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Duff gives Chelsea boost

01/11/2005

Chelsea have been given a boost ahead of tonight's Champions League clash at Real Betis with the news that Irish winger Damien Duff will be fit to make a long-awaited return to action.

Duff has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury in an international fixture in Cyprus on October 8th and then undergoing arthroscopic surgery two days later.

The Blues' medical team had initially said the forward (winger?) would likely be out until later this month or even until early December but boss Jose Mourinho has been given the all-clear to include him in the line-up, something the Portuguese coach is clearly delighted about.

"Damien is a great player and a special character. He is very important for us as a player and I think he gave a great example of how important it is to be a tough guy and recover from a serious injury like he did," Mourinho said.

"Our medical department is brilliant, working with him three times a day, and it is a big, big award for them and him to be ready to play tomorrow and for sure he will play."

However, Mourinho hinted that the Irishman is likely to start on the bench this evening.

"I have all four [wingers] perfect. Joe Cole, Shaun (Wright-Phillips), Duff and Robben, all in good shape, playing well. For sure two will start and two will be on the bench," he added.

Victory tonight for the Premiership champions would see them qualify for the next stage of Europe's elite tournament, but the manager insists this is far from a foregone conclusion.

"We have to respect this team [Real Betis], and the best way is to remember the game in London where they started very well, to be fair they started better than us and they gave us a few problems. We have to understand that the game tomorrow is not an easy one."

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