Ancelotti doesn't fear the sack

SOCCER: DOMINIC FIFIELDhears the Chelsea manager insist he's not worried about his job or about Fernando Torres' 648-minute goal drought

CARLO ANCELOTTI says he is “not afraid” of the consequences should Chelsea be knocked out of the Champions League at Manchester United this evening and reiterated his conviction that his prospects of seeing out the final year of his contract are not dependent on winning the tournament.

Chelsea trail to Wayne Rooney’s solitary goal from the first leg of the quarter-final and Ancelotti is considering how to get the best out of Fernando Torres, scoreless in 10 appearances since his €58 million move in January.

The Italian may revert to the 4-3-3 system with which his side won at United en route to claiming the Premier League title last season, which would most likely see Didier Drogba start on the bench.

“I am not interested in a goal for Fernando, I am interested that Chelsea can win this game,” Ancelotti said, his shrugs hinting he was getting weary of the never-ending questions about the player.

“If Fernando scores it is good for him and it is good for Chelsea, but if another (player) scores it doesn’t matter – it is important to win.

“He doesn’t have pressure from us because our aim is that he can play for the squad. I never ask any of my strikers to score a goal,” added Ancelotti.

The Italian said Torres would definitely play, but would not be drawn on whether he would start before offering a small clue as to what might help the striker break his duck.

“Yossi (Benayoun) knows Fernando very well, he knows his movement . . . he has an advantage to play with Fernando,” said Ancelotti, referring to the Chelsea midfielder who used to play alongside Torres at Liverpool.

Benayoun’s introduction off the bench in Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League win over Wigan Athletic coincided with several clear-cut chances for Torres, although he missed them all.

Little has gone right for Torres, whose personal goal drought stands at 648 minutes for Chelsea, though the Spaniard is expected to start this evening having played only a little over half an hour against Wigan.

Drogba, who played all of that win, appears most likely to give way, with the management considering reverting to a trident attack with Torres flanked by Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka.

Ancelotti has long said he is happy at Stamford Bridge and eager to remain at the club for the foreseeable future, though a trophyless season – particularly given Chelsea’s mid-season toils – would damage his standing there. Previous managers have been given less leeway than he has enjoyed, though he remains defiant and apparently assured that he will be able to see out the final 12 months of his deal at least.

Asked whether he would expect to lose his job should Chelsea exit the Champions League, Ancelotti said: “I think that a lot of times I have played this kind of game in my career with this pressure. But it’s not pressure. It’s excitement.

“To be involved in this game is fantastic for my job, for my career. So I’m not afraid. I’m not worried about this. I’m happy to have a possibility to be involved in this game. As for my future, that is already decided. I don’t have a problem about this game.”

That was a reference to the remaining time on his deal at the club, with a defiant Ancelotti adding that he had not felt compelled to seek assurances from the owner, Roman Abramovich – who attended the first-leg defeat by United and Saturday’s narrow victory over Wigan – over his future.

“It’s not important that I have to speak with Roman,” he said. “When I have a contract, everything is okay with him.”

His job would be infinitely more secure if Chelsea, the last team to win at Old Trafford, could repeat the feat they managed a year ago. A passage into the semi-finals will depend partly on them restricting Wayne Rooney, who Ancelotti described as the “most dangerous player in the squad”.

“We have to pay attention to his position and performance. But we don’t change our shape, our mentality, our philosophy to control Rooney. We must play our football,” he said.

“We will try to do something special.”

He declined to elaborate, but added that making up for the 2008 defeat on penalties by United in the Champions League final gave his players extra incentive.

“That memory could be a good motivation for everyone,” said Ancelotti.