Petr Cech exclusive: Chelsea deserve more appreciation for our European titles

The goalkeeper feels the Blues should be given more credit for boosting England's standing on the continent
Chelsea's Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech raises the trophy after the UEFA Europa League final football match between Benfica and Chelsea on May 15, 2013 at Amsterdam ArenA in Amsterdam. Chelsea won 2-1.
AFP PHOTO / PATRIK STOLLARZ
Simon Johnson30 August 2013

Petr Cech has won every major club honour with ­Chelsea but there is one thing that continues to elude him.

He has been at Chelsea long enough to know that being perennial winners earns just as many new ­enemies as admirers.

But as the club again prepare to defend English football’s honour against one of Europe’s finest, Cech believes the time has come for the nation to show some gratitude.

While the Premier League’s decline in Europe over the last two seasons has compared unfavourably to top divisions on the continent, the Blues have been enjoying unparalleled success.

Chelsea were the only English team to get beyond the last 16 in the Champions League in 2012 and went on to lift the trophy for the first time following victories over Barcelona and Bayern Munich, tonight’s UEFA Super Cup opponents.

Although they crashed out of the group stage in humiliating fashion last term, Chelsea bounced back to claim the consolation prize of the Europa League trophy, when England’s other representatives in Europe had fallen by the wayside.

It also meant they became the first English team to win all three of Uefa’s competitions with the now defunct Cup Winners’ Cup making up the treble.

But, more importantly, their back-to-back success has helped keep the

Premier League’s second place in Uefa’s coefficient rankings, which qualifies England’s top flight for four places in the Champions League.

Cech told Standard Sport: “It has been really important for the Premier League that we went all the way in Europe for the last two years but I don’t think we got the credit we deserved.

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“Last year, we were the last team in Europe when all the other English clubs had gone out and we ended up winning the Champions League. There was a lot of talk about how we did it but we were the only team left in Europe again last season and we won a European trophy.

“It means we should be considered a good thing for the English game and be spoken about more positively. We have helped ensure the Premier League has remained high in the ­coefficients and it’s something for people to be thankful for.”

Cech also sees Chelsea’s consistent challenge for silverware as key to their ability to lure quality signings.

The Czech international has seen many high-profile arrivals since he joined in 2004, including ­Ashley Cole two years later and Fernando Torres in 2011. Their respective moves did not go down well at their former clubs Arsenal and Liverpool but both players have added to their medal collection significantly.

“A lot was said when Fernando joined Chelsea but he has won a number of trophies,” said Cech.

“He has had a lot of criticism in his time at the club but he won the ­Champions League and FA Cup last year and the Europa League. That is more trophies than if he had stayed at Liverpool.

“It is the same with Ashley. Again many things were said when he joined us from Arsenal but look at all the trophies he has won, cups, the Double in 2010 and the European trophies, too.

“So they have shown they made the right decision in coming to Chelsea and other players will always want to join a club who win silverware every year.”

That was a factor in Chelsea hijacking Willian’s move to Tottenham, while Samuel Eto’o yesterday linked up with Jose Mourinho again as he completed his move from Anzhi Makhachkala.

Neither player will be part of tonight’s ­contest in Prague — a re-run of the 2012 Champions League Final, which was won by the Blues in the German club’s stadium.

An added sub-plot is that Bayern’s new coach, Pep Guardiola, endured a tense relationship with Mourinho over the last three seasons when they were managers of Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively.

And then there is Chelsea’s ­determination to make amends for last year’s terrible showing in the UEFA Super Cup in Monaco, where they lost 4-1 against Atletico Madrid.

“Things went seriously wrong and we deserved to lose back then,” he said. “This time we need to avoid making the same mistakes to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself.

“Bayern were impeccable last season. They won three trophies and they’re not done yet; this season has gone well for them so far, apart from the German Super Cup [which they lost 4-2 against Borussia Dortmund]. Their team have remained very much intact and they have even got some new signings to help them grow.

“Both teams have new managers now, one of whom used to coach Barcelona and the other Real Madrid. That certainly spices things up. On top of everything, it’s going to be a clash of two extremely ambitious clubs that belong to the very best in Europe.

“Statistically it may be Bayern who are the favourites since they are Champions League trophy holders but I actually think we’re equal. We’ll see who are in better shape.”

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