Mourinho plays Blues’ fall guy

JOSE MOURINHO has told his players he will take the heat in the Nou Camp today as baying Barca fans prepare a ‘welcome to hell’ reception for Chelsea.

Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard has appealed for peace and even asked supporters to applaud Chelsea and their controversial manager as they take to the pitch for the biggest game in the Champions League so far this season.

But Mourinho was spat on and abused as Chelsea arrived in Spain on Sunday, after a hate mob lay in wait for him at the airport, and he is ready for more.

The Portuguese is public enemy number one in Catalonia after accusing Lionel Messi of diving in the first leg of this Champions League tie, which Chelsea lost 2-1 after having Asier Del Horno sent off.

He was also involved a heated row with the club last year when he accused Rijkaard of trying to influence referee Anders Frisk by secretly visiting him in his changing room at half-time.

It means Mourinho can expect a frightening reception from 90,000 furious fans despite the appeals of their coach, who has suddenly become an expert in appeasement.

But the self-styled Special One, as you would expect, does not appear concerned.

He said: "When I am the first one to leave the airport, I know what I am doing. Because after that the players were received without any kind of pressure, photos or autographs. Everything was very easy for them.

"Leaving the hotel was the same. I left the hotel before them by two or three minutes the 'nice' guys they follow me and when the players go out it's very easy for them.

"Tomorrow the only thing I can do is to go to the pitch before them in the warm-up, try to take a little bit of the 'good' feeling the crowd have and then it's easy for them."

Mourinho admits, however, that once his players are on the pitch and the whistle goes there is nothing more he can do to protect them either from the crowd or the referee.

He said: "It's up to them. Once the referee starts the game I can do nothing from that moment. I believe we have players with some experience and they can handle the situation. But it is something very personal, some players react in a better way than others. I cannot control the situation. But I'm here to play football and what happens outside is not important.

"Is it my biggest challenge? No way. I believe we can win."

Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho is instead hoping to pay back his manager for choosing a more sturdy approach.

He said: "I think it was more difficult for him than for us when we arrived because he was the one having problems to get through the crowd. The players didn't have so many problems. It was some badly behaved people, just a few of them, and we shouldn't give it more importance than it deserves.

Those sentiments were shared by Republic of Ireland international Damien Duff who said: "We know we need to win, as simple as that.

"But we definitely can win. I don't see why we can't. We can beat anyone on our day.

"We've faced tasks like this before at Chelsea and come through them, and if there is any squad in the world that can do this, it's us."

Duff believes Atletico Madrid showed the way to glory when they beat Barcelona at the Nou Camp four weeks ago.

"They are beatable. I watched them the other week when they lost 3-1 to Atletico, so if they can do it, why can't we? Looking at them from last year they have virtually the same team, and we know what their weaknesses are. Obviously, we didn't exploit them as much as we would have liked at home, but then we were down 10 men after half an hour. This time it will be 11 versus 11 in Barcelona, so let's see what happens."

Possible teams: CHELSEA: Cech; Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, Gallas Cole, Lampard, Makelele, Gudjohnsen, Robben Drogba

BARCELONA: Valdes; Oleguer, Puyol, Marquez, Van Bronckhorst Motta, Edmilson, Deco Ronaldinho, Eto'o, Messi