I let Blues down in shoot-out, says Cech

CHELSEA goalkeeper Petr Cech has claimed that Liverpool were lucky to reach the Champions League final and said the only goal of the game should have been disallowed for a foul on Salomon Kalou.

Cech broke the players’ silence after their third Champions League semi-final exit in four years, and went on to admit that he let down his team-mates by not saving any of Liverpool’s four spot-kicks in the shoot-out.

“The fact that we did not score a goal in the second leg is what cost us progression,” said Cech. “If we had done, Liverpool would not have scored three, that would have been impossible. But they were luckier than us.”

Cech made one save from a Peter Crouch header and was relieved to see Dirk Kuyt head one effort against the crossbar and have another one ruled out for a very close offside decision. But when Liverpool did take the lead, through Daniel Agger’s well-taken shot from the edge of the area, Cech felt the goal should have been chalked off.

“Liverpool scored their goal only from a set-piece which we had prepared for,” said Cech. “But Salomon Kalou, who was marking Agger, was fouled by another player at a crucial moment. Kuyt stopped him with his hands so he could not follow the run of Agger. The ball curled around our players so I did not see it. I only saw the ball when it past Essien. It was impossible to stop.”

Cech was still confident that Chelsea would reach the first Champions League final in their history when the game went to penalties. His own record from spot-kicks gave him cause for confidence — but he felt that he let his side down.

“It is another of my big disappointments that I did not stop any penalties,” he continued. “Before the game, I had always saved at least two penalties in shoot-outs, for Rennes and also in the Under-21 final European Championships in 2002 against France. Now I failed, at the worst possible moment.

“Before the penalties, I put my head in my shirt, and I tried to think which players would be taking them. I just tried to prepare well. The choice of Zenden surprised me: I have not seen him kick a penalty since I came to England.”

Cech will have to put the disappointment behind him as Chelsea’s next two games — away to Arsenal and at home to Man Utd — must be won if Chelsea are to have any chance of overhauling United’s five-point lead at the top of the Premiership. The only other chance of silverware for Chelsea this season would be in the FA Cup final, which is also against United.

But it is missing yet another chance at playing in the Champions League final which is hurting Cech the most. “We were so close, so very close, to reaching the final,” he said. “This is one of the biggest disappointments of my career.

“We have no other hope other than to win all three remaining games and hope that Manchester City or West Ham help us and beat United. Obviously, we have to beat them next week. And then there is also the FA Cup final, which is also very important for us.”