Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou confident of UEFA Champions League success
Chelsea striker http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Salomon-Kalou-c32266 revealed he felt that the Blues had learnt a lot from their previous unsuccessful campaigns for the UEFA Champions League. Last season Chelsea were eliminated from the European competition by Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan in the
quarterfinals.
The loss to Inter Milan in the round-of-16 would have been very disappointing for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich if it manager Carlo Ancelotti had not led the Blues to their first ever double of the Premier League and the FA Cup.
The fact that Chelsea won the double and set various records in the process no doubt guaranteed Ancelotti another season at Stamford Bridge. The former AC Milan manager is out to prove himself and will only be able to do that by claiming the coveted Champions
League trophy.
The 25-year-old Ivory Coast striker feels his side has matured since losing out to Inter Milan last season. Mourinho’s side went ahead after defeating Chelsea 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, 2-1 on aggregate. Kalou insisted his side would not be making the same
mistake this time around when they take on Manchester United.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 drew Manchester United in the quarter finals and will host them at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday. They will be aiming to get a good result at home so as to have the advantage when they travel to Old Trafford the week after that.
If history is anything to go on then Chelsea should not be too worried, having a very good record against the Red Devils at the Bridge. Sir Alex Ferguson’s side has not managed a win at Chelsea since their last nine matches there.
However, they have had better luck in the European competition as compared to Chelsea. The 2008 Champions League final in Moscow comes to mind, the night when Chelsea came so close to claiming the trophy but lost out on penalties.
Kalou was determined his side would not make the same mistakes again, he said while speaking to reporters, “We have learnt from the past. Losing against Inter last year was a difficult time, but we now know that it's very important not to concede an away
goal. That made the difference last year - when we lost 2-1 in Milan.”
The Ivorian was certain a manager other than Mourinho would have had a better result at Stamford Bridge, he continued, “Even though we were better than Inter in the home leg, against a manager like [Jose] Mourinho on his return to Stamford Bridge, you knew
he was going to have a game plan and it paid off.”
Kalou insisted away games were as important, if not more, than home games. He was certain his side would manage a good result at home but revealed they needed a decent away result to clench the Champions League crown. “That's what we have to learn. Away
games are very important and that's how you win the Champions League,” he added.
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