Carlo: No special plans for Rooney

Carlo: No special plans for Rooney

Published Apr. 12, 2011 11:06 a.m. ET

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has no special plans to combat Wayne Rooney in Tuesday night's crunch Champions League clash at Manchester United.

It is widely thought Ancelotti's job could be under threat if his team fail to overturn the 1-0 lead Rooney gave United in the first leg of their quarter-final tie last week.

Regardless of that, Chelsea's season certainly hinges on the outcome of the Old Trafford encounter as their hopes of retaining their Barclays Premier League title now seem distant.

Rooney, fired up in response to a blaze of negative publicity, proved the difference between the sides at Stamford Bridge and Ancelotti is wary of his threat.

ADVERTISEMENT

The Italian said: "I think that, obviously, Rooney is the most dangerous player in the squad.

"We have to pay attention to his position and his performance. We have to do better than we did in the last game.

"But we don't change our shape, our mentality, our philosophy to control Rooney. We want to play our football at the best level we can."

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed Chelsea, and in particular their owner Roman Abramovich, are obsessed with winning the Champions League.

Yet while there is a feeling Ancelotti could become a victim of Abramovich's ruthless pursuit of European glory if the Blues lose tonight, the former AC Milan boss claims not to be feeling any extra pressure.

The 51-year-old said: "I think that, a lot of times, I played this kind of game with this pressure. But it's not pressure, it's excitement.

"To be involved in this game is fantastic for my job, for my career.

"So I'm not afraid, I'm not worried about this.

"I'm happy to have a possibility to be involved in this game, to use my ability and my skill to give to the players the skills to play at their best."

share