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Ruud Gullit unimpressed with Chelsea's Champions League campaign
Blues lock horns with Valencia at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, in a direct battle for a place in the last 16 of Europe's top tournament
Dec 4, 2011 5:28:00 AM
By Adithya Ananth
Ruud Gullit admits that he has not been impressed with what he has seen from Chelsea in the Champions League this season.
The Blues have won two, drawn two and lost one of their five group games in the Europe's premier club competition, a record which sees them taking on Valencia on Tuesday in a direct fight to qualify for the knockout stage.
Gullit, a former player and manager at Stamford Bridge, feels that Chelsea should have done much better considering the strength and experience of its squad.
"In Europe there has been no sign of their class. I find that amazing," Gullit said, according to The Sunday Mirror. "Almost all of their players have experience at Champions League level. They can’t use that as an excuse. They are so much better than their form in Europe suggests."
The 49-year-old also reckons Chelsea have a big job ahead in terms of replacing some of its older and more experienced players with younger ones.
"At Chelsea they are busy replacing an entire team that is used to being successful. They have a big job. Because of the fact that [Didier] Drogba, [Nicolas] Anelka, [John] Terry and [Frank] Lampard have won so many trophies, it is not easy to say goodbye to them.
"As [Fernando] Torres has claimed, the team is just too old. I don’t think that was the cleverest thing to say about his team-mates, but he does have a valid point."
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The Blues have won two, drawn two and lost one of their five group games in the Europe's premier club competition, a record which sees them taking on Valencia on Tuesday in a direct fight to qualify for the knockout stage.
Gullit, a former player and manager at Stamford Bridge, feels that Chelsea should have done much better considering the strength and experience of its squad.
"In Europe there has been no sign of their class. I find that amazing," Gullit said, according to The Sunday Mirror. "Almost all of their players have experience at Champions League level. They can’t use that as an excuse. They are so much better than their form in Europe suggests."
The 49-year-old also reckons Chelsea have a big job ahead in terms of replacing some of its older and more experienced players with younger ones.
"At Chelsea they are busy replacing an entire team that is used to being successful. They have a big job. Because of the fact that [Didier] Drogba, [Nicolas] Anelka, [John] Terry and [Frank] Lampard have won so many trophies, it is not easy to say goodbye to them.
"As [Fernando] Torres has claimed, the team is just too old. I don’t think that was the cleverest thing to say about his team-mates, but he does have a valid point."
Follow GOAL.COM USA on
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