THE ANSWER

Chelsea defender Paulo Ferreira has said that he could be the answer to the defensive crisis Chelsea are facing at the moment ahead of the crucial Champions League final encounter with Bayern Munich on May 19. Defensive duo of John Terry and Branislav Ivanovic are currently suspended for the final, while it looks highly doubtful that the two other centre backs Gary Cahill and David Luiz will be fit for the final. Hence, there is thought that Chelsea interim manager Roberto di Matteo with look at the possibility of fielding José Bosingwa and John obi Mikel in the centre of defence.

The 33-year-old Paulo Ferreira had been forgotten man under Portuguese manager Andre Villas-Boas, but he has started a few matches under Roberto di Matteo. The 33-year-old started the first leg of the quarter-final match with Benfica and helped the team keep a clean sheet against all the odds. Now, he has said that he will be able to solve the defensive crisis for Chelsea by playing in the Champions League final. It is expected that the 33-year-old will be one amongst the many departures at Stamford Bridge in the summer, but he wants one final go at glory.

“I hope so [to play in the final]. It will be wonderful for me because it will be my second one. For most of the players that have been here for a long time and the new ones, we deserve [to win] it for what we have been doing for the last years. I try to give my best every time the manager needs me to play. In training I try to be as professional as I can because it is important to be ready if the manager needs me,” said the former FC Porto defender Ferreira ahead of the Champions League final.