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19 April 2024

Chelsea aim to battle for top four berth

Chelsea's caretaker manager Roberto Di Matteo adjusts his collar during a news conference at the team's training facility in Stoke D'Abernon, London on Friday. (REUTERS)

Published
By AFP

Roberto Di Matteo has warned his Chelsea players not to dwell on their epic triumph against Barcelona as the Blues bid to keep their top four challenge alive in a potentially explosive clash with west London rivals QPR on Sunday.

Di Matteo's side are still coming back to earth in the aftermath of arguably the greatest night in Chelsea's history, but the Blues interim boss is determined to refocus his players' minds on a potentially decisive fixture in their Premier League campaign.

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Chelsea's astonishing fightback from 2-0 down with 10 men in Wednesday's semi-final second leg in the Camp Nou has booked a place in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich and made heroes of Di Matteo and his squad.

But overcoming Lionel Messi and company will be nothing but a pleasant memory if Chelsea aren't competing in the Champions League next season.

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To do that they must either beat Bayern at the German club's own Allianz Arena, which looks a daunting proposition given they will be without the suspended John Terry, Ramires, Raul Meireles and Branislav Ivanovic, or qualify via a top four placing in the Premier League.

Their hopes of finishing fourth or better could be all over if they lose to QPR at Stamford Bridge as they are already four points behind fourth-placed Newcastle, who travel to Wigan on Saturday, with only four games to play.

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