Cech sets sights on domestic silverware

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech wants Chelsea to wrap up the Barclays Premiership title as soon as possible – before making sure of FA Cup success.

The Blues’ European adventure ended yesterday when they were eliminated by Barcelona in the Champions League, leaving them to concentrate on their domestic campaign.

But Cech is counting down the league wins as he looks ahead to the World Cup finals in Germany.

The Czech international said: “We need six wins to become certain champions and we wish to win those as early as possible to have quiet.

“Then there is the Cup – it is the only trophy we have not won in England since the arrival of (coach) Jose Mourinho.

“We are very sorry to have been eliminated – especially now when we have such a strong team that could win the whole Champions League.

“We are disappointed, but there is nothing we should be ashamed of.”

Cech agrees with his manager that the dismissal of Asier del Horno in the first leg against Barca at Stamford Bridge, which Chelsea lost 2-1, proved decisive.

He explained: “The games were equal, but the first leg decided it.

“We played down to 10 men for more than an hour, and Barcelona capitalised on it.”

However, he does not believe Barcelona will necessarily go on to win the trophy.

Cech said: “We eliminated them last season and thought that we had passed the strongest opponent. But than we lost to Liverpool.

“I think Barcelona will still have a very hard task to get the trophy, although they were happy to have beaten us – one of the biggest opponents.

“It is a pity we lacked a bit of luck in the final phase. Our goal came too late. If we had at least two minutes more ...”

But the Blues goalkeeper believes referee Markus Merk did the Blues few favours.

He added: “Football is a contact sport, but it did not look so yesterday.

“Any contact was blown as a foul, and that did not help the match.

“The momentum could have been higher. It suited to Barcelona. I was also surprised by another thing – there were five substitutions, and he added only two minutes.

“Plus, there were long discussions before the penalty kick – so the added time was practically none. We scored, and the end came.

“After the game Jose Mourinho told us there is nothing we should be ashamed of; nothing else was needed to say.”