to move to within three points of Arsenal. Now Liverpool take on Charlton at Anfield. Follow it LIVE!

Striker Eidur Gudjohnsen hit the first hat-trick of his career as Chelsea crushed Blackburn Rovers 4-0 to climb to two points behind Arsenal in second place in the Premier League on Saturday.

Quote:

Post by scorgio
If Robben's on the left wing, Duff's fate??

Duff show his manager that he's useful by scoring..but i hv to say..Robben looks good on the left..his skill and pace is much better than Joe Cole&Damien Duff..when see him play cant believe he is just back from injury..

Chelsea sack Mutu

Chelsea have sacked their Romanian striker Adrian Mutu after a positive drugs test last month, the BBC reported on Friday. The troubled star had seemed confident that his job was safe, claiming "They will not sack me", but it seems his optimism was unjustified and Chelsea have taken the hard line.

must be need to take serious action b4 spreading the rot in the team

Quote:

Post by gimhowe
Duff show his manager that he's useful by scoring..but i hv to say..Robben looks good on the left..his skill and pace is much better than Joe Cole&Damien Duff..when see him play cant believe he is just back from injury..

Joe Cole is more creative still.