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REACTION: DISAPPOINTING DAY

/noticias.info/ Avram Grant has admitted that today's defeat to Barnsley was the most disappointing of his tenure so far, but is now looking forward to Champions League and Premier League progress.

It was the first time Chelsea had lost to lower league opposition since 1999, when Huddersfield Town knocked us out of the League Cup. It was the first time sine Millwall in 1995 that it has happened in the FA Cup.

Despite the shock, Grant remained gracious in defeat.

'It is a big disappointment, a quarter-final we lost,' Grant began. 'I think first I need to congratulate Barnsley. They played very well today, and showed a good spirit.'

The Israeli stressed that we did not underestimate the opposition, and defended the option to try to play football on what was a difficult surface.

'For us it was not a pitch we can play quality football on. In the first half we played not good, second half we started very well, very quick, and created chances, but then conceded a goal and we couldn't score so they won,' he summarised.

'[A long ball game] is not my idea, we tried to play. In the second half we played good until we conceded a goal, which was their first attack of the half, but again I give a lot of credit to Barnsley.

'These things happen. Man United lost at home to Portsmouth, and we played away against a team that beat Liverpool away. I don't know but I'm very disappointed.'

Grant rotated his side, and was left without the unfit Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard for the trip to Oakwell.

'I wanted them to play but they are injured so they didn't play, but we played with a team good enough to win this game,' he said.

Despite the disappointment, we now must concentrate on the two remaining trophy possibilities, the Premier League and the Champions League, and Grant is hoping we quickly get over this shock.

'We lost the Carling Cup and then we played two great games, 4-0 and 3-0,' he said. 'We lost the game today, we are not happy from this but it has happened to all four big teams this year.

'Maybe this year the Cup is not for the big teams. We move on and look forward, we have two competitions to fight for.

'You can say it yes, since I came to Chelsea this is my most disappointing day, [but] we have a good team and look to the future.'

Barnsley manager Simon Davey was overjoyed with his side's unexpected victory, but praised Grant and captain Jon Terry for their nature in defeat, and was impressed with the Chelsea team.

'[Avram] just said well done, he is a nice fellow,' Davey said, adding: 'John Terry came up to me after the game and said "Go on and win it, you deserve it after today", so it's great to have words from people of that stature in the game.

'They put out a fantastic side. There wasn't many they rested, they are a top international team.' notas_de_prensa_archivo