Ancelotti ready to place faith in Torres and insists his own job isn’t under threat
MAN UNITED 1 vs CHELSEA 0
CHELSEA manager Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Fernando Torres will play against Manchester United, but refused to reveal whether the striker would start their Champions League quarter-final second leg at Old Trafford.
Chelsea are looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit, while their £50m record purchase is still searching for his first goal in a blue shirt 10 games and four months into his Stamford Bridge career.
After playing the entire first leg, Torres was dropped to the bench for Saturday’s victory over Wigan, but Ancelotti insists the Spaniard will have a significant part to play against the Premier League leaders.
“I’m not interested in a goal for Fernando,” Ancelotti said. “I’m interested in Chelsea winning this game. If he scores it’s good for him and for Chelsea, but it’s just important to win here. He will play though.”
Ancelotti, a two-times Champions League winner as manager of AC Milan, was largely brought in to replace Guus Hiddink on account of his track record in European competition.
Previous incumbents on the Stamford Bridge hotseat have been fired for less than a failure to reach the last four of Europe’s premier club competition, but the Italian insists his future is not dependant on the outcome of tonight’s match.
When asked at his pre-match press conference if his job was in jeopardy, Ancelotti said: “No. My future is already decided, I don’t have a problem about this game.
“It’s not important to speak with Roman Abramovich. When I have a contract, everything is okay with him. A lot of times I said the pressure, for me, is not bad.
“Pressure keeps me focused and concentrated, and gives my players the possibility to do their best. I’m focused on this. I know it will be difficult, but we have a lot of possibilities to play a fantastic game.
“I think that, a lot of times, I played this kind of game with this pressure. But it’s not pressure, it’s excitement.
“To be involved in this game is fantastic for my job, for my career. So I’m not afraid, I’m not worried about this. I’m happy to have a possibility to be involved in this game, to use my ability and my skill to give to the players the skills to play their best.”