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John Terry
Rallying call: Chelsea captain John Terry says the time for excuses is over
John Terry Frank Lampard

John Terry: 'No more excuses ... let's make it happen'

Simon Johnson, Football Correspondent
30 Apr 2008


Chelsea captain John Terry has told his team-mates that they must beat Liverpool tonight and reach the Champions League Final.

Terry, who will miss the Moscow showpiece through suspension if he gets booked at Stamford Bridge, claimed it will be unforgivable if Chelsea fall at the final hurdle for the fourth time in five seasons.

The Blues have been knocked out by Liverpool twice in the last three seasons, but are favourites to go through to the final on 21 May after securing a 1-1 draw at Anfield in the first leg last week.

Terry said: "We have had the players and the squad to do it by now so there are no excuses.

"We have done enough talking over the last four years, but now it's down to the players to make it happen and beat Liverpool. We have the same set of players with a few additions so there are no reasons for us not to do it now.

"As a player I want to say at the end of my career that we have won this competition and the club want it, too.

"Forget what people are earning and what wages they are on, we are in football to win trophies and big games. We want to look back on our careers and these big opportunities in life. We must make it happen tonight."

Avram Grant says Terry won't let the threat of being one yellow card away from missing the all-English final against Manchester United affect his performance.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and defender Jamie Carragher are in the same predicament and the Blues boss said: "You know him like I know him. He'll play to win like he always does. He won't play any differently."

One player who might not be involved from the start tonight is Frank Lampard. Grant could name the same team that beat United on Saturday even though Lampard is keen to play despite having to still cope with the painful loss of his mother Pat to pneumonia.

He trained yesterday, but Grant will leave his final decision for later today. If he picks the same team, John Obi Mikel will start instead of Claude Makelele and Michael Essien will keep his place in midfield.

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