Fuente: © Chelsea FC
http://www.chelseafc.com/

SAMPLING SUCCESS

/noticias.info/ There was a mood of elation in the Chelsea dressing room last night after the club reached its first Champions League final, although not all the players managed to sample it.

Ricardo Carvalho, who had a superb game to follow up his man of the match performance at Anfield last week, admitted he wasn't too sure how the celebrations went after the game, as he was the random player chosen by Uefa's doping control.

When asked what the atmosphere was like among the players after they had departed the pitch, he conceded: 'To be fair I didn't see because I went to doping control, so had to miss out a little bit!'

With our next game not until Monday though, there was a little time for reflection from the centre-half, and once his duties were done with Uefa, he was happy to share his thoughts.

'It is very important for us to be in the final, for the club, for everybody,' he began. 'Everybody was speaking for a long time before this and we are there now, so we have to try and win the Cup.'

He believes we were at times fortunate in the tie, not least with John Arne Riise's own goal at Anfield, but ultimately were the better side over the two legs, with another strong performance to follow up that against Manchester United on Saturday.

'You need always to have a little bit of luck, unlike in previous years against Liverpool, so this time we had a little bit and in the end we deserved it, and to be in the final in Moscow.'

Carvalho reserved special praise for team-mate Frank Lampard, who played a key role in the game less than a week after the death of his mother.

'It has been a difficult time for everyone, but especially for him and his family. He is a great professional, and scored the goal for his mum,' Carvalho said, adding: 'Also it was a good performance, it was not easy to play for him, but he is a strong man and did his best for us.'

The Portuguese will be hoping to pick up his second Champions League winner's medal, having been triumphant with Porto in 2004, but he insists the scenario is entirely different with Chelsea, with the expectancy of success.

'In that time nobody was betting for Porto to get to the final, now we are speaking about Chelsea - you have to win, so it is completely different,' he smiled.

Another happy figure was that of Florent Malouda, a second-half substitute brought on after Liverpool equalised in place of Salomon Kalou. The French winger is clearly all too aware of our recent history.

'I am very proud to participate in the success of the team against Liverpool, because it was a team who in the past years have won this semi-final,' he announced, before declaring his wishes for the final.

'So it is the first year we reach the final, and I hope I will be a part of the final success in Moscow.' notas_de_prensa_archivo