Deschamps, Desailly square up in semi-final
Monaco coach Didier Deschamps and Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly, World Cup and European Cup winners together, square up on Tuesday in a surprise Champions League semi-final that will provide a first-time finalist.
Monaco coach Didier Deschamps and Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly, World Cup and European Cup winners together, square up on Tuesday in a surprise Champions League semi-final that will provide a first-time finalist.
Monaco emerged from a tough first round group to beat Real Madrid in the quarter-finals thanks to a stunning second leg comeback in the principality.
Chelsea scraped into the Champions League by finishing fourth in the premier league and, profiting from a squadron of new players provided by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, they swept past English rivals Arsenal in the last eight.
Deschamps was in the Chelsea squad that won the FA Cup in 2000 and is treating the London side with great respect.
"If they are in the semis, it means they have huge potential. This team have won all their Champions League away games, conceded only five goals and have 25 or 30 international players," said Deschamps.
"They might not be as prestigious as Real but it will be at least as hard for us."
Claudio Ranieri's Chelsea have the best away defensive record in the competition, having conceded just one goal in five games on their travels.
Monaco have scored 17 goals in their five matches at the Stade Louis-II including eight in a first round thrashing of Deportivo Coruna, who play Porto in Wednesday's semi-final.
"They have a good team, good players, four wonderful strikers," said Chelsea's Italian manager ahead of the first European match between the two clubs.
"On the left, there is (Jerome) Rothen, a fantastic winger, left foot, wonderful. On the right, (Ludovic) Giuly, like (Gianfranco) Zola, a wizard. A very, very good team who play champagne football."
Monaco, in their third European Cup semi-final, have had a nine-day break since they lost the leadership of Ligue 1 to Olympique Lyon while Chelsea have played three games in that time.
The Blues have managed only two points from their last three matches, allowing Arsenal to open up a nine-point gap at the top of the premier league.
Monaco's only absentee is injured centre back Sebastien Squillaci and they have recently welcomed back striker Shabani Nonda, who played half an hour against Real two weeks ago and was Ligue 1's top scorer last season.
Ranieri has bigger problems as influential Ireland winger Damien Duff, and defenders William Gallas and Celestine Babayaro are out.
Midfielder Claude Makelele has a left knee problem but is confident he will play at Monaco. "Makelele is getting better. Maybe he will be fit," Ranieri said.
Deschamps and Desailly were Chelsea team mates and also played together with Nantes before winning the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 with France.
They were crowned European champions with Olympique Marseille in 1993 when AC Milan were defeated 1-0 in the final. Deschamps won the European Cup again with Juventus in 1996.
Probable teams:
Monaco: 30-Flavio Roma, 4-Hugo Ibarra, 32-Gael Givet, 27-Julien Rodriguez, 3-Patrice Evra, 7-Lucas Bernardi, 15-Andreas Zikos, 25-Jerome Rothen, 8-Ludovic Giuly, 10-Fernando Morientes, 9-Dado Prso.
Chelsea: 31-Marco Ambrosio, 15-Mario Melchiot, 6-Marcel Desailly, 26-John Terry, 18-Wayne Bridge, 30-Jesper Gronkjaer, 8-Frank Lampard, 19-Scott Parker (4-Claude Makelele), 10-Joe Cole, 21-Hernan Crespo, 9-Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (22-Eidur Gudjohnsen).