Terry 'deserves' final place, says Mourinho

Terry 'deserves' final place, says Mourinho - The Champions League "owes something" to Chelsea captain John Terry due to the previous disappointments that he has endured in the competition, according to manager Jose Mourinho.

Terry, 33, has been passed fit to play in the second leg of Chelsea's semi-final at home to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday after limping off with an ankle injury in last week's first leg, which ended in a 0-0 draw.

Mourinho initially ruled Terry out until at least the final, which takes place in Lisbon on May 24, but his return to fitness suggests that his luck in the tournament may be beginning to turn.

Terry 'deserves' final place, says Mourinho

Terry could have given Chelsea their first ever Champions League trophy in the 2008 final against Manchester United in Moscow, only to slip as he took a spot-kick in the penalty shootout, sending the ball wide.

A subsequent failed attempt by Nicolas Anelka gave United the trophy and although Chelsea prevailed on penalties in the final against Bayern Munich four years later, Terry did not play due to suspension.

He was also banned for last season's Europa League final success against Benfica, although, as he had done in 2012, he received the trophy in his full kit alongside his teammates.

Results of the Champions League semi-final match on Tuesday (AFP Photo/)

"I think the Champions League owes him something," Mourinho said during Tuesday's pre-match press conference.

"I think he deserves more than the Champions League has given to him till now. He lost a few semi-finals in special circumstances. He lost the final also in special circumstances.

"He won a final, also in special circumstances, because he couldn't play the final."

- No England U-turn -

Terry seemed to be getting eased out at Stamford Bridge under former interim manager Rafael Benitez, but he has been rejuvenated since Mourinho's return last year, marshalling the meanest defence in the Premier League.

Atletico Madrid's David Villa (R) trains at Stamford Bridge in London on April 29, 2014, on the eve of the team's Champions League semi-final second-leg match against Chelsea (AFP Photo/Glyn Kirk)

"My captain is playing at the same level as when I left Chelsea in 2007-08," Mourinho added.

"Six or seven years later, he is playing at his best level. It's fair to say that. It's also fair to say that the people that surround him are playing also fantastic.

"I think his partnership with (Gary) Cahill is fantastic and people that work together in the same areas, they are doing a fantastic job.

"I'm really happy to see a player like him, six or seven years later, to be back to the same level."

Terry's displays have prompted calls for him to return to the England fold, 19 months after he retired from international football following the Football Association's decision to strip him of the captaincy over allegations he had racially abused Queens Park Rangers' Anton Ferdinand.

However, despite the apparent lure of a potential place in manager Roy Hodgson's squad for this year's World Cup in Brazil, Terry said that he had no intention of reversing his decision.

"For me, 100 percent, I'm going to be on my holidays in the summer, I'm going to be nowhere else," he said.

"I've made that very clear. My thoughts are very strong on that. Maybe people don't realise how strong. I certainly wish the England side and Roy the very best." ( AFP )

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Zorro unmasked

Zorro unmasked - That is three more than Wayne Rooney, who has admittedly featured in fewer matches than the Spaniard, but it is also only four less than Robin van Persie.

Van Persie’s goalscoring exploits at the start of the season have effectively won Manchester United the Premier League title ahead of schedule, but his worrying loss of form – he has only scored once in the last 12 matches – has coincided with exits from both the Champions League and the FA Cup.

At Chelsea, Torres has impressed in fits and starts this campaign and – while he has not hit the heights of his pomp at Liverpool – El Nino (it seems strange to call a 29-year-old The Kid) is in far better nick than the washed-up has-been that was all but written off this time last year.

Fernando Torres has scored 19 goals for his club this season.

Where – and against whom – Torres has found his goals is arguably a major sticking point though.

Only seven of Torres’s 19 goals have come in the Premier League, and most of them have come against weaker opposition. Indeed, discounting the strike against Manchester City in the Community Shield, Torres has only managed one goal against Chelsea’s nearest rivals, in the 2-1 win at Arsenal earlier in the campaign.

However, quality of opposition has not necessarily been the problem – Torres found the net against an excellent Shakhtar Donetsk side, and Rubin Kazan are a decent outfit, certainly one who would be challenging for the minor European places if they were suddenly transported to England.

What was impressive about Torres’s match-winning brace last night was the manner in which he took his goals – both brave, swashbuckling efforts – and the bright and inventive nature of his build-up play.

I watched Torres regularly when he was at Atletico Madrid, having been based in the city for some time in the mid 00’s, and even then the hype was tempered by a relative inconsistency, the feeling that he – like many strikers – is a confidence player, and that his confidence was particularly brittle.

Indeed, Torres went eight Liga matches without scoring towards the end of the 2004-05 campaign, but crucially he was at his hometown club, a side with relatively low expectations supported by fans willing to give their hero a chance to regain his form.

Current Chelsea fans have greater expectations than Atletico fans back then, and display a certain ruthlessness that they expect from their heroes.

While Torres may have lost a smidgeon of the pace he so willingly displayed at Liverpool, he has regained some of the confidence that appeared terminally lost. Demba Ba has taken the heat off him somewhat (he will hit a lean streak soon, and it will be interesting to see how he copes with the inevitable backlash), while Rafael Benitez’s appointment does seem to have helped him, albeit not in the manner we may have expected.

Tactically, Torres is being used in his preferred role – the central striker position that Didier Drogba hogged prior to his departure – but the main help has come from the lightning-rod effect that Benitez has unwittingly provided: Chelsea fans are too busy hating on Agent Rafa to get on Torres’s back, and he appears calmer and happier as a result.

