“I have a good record of scoring in the Champions’ League,” he said. “Maybe this season has not been the best for me but my goals have been waiting for the great moment. Eidur Gudjohnsen and Hernan Crespo, having just recovered from the same illness, will be given fitness tests before Ranieri decides his team. John Terry is expected to overcome an ankle problem but Juan Sebastian Veron lacks match practice and is likely to start on the bench against Monaco.Crespo, scorer of 25 goals in this competition, hopes to play. William Gallas (hamstring) joined Carlo Cudicini (finger) on the injured list while Damien Duff also failed to travel, Ranieri citing a “fever”. For us it would be a great achievement to get there.”Chelsea’s chances of doing so, to the eternal chagrin of Arsenal, Spurs, Fulham and West Ham supporters, will be hampered by injury and illness. The nearest were Tottenham in 1962, Bill Nicholson’s team of Dave Mackay and Bobby Smith losing to an irrepressible Benfica.Paris and Berlin are also yet to produce a finalist while Rome has never had a winner but Claudio Ranieri, a Roman, was sincere when he said: “It is strange and surprising that no London team has reached the final The city has very good teams.

Unlike Manchester United the following year, Chelsea tugged their forelocks and turned down the offer, so missing out on the inaugural season of the European Champion Clubs’ Cup, now the Champions’ League. It was not until 2000 that Chelsea got back into the competition, when they lost to Barcelona in the quarter-final.In the meantime clubs from six British cities reached the final, five of them claiming the trophy, but still no London team has reached the final. “Better not, old boy”, was the message to the Chelsea chairman from the insular League, “fixture congestion and all that”. For Chelsea supporters with long memories tonight’s Champions’ League semi-final tie represents the chance to end a wait which has lasted nearly half-a-century. The Galician club face Porto in the other semi-final, and he argued that, of the sides left in the competition, they have “the best and most experienced players”.Ronaldo’s focus now turns to a possible comeback against Barcelona, one of his old clubs, who visit Real on Sunday. In the meantime, his thoughts are with another prodigy who blazed a trail from South America to Italy and Spain, Diego Maradona “I was very sad to hear he is in hospital Everybody loves him and I hope he’ll be better soon.”. His passes have created a lot of my goals.”Ronaldo, who is currently out of action because of a thigh injury, maintained that Chelsea had a “great opportunity” to reach the final.

Tipping them to draw 1-1 in Monte Carlo, he cautioned Claudio Ranieri’s side against underestimating the threat posed by Monaco, especially his one-time Real attacking partner, the on-loan Fernando Morientes.”He’s the complete striker, with great technique, and he could decide this match at any moment,” Ronaldo said. “We thought the tie was in our grasp after the first leg so we felt terrible when we lost. We’re disappointed that we can’t win the Champions’ League or Spanish Cup, but we’re still fighting for the title. At Real Madrid we expect to win everything, every year.”According to Ronaldo, Chelsea’s key player tonight could be one who did make the switch from Real to London SW6: Claude Makelele.