Mourinho Relishing Prospect Of Three-leg Finale Against United

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MANCHESTER, England, April 16, 2007 (AFP) - Jose Mourinho believes Chelsea and Manchester United have earned the right to contest the season's major prizes between themselves over what could be an unprecedented three-match finale to the campaign.
Speaking after his side had booked an FA Cup final date with United with an extra-time win over Blackburn, the Chelsea boss admitted he would relish the prospect of facing Sir Alex Ferguson's side three times in the space of 15 days next month.

Chelsea face United at Stamford Bridge on May 8th in a match that could be decisive in the Premiership title battle, which United currently lead by three points.

The first Cup final at the new Wembley is on May 19 and the two clubs could meet again four days later in the Champions League final in Athens.

For that to happen, United must overcome AC Milan while Chelsea have to get the better of Liverpool in their respective semi-finals.

"At the end of the season people will qualify the top teams in Europe in relation to the trophies you win," Mourinho said.

"If Milan or Liverpool win the Champions League, maybe people will look at them as the top team, but the reality is that what Man United and Chelsea are doing this season is unbelievable.

"I just hope the match at Stamford Bridge is also a final. I just hope we can keep on the run we are in now and play that game with a chance to be champion."

Mourinho's chance to get his hands on the only piece of English silverware to have eluded him was secured by Michael Ballack, whose extra-time winner finally settled a semi-final Blackburn might easily have won in the closing stages of regulation time after Jason Roberts had cancelled out Frank Lampard's opener for Chelsea.

Mourinho acknowledged there would have been no way back for his side if Morten Gamst Pedersen had been able to convert a glorious late chance to put Blackburn in front and he paid tribute to the contribution of Mark Hughes's side to an encounter that he described as "incredible propoganda for English football."

He added: "When I saw the game going to the end, I was afraid. I was not worried about extra time but if they scored then, probably it was all over."

Hughes acknowledged that Pedersen's miss with a free header from barely six yards out had been perhaps the decisive moment in the match.

"Everyone of my players put in a performance they can be proud of," he said. "They have run a top quality Chelsea side very close and I doubt if they have had a harder game all season.

"Extra time came too soon for us. Another ten minutes with the momentum we had I think we would have won it. We had a fantastic chance with Morten and, on on another day he is the guy you want to be faced with a header in the middle of the goal to score. But it was not to be."

Mourinho must now turn his attention to Wednesday's Premiership meeting with West Ham, although the Champions League semi-final with Liverpool -- and the prospect of revenge for a controversial defeat by Rafael Benitez's men at the same stage two years ago -- is clearly beginning to loom large in his thoughts.

Having dispatched one of his assistants to watch Liverpool's goalless draw with Manchester City on Saturday, Mourinho revealed that his scout had left after an hour.

"He was saying it was like a testimonial," he said. "Liverpool are preparing for the Champions League semi-final, we are preparing for a game in two days, a game we have to win.

"But this is what we fight for, to be in this position so we cannot complain about it."

Ballack may have claimed the winner at Old Trafford on Sunday, but Chelsea had more reason to be grateful for a man-of-the-match performance by goalkeeper Peter Cech, who only six months ago underwent surgery on a fractured skull.

"He is the best in the world, I think everybody knows that," Mourinho said.

"When we saw him in the hospital without hair and that big scar and we saw him in hospital, there were a lot of question marks, so for him to come back to this level is just incredible."



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and we will beat manu in those tournaments.as manu lost as well so i think liverpool will also lost to ac milan who are better then liverpol.and liverpool's victory was nothing more then luck because they were not able to beat an injury hit Chelsea in 210 minutes +injury time (which can be about 20m).And you have to praise Jose because he took Chelsea to the brink of quadrouble in a season when all of defence players got injuries. and pretty nasty injuries as well. like the one suffered to Chec and Carlo.and some one tellling me about wining who's team never won preimier league or "micky cup". and only reason they qualify for champions leaqgue. becuase uefa allows 4th positions team aswell in the tournament of champions.