Scolari: "Every day we try to do more"
Reuters - Monday 03 November 2008, 18:58
ROME, Nov 3 - Chelsea still have a lot to prove
despite making a stunning start to the season, coach Luiz Felipe
Scolari said on Monday.
The English Premier League leaders visit Group A rivals AS
Roma on Tuesday looking to make it 10 points from four games in
the Champions League.
A win will take Chelsea through to the last 16 if
second-placed CFR Cluj defeat Girondins Bordeaux in Romania.
Asked if his free-scoring side were better than the team
predecessor Avram Grant led to the Champions League final last
season, Scolari replied: "Not yet, no.
"We have played well but we... need to arrive in more
finals and win more finals and maybe after this it is possible
to say we are better."
Scolari said Chelsea had plenty of room for improvement
especially when injured defenders Ashley Cole (calf) and Ricardo
Carvalho (hamstring) and midfielders Michael Ballack (feet) and
Michael Essien (knee) regained fitness.
"Every day in training we try to do something more than
before," said the Brazilian coach. "In the future I'll have more
options when I receive the players who are outside (the team) at
the moment.
"Now I am not happy because I don't have all the players at
my disposal. When I have these players it will be very good for
me."
TOTTI DOUBT
Scolari said it would benefit Chelsea if Roma captain
Francesco Totti failed to recover from a knee problem in time
for the match.
"Totti is a fantastic player," he said. "When a coach loses
a player like Totti, it's good for the opposing team."
Roma have lost their last five games including the 1-0
defeat they suffered at Stamford Bridge two weeks ago.
The Italians are level on three points with Bordeaux, one
fewer than Cluj.
Scolari said he was confident there would be no repeat of
the trouble that marred Manchester United's visits to Rome in
the last two seasons.
"I don't think we'll have problems with our fans because the
people in Rome are civilised," he said.
"They know it's football. This is one game, not a war."
LATEST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE NEWS