Chelsea shrug off pitch claims
Chelsea have defended the state of the Stamford Bridge pitch and insist claims it will favour them against Barcelona next week are “nonsense”.
The Blues face their biggest game of the season so far when the Spanish giants come to London in a reprise of a last-16 Champions League clash last season.
Colchester arrive in London for an FA Cup clash before that encounter, with Chelsea’s director of communications Simon Greenberg insisting nothing sinister is behind the pitch of the Barclays Premiership champions.
He said: “It’s an obvious story, it was a story we knew would come in a month ago when we took the decision (not to relay the pitch) and we’re basically laughing it off. The decisions were taken for genuine reasons and we’ll have to see what happens.”
Colchester boss Phil Parkinson revealed he keeps his club afloat for a year on less money than Jose Mourinho earns in two months.
Parkinson operates in League One on an annual budget of just £750,000, while the Chelsea manager banks £5m (€7.3m) a year in wages.
Parkinson said: “Our budget is £750,000 (€1m), and that’s probably one of the lowest in the league, so our first job is to survive each year.
“We budget to go out in the first round and now we’re in the fifth round and in the area final of the LDV. I’m delighted for the people behind the scenes and the supporters.”
Meanwhile, Olof Mellberg has admitted he wants Aston Villa to come full circle by playing in the first FA Cup final at the new Wembley – after featuring in the final one at the old twin towers.
Villa, who host Manchester City in the fifth round on Sunday, were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea courtesy of an error by David James in the 2000 final before the famous stadium was rebuilt.
Now the midlands club are three ties away from walking out at the revamped venue – always assuming it is finished in time for the May showpiece.
Skipper Mellberg said: “I know that Villa got to the FA Cup final the year before I joined them. I just missed out but it would be really nice to lead the side out in the first final at the new Wembley.”
Stuart Pearce believes the blue half of Manchester would “go crazy” if City could end 30 years of hurt by landing the FA Cup.
Not since Peter Barnes and Dennis Tueart netted the goals which clinched the League Cup in 1976 have the Blues bagged a major honour.
City’s record in cup football since is pitiful. Since the 1981 FA Cup final replay defeat to Spurs, the Eastlands outfit have only reached the quarter-finals twice, a paltry return for a club capable of taking 5,000 fans to Sunday evening’s televised tie at Villa.
“This place would go crazy if we won the FA Cup,” said Pearce.
“Sunday’s game is absolutely paramount for us. We would have liked to be playing at home but, when you look at the options, the draw could also have been a lot worse.”
Birmingham boss Steve Bruce has insisted his players are not “malicious” despite having seven players sent off this season.
Nicky Butt, Neil Kilkenny, Kenny Cunningham, Nico Vaesen, Muzzy Izzet, Damien Johnson and Emile Heskey have all been given their marching orders.
But Bruce has defended his side’s disciplinary record ahead of the FA Cup fifth-round clash with Stoke at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday.
Bruce said: “We have had seven red cards and we feel harshly done by. If I feel people are out of order I will come down on them like a ton of bricks.
“But we genuinely feel that the sending-offs have gone against us and none of them has been for anything really horrible or malicious.”
Stoke boss Johan Boskamp is beset by injury problems, with top scorer Sambegou Bangoura needing an operation after breaking a bone in his hand, with fellow striker Mamady Sidibe (broken nose) also a doubt.
On-loan midfielder Josip Skoko is cup-tied and Darel Russell completes a three-match suspension, while Paul Gallagher (knee) is sidelined. John Eustace and Kevin Harper remain long-term absentees.
Meanwhile, Preston face Middlesbrough at Deepdale, and defender Graham Alexander could come into contention after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Utility man Callum Davidson came through the goalless draw at Southampton with no reaction to a thigh injury but Brett Ormerod, Brian Stock and Simon Whaley are all cup-tied. Goalkeeper Andy Lonergan (knee) and midfielder Adam Nowland (broken leg) remain long-term absentees.
Boro boss Steve McClaren is confident his side are ready to rediscover their best form as a quarter-final place beckons.
McClaren’s men shrugged off a series of indifferent results with last Saturday’s stunning 3-0 victory over champions Chelsea.
“The performance and the result on Saturday has been coming for quite a while,” said McClaren.
“We have still got a third of the season to go, we need to get away from the danger in the Premier League, make mid-table our target and finish as high as we possibly can and finish the season well.”
