Mikael Forssell believes Chelsea can still make ECL Final

British papers praise Sami Hyypiä and the entire Liverpool defence

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Chelsea's Finnish international striker Mikael Forssell was unperturbed on Thursday, despite the fact that the previous night his team had been held to a goalless draw at home in their European Champions League semi-final with Liverpool.
      "I believe we are a better side than Liverpool. A 1-1 draw away from home at Anfield will be enough to ensure we go through to the final", said Forssell, who was on the substitutes' bench on Wednesday night. The return fixture in Liverpool will be next Tuesday.
     
Chelsea looked somewhat tired and jaded on Wednesday night. The club has enjoyed so much success this season in the Premier League and in various cup competitions that the players have racked up an enormous number of matches. Chelsea are within a couple of points of wrapping up the English Premiership title, and they have already won the League Cup this season, beating Liverpool in the final of that tournament.
      "Yes, but the same fatigue is felt at this stage of the season by any team that has done well in competitions", notes Forssell.
     
Mindful of the importance of next Tuesday's game in Liverpool, the Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho may feel inclined to give some of his regular first-choice stars a rest when Chelsea meet Bolton in the Premier League on Saturday. This means that Forssell, who has been out of action for several months after a serious knee operation, could be given a chance to play.
      "Of course I'm very keen to get a game, but I know I'm still a month or two away from being 100% match-fit. Right now Chelsea have perhaps the best squad anywhere in the world, so you don't exactly stroll into the starting line-up", laughs Forssell.
     
The 24-year-old striker was not surprised by the stiff resistance put up by Liverpool on Wednesday.
      "They played much as we had expected. It is extremely difficult to beat a side like Liverpool five times in one season", he said, in a reference to the three previous encounters between the two sides. Chelsea did the double over Liverpool in the Premiership, winning 1-0 home and away, and they won the Carling League Cup Final 3-2 after extra time.
      The Liverpool defence held firm on Wednesday, and snuffed out practically all the Chelsea attempts on goal. The English press were full of praise for the rock-solid collaboration between local boy Jamie Carragher and Forssell's Finnish national team colleague Sami Hyypiä in the middle of the Liverpool back four.
      The Independent, for instance, wrote that "It was a defensive alliance that deserved recognition way beyond Liverpool and Helsinki, because it will be one for the football ages if it does indeed prove the foundation for Liverpool's fifth European Cup".


Links:
  Mikael Forssell (Finland-Football)
  Sami Hyypiä (Finland-Football)

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