Portsmouth boss Avram Grant is sure to get a warm reception from the Chelsea fans when he returns to Stamford Bridge tonight.
However, the ex-Blues’ manager still believes he was harshly treated when he was sacked by owner Roman Abramovich after the Champions League final defeat in 2008.
Grant, who makes his re-appearance at the Bridge for the first time since that agonising penalty-shoot-out loss against Manchester United, said: “Roman Abramovich said it was my fault that John Terry missed the penalty and that we had not started the season so well.
“I was not there at the start of the season but it is always the job of the manager to be guilty.”
Despite his feelings on his dismissal, Grant insists there are no scores to be settled tonight. “I have no point to prove. I came very close. The Champions League final went to the last kick. I can only be proud of what I did at Chelsea.
“It was one of the best seasons for the club and we were very close to winning the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. Sometimes it takes time to build a team.
“It took Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson more than a year to put their influence on their clubs. We did it in a very short space of time and I am proud of that.”
Chelsea, meanwhile, go into tonight’s game without win in their last four games, while questions have been raised over the form of goalkeeper Petr Cech.
The Blues have conceded 11 of their 13 goals from set-pieces this term – leading to them being linked with a January swoop for West Ham stopper Robert Green.
But manager Carlo Ancelotti has jumped to the defence of Cech, saying: “I think that Petr is at the same level as Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas.”
Striker Didier Drogba faces a late fitness test after injuring his back in training earlier this week, while fit-again defender Alex could come in for Ricardo Carvalho.
Portsmouth are without defender Younnes Kaboul who was sent off against Sunderland at the weekend.
