Chelsea prove their point in Europe

13 April 2012

Levski Sofia 0 Chelsea 2
Chelsea win 5-0 on aggregate

Marcel Desailly, who produced a captain?s performance against Levski Sofia to help Chelsea ease their way into today?s UEFA Cup second-round draw, said the team had now turned their focus to the Premiership and were determined to show they could handle the demands of their first derby against Fulham in 34 years.

Chelsea flew back to London late last night after a 2-0 win in Bulgaria helped them complete a 5-0 aggregate victory ? courtesy of goals from centre-half John Terry and striker Eidur Gudjohnsen ? but Desailly insisted they had a point to prove against their west London rivals.

The French international added that he has been surprised by the managerial success of countryman Jean Tigana but expects Fulham to be a major force in the Premiership within the next two years.

Desailly was yet to be born when the clubs played out a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage in the 1967/8 season that eventually ended with Fulham?s relegation. Yet thanks to their resurgence under Tigana, Desailly can?t wait to experience the atmosphere of a Craven Cottage derby.

Desailly played against Tigana, then starring for Bordeaux, in his second game for Nantes in the French First Division back in the mid-1980s. The French team which won the 1984 European Championships and boasted such stars as Michel Platini and Tigana provided Desailly with much inspiration.

He said: ?Players like Tigana and Platini were very important to us in France. But we were all surprised when he came to this country because we thought that maybe he wouldn?t be able to do the job. But he?s changed a lot of things inside the club like the diet and training techniques. Now, they are one of the better teams in the Premiership.

?If they can stay in the middle of the table this season then I?m sure they will spend money again next year and become one of the best teams in England in the next few years.

?We have only had 48 hours to recover from our game against Sofia before we play Fulham. The fans have waited a long time for this match and we know it will be difficult.

?The pitch is a small one and Fulham play quick football, so it will be another test for us. We want to show everybody though that we can now handle the speed of the Premiership away from home.?

Desailly?s will take his international bow after the Euro 2004 championships and with his contract at Stamford Bridge also ending in the same year, the defender knows he has a lot of thinking to do about his future.

Against Sofia, coach Claudio Ranieri kept faith with three of the quartet fined two weeks wages by the club for a drinking binge in Heathrow hotel. Frank Lampard, Gudjohnsen and Terry repaid him with fine performances, but he will face a difficult decision on Sunday when Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, suspended last night, will be available once more.

Deciding whether to drop Gudjohnsen, who has now scored three goals in as many starts, will be a difficult decision.

Ranieri said: ?When Jimmy does not play, Eidur is the player I choose. I want this kind of difficulty as a coach. Everyone deserves to play but I can only choose eleven men. It is very important for me to keep the right balance in the side. The big problem for me is when I don?t have such players to choose from.

?Terry and Gudjohnsen have both played in our last two matches and have kept their concentration. The goals they scored tonight will be good for their confidence.

?Gudjohnsen is a good striker. Last season he scored a lot of goals and he is a good replacement for Jimmy.

?We have had a good night here in Sofia and sent out a positive message. It was very important for us to win, and I am happy with my players. I hope we can go all the way in this competition. But now we are already focusing on Fulham. I am aware of the history between the two teams ? they are our cousins.?

MORE ABOUT

Chelsea F.c.

Eidur Gudjohnsen

Fulham

Sofia

Chelsea prove their point in Europe

Read More