Cech's withdrawal big blow to Chelsea

SOCCER:CHELSEA'S CHAMPIONS League hopes suffered a setback yesterday when Petr Cech, the first-choice goalkeeper, did not travel to Istanbul for tomorrow night's quarter-final first leg against Fenerbahce.

Carlo Cudicini is preparing to start arguably his biggest match since he appeared in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Monaco in 2004. Chelsea, then managed by Claudio Ranieri, drew that game 2-2 to fall 5-3 on aggregate.

Cech has missed Chelsea's last seven matches with an ankle injury and the worst fears of the manager, Avram Grant, were confirmed when he was unable to make the four-hour flight from Gatwick to the Turkish city.

Cudicini has built a reputation as an instinctive shot-stopper but there have been concerns about his command of the penalty area, particularly from set pieces, when he has deputised for Cech. He conceded three goals following set pieces in the 4-4 draw at Tottenham two weeks ago and was beaten at his near post after a corner in the 2-1 win over Arsenal four days later. On Sunday, in the 1-0 win over Middlesbrough, which kept Chelsea's Premier League hopes alive, he endured further nervy moments.

While Cech has made uncharacteristic errors himself this season, his presence might have reassured the Chelsea defence on what is sure to be a hostile occasion at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium.

Fenerbahce have won all their Champions League ties at home this season to emerge as the surprise package of the competition.

Cudicini joined Chelsea from the Italian club Castel Di Sangro in the summer of 2000 but the arrival of Cech from the French club Rennes in the summer of 2004 Cudicini has since started only 47 games, although 15 of them have come this season, including the second leg of the Champions League tie against Olympiakos, which Chelsea won 3-0. The Italian's biggest match in recent seasons was the FA Cup semi-final defeat to Liverpool in 2006.

Frank Lampard was Chelsea's other doubt - a stomach virus last week ruled him out of England's friendly against France in Paris on Wednesday and the Middlesbrough game - but the midfielder travelled and has declared his fitness.

Liverpool's feuding owners, George Gillett and Tom Hicks, have offered another illustration of their fractured relationship by asking to be kept apart at tomorrow's Champions League quarter-final away to Arsenal.

Neither of Liverpool's co-chairmen was present at Anfield for the Merseyside derby against Everton on Sunday and neither has attended a game since the defeat by Manchester United on December 16th, when they were required at the club to resolve their differences with the manager Rafael Benitez, but both intend to be at the Emirates Stadium.

Hicks is understood to have taken half Liverpool's allocation of 20 seats for the directors' box, and Gillett, who on Friday claimed his business partner was entirely responsible for the criticism directed at their regime, has requested four. However, the two men are not prepared to sit together and present a show of unity that does not exist.

Gillett admitted in an interview last week that his business relationship with Hicks had been unworkable "for some time" and that death threats towards his family had prevented him from allowing the Texan to take majority control at Anfield. The Liverpool co-chairmen are currently seeking new backers that would enable them to bid for the other's 50 per cent stake and Dubai International Capital still hope to strike a deal with Gillett that would lead to an offer for outright control.