Marco: Chelsea's season is in my hands now

14 April 2012

Marco Ambrosio's world has been turned upside down in the past seven days and his head is still spinning. From enjoying gentle work-outs with coach Giorgio Pellizzaro a week ago the goalkeeper has been plunged into the thick of some of the most important games in Chelsea's history.

Injuries to Carlo Cudicini and Neil Sullivan have ruled them out of the bulk of the Premiership run-in and next week's Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal, while Jurgen Macho is recovering from a broken leg, so Claudio Ranieri's fourth-choice goalkeeper is temporarily No1. The fate of Chelsea's season, not to mention their manager's future, is in his hands.

Amid all the great stories generated by the Roman Abramovich revolution Ambrosio's is the most heart-warming. The 30-year-old Italian has never known anything like it. Despite a 10-year career in Italy, his footballing CV could be written on the back of a postage stamp. Ambrosio's big-match experience is virtually non-existent, with just 25 of his 114 career appearances coming in Serie A.

After beginning his career in the lower leagues he quickly settled into the role of perennial understudy, warming the bench for Sampdoria and Chievo before landing a similar job at Stamford Bridge last summer.

The biggest games of his career so far have been an Italian Cup quarterfinal for Chievo against Milan and a UEFA Cup tie between Sampdoria and Athletic Bilbao.

Ambrosio said: "My whole world has changed since last week and I must concentrate on the games ahead. I never imagined playing in these games. I know Chelsea's season is in my hands but that is the role of the goalkeeper. We have a lot of extra responsibility and there's even more responsibility because I'm playing for one of England's biggest teams.

"I'm ready for the challenge because I've worked very hard in the last eight months and have been waiting for this chance for a long time.

"Now the opportunity has arrived I want to show Chelsea fans and the club that I'm good enough. I haven't thought about the Arsenal game and don't even dream about it."

Dreaming has been a problem for Ambrosio recently, while even sleeping has proved beyond him. The goalkeeper endured a restless night before his Premiership debut at Bolton last week and is expecting to toss and turn tonight in anticipation of tomorrow's meeting with Fulham.

Ambrosio said: "Before Bolton I couldn't sleep and kept waking at 4am, 5am and 6am because I was very nervous before my first game.

"It was a very important game and it's normal to be nervous - I don't know if the nerves will go away. I don't know if I will sleep tonight because every game is a big chance for me. I don't want to make a mistake and will do my best." After a dismal debut in Chelsea's 4-2 Carling Cup victory over Notts County last November, in which his handling looked suspect, Ambrosio was magnificent at the Reebok and kept the visitors in the game.

He said: "When I moved from Italy everything changed for me. It took a while to adjust to a new country. Now I feel very good about my fitness, my team-mates, everything."

Ambrosio doesn't play for Chelsea reserves, with coach Mick McGiven preferring to use youngsters. Tomorrow's derby will be only his third game of any description this season.

Ambrosio said: "I haven't played any reserve games but in Italy there is no reserve team either. I'm used to not playing for a long time and then being put into the team.

"It's hard for the mind with no game at the end of the week, but it's my job. This is my role, I don't get many chances and have to take it."

All footballing romantics will wish him well.

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Marco: Chelsea's season is in my hands now

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