Torres needs to start doing it in the Premier League – where opposition fans are giving him the grief that he escapes in Europe – and if he hits double figures in that competition by the end of the season Chelsea will view that as a decent return.

Maybe he needs to continue wearing that ridiculous mask, which could bizarrely give him the cloak of anonymity needed for him to stop overthinking his moves when he gets in the positions he has always been capable of finding.

Either way, talk of his demise appears to have been premature and, given that he is an intelligent man and a willing worker, there could be a long-term lease of life as he adapts his game to account for less searing speed. It worked for another Madrileno after all – and Raul didn’t do too badly into his 30s. Reda Maher – on Twitter @Reda_Eurosport

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Europa League - Torres shines as Chelsea gain advantage over Rubin

Europa League - Torres shines as Chelsea gain advantage over Rubin – Europa League quarter-final first leg, Stamford Bridge – Chelsea 3 (Torres 16, 70, Moses 33) Rubin Kazan 1 (Natcho 41 pen)

Fernando Torres scored twice as Chelsea beat Rubin Kazan 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.

Goals from the much-maligned Spaniard and Nigeria forward Victor Moses gave the hosts a deserved 2-0 lead, but they stepped back leading into half time and paid the price when John Terry’s handball allowed Natcho to convert from the penalty spot.

Eurosport - Chelsea's Fernando Torres (C) celebrates his goal with teammate Frank Lampard during their Europa League first leg quarter-final soccer match against Rubin Kazan at Stamford Bridge in London April 2013

The second half was a less frantic affair but Chelsea managed to put daylight between them and the Russians when Torres headed home his second of the night and 19th of the season after a fine cross from Juan Mata.

Rafael Benitez made six changes from the FA Cup win over Manchester United, with two enforced after Ashley Cole was injured and Demba Ba cup-tied.

Their refreshed XI started brightly as Yossi Benayoun impressed on the left, while a masked Torres looked more confident than usual as he led the line for the hosts. Rubin, meanwhile, surprisingly dropped striker Salomon Rondon to the bench, and it showed as replacement Vladimir Dyadyun toiled up front.

It was 1-0 after 16 minutes as Torres was rewarded for his energy and bravery after taking down a long ball by David Luiz – with goalkeeper and defender flying in, the Spain striker hurled himself at the second ball to bundle it home.

Rubin, who initially sat deep and looked for the counter attack, did respond as Natcho’s long-range drive stung the palms of Petr Cech.

But the hosts were knocking it about nicely and Ryan Bertrand was denied a wonder-goal by visiting skipper Roman Sharonov’s vital clearance after the reserve left-back beat three men and clipped the ball over goalkeeper Sergei Ryzhikov.

So the second goal was richly deserved, coming after Torres once more caused the Russians problems, his header palmed away by Ryzhikov and follow-up cross only half-cleared for Moses to rifle the ball into the top left.

As with the opener, Rubin did respond, although this time with greater effect as Chelsea found themselves on the back foot.

And four minutes before half-time they got their reward when Terry stuck an arm out as attacking left-back Cristian Ansaldi fired a curler after cutting inside past Branislav Ivanovic.

Terry was booked for the handball and Natcho made no mistake from the spot, sending Cech the wrong way as he claimed a vital away goal.

Ansaldi almost got a second just before the break when another long-range effort dipped just wide, and having dominated much of the half suddenly it was Chelsea who were happier to hear the whistle blow, but Rubin made the half-time change as Rondon replaced Dyadyun, who had picked up a knock.

The Blues started the second half stronger though, as Mata forced a smart stop from Ryzhikov while Cesar Azpilicueta saw a low finish blocked at a corner.

Chelsea were still having their moments at the back though, with Cech flapping not for the first time as Sharonov almost headed in from a corner.

Down the other end Terry, desperate to atone for his earlier error, went close with a similar effort but after the hour mark both sides seemed to run out of gas as the tempo slowed somewhat.

Benitez acted by introducing Eden Hazard, but the withdrawal of Moses seemed unusual, with Frank Lampard ineffectual until that point.

However, Lampard had a role in his team’s third, releasing Mata down the left, with the former Valencia man’s excellent cross met by a flying Torres, who buried a thumping header into the top right.

With the two-goal cushion restored, and Rubin clearly tiring, Chelsea could afford to sit back again as they held on to the ball for much of the latter stages.

Rubin were exhausted, with the closest the Russians coming to a goal threat a corner in the dying seconds that Chelsea cleared.

The away goal will have boosted Kurban Berdev’s side, but Chelsea’s two goal advantage makes them favourites to reach the semi-finals as they seek to be the first club to win Europe’s secondary club competition the season after the Champions League.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Fernando Torres (Chelsea: Took his goals bravely and was a constant threat against the Russian side. Led the line with power and – unusually – confidence.

PLAYER RATINGS

CHELSEA: Cech 5, Azpilicueta 6, Luiz 6, Terry 5, Bertrand 7, Ramires 7, Lampard 6, Moses 7, Mata 7, Benayoun 6, Torres 8; Subs: Hazard 6, Oscar N/A, Marin N/A.

RUBIN: Ryzhikov 6, Navas 6, Kuzmin 6, Kaleshin 6, Ansaldi 6, Orbaiz 5, Sharonov 7, Eremenko 6, Natcho 7, Karedeniz 6, Dyadyun 5; Subs: Rondon 5, Kasaev N/A.

By Reda Maher - on Twitter @Reda_Eurosport | Eurosport – 11 hours ago

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