Manchester: Carlo Ancelotti doesn`t expect to lose his job if he fails in his quest to deliver the Champions League trophy at Chelsea this season.
The 51-year-old Italian, who has a year remaining on his contract, is under pressure to lead Chelsea to glory and claim their first ever win in the Europe`s premier cup competition.
The Chelsea manager has the added weight of expectation hanging over him, with this representing his side`s last realistic chance of silverware with their Premier League title push all but over.
But the veteran Italian, who won the competition with AC Milan in 2007, insists he is feeling "excited" rather than fearing for his future in a trophy owner Roman Abramovich craves to win more than most.
Speaking 24 hours before the quarter final tie with Manchester United, who hold a one-goal advantage from the first leg thanks to Wayne Rooney, Ancelotti said that the pressure was good for him.
"A lot of time there`s pressure on me, for me it`s not bad.”
"The pressure for me keeps me focused and concentrated, to give my players the best possibility to do their best.”
"I`m focused on this, 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 and I`m not worried by this. I`m happy to be involved in this game, to use my ability and skill to give the players the best skills to play at their best.”
"My future is already decided. I don`t have a problem about this game. It`s not important I have to speak with Roman. When I have a contract, everything is okay with him."
Chelsea can draw on inspiration from the last time these two sides met at Old Trafford.Then they claimed a 2-1 victory - a result that would see Chelsea progress to the last-four if repeated.
But Ancelotti played down the significance of that after claiming it will count for nothing.
"We have a good memory from that, but this is a different story.”
"We have to play another 90 minutes and they are one nil up and we have to try and come back.”
"We will try and do better than the first game."
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists Chelsea`s £50million signing of Fernando Torres suggests they are obsessed with lifting the crown. But Ancelotti dismissed his opposite number`s theory.
"It`s not an obsession, it`s a dream. “
"Every time you play in a quarter-final you`re so close to the final.”
"In three games ,we have a possibility to play in a final. It`s not just us, but the other teams involved also. “
"But this moment of the competition, it`s a dream to reach the final."
Torres has endured a difficult season and has yet to open his Chelsea account following his record move from Liverpool to Stamford Bridge in January.
But team-mate Michael Essien has backed the Spanish striker to come good, claiming he remains one of the world`s best in his position.
"He is one of the best strikers in the world, in Europe at this moment," he said.
"When he starts scoring, all the noise about him will stop. It`s just a matter of time. Coming into a new club, he needs to settle. “
"The players and the club have no doubts about him. We know he is going to deliver. We`re going to start feeding him and he will get his goals back."
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.