Carlo Ancelotti will place his trust in Ross Turnbull, his third-choice goalkeeper, for Chelsea's Champions League clash with José Mourinho's Internazionale.
Petr Cech tore a calf muscle during the 2-1 first-leg defeat at San Siro, an untimely injury that is expected to keep him out until next weekend at the earliest, and Ancelotti has now lost his deputy, Henrique Hilário. The Portugal international damaged his groin during last Sunday's FA Cup victory over Stoke City and has been unable to train this week, leaving Ancelotti with Turnbull, who was signed on a free transfer from Middlesbrough last summer and who has made one Chelsea start.
The 25-year-old will make his first Premier League appearance for his new club at West Ham United tomorrow with Ancelotti hopeful he emerges with confidence and fitness unscathed to start Tuesday's second leg. "It'll be very difficult for our other goalkeepers to recover by Tuesday, so this will be a big test for Ross, for sure," the Chelsea manager said. "But I think that he won't have a problem. He hasn't had many possibilities to play for us, but he's worked very hard and had a lot of sessions with our goalkeeping coach to improve his quality. This is a good opportunity for him.
"He has stayed here at Cobham to train individually with the goalkeeping coach. I understand it will be very, very difficult because there is a big difference between training and games like these. I think Ross understands this also. But he has the quality to do well. He is a good goalkeeper and he won't be worried. He's a very calm man, and I'd have no problem playing him against Inter."
Those sessions with the goalkeeping coach, Christophe Lollichon, will become all the more critical over the next four days. Turnbull was a regular in the Middlesbrough team for the first half of last season – actually catching Chelsea's eye during a 5-0 home defeat at the Riverside – before losing his first-team place to Brad Jones. He moved south under the Bosman ruling but, having endured a torrid debut for the reserves in a 4-0 trouncing to Aston Villa in August, has found his opportunities distinctly limited.
He came off the bench for the injured Hilário in October's Carling Cup victory over Bolton Wanderers, with his only start coming in the uninspiring 2-2 Champions League draw with Apoel Nicosia in December once Chelsea's place in the knockout phase had been assured. "I am positive," insisted Ancelotti, who saw Arsenal's young Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski embarrassed against Porto last month. "We have to concede that a goalkeeper might make a mistake. Even fantastic goalkeepers do that – people have criticised Petr Cech at times – so I'm optimistic. I hope he plays well for the team."
Cech is still undergoing physiotherapy, while Chelsea will also be without Ricardo Carvalho this afternoon. Ancelotti is still considering whether to recall Joe Cole to the starting line-up with the midfielder anxious to offer evidence of his qualities on the pitch as he seeks to improve his negotiating position over terms on a new contract. The 28-year-old's form has been inconsistent since his recovery from a long-term knee injury in September but, while talks remain deadlocked on a new deal, Ancelotti is convinced Cole will still be a Chelsea player next season.
"I am 100% sure," he said. "He's told me he wants to stay here. I've spoken to him and told him how much we like him. But I cannot guarantee anyone their position in the team, even Didier Drogba or John Terry. I can only guarantee they will be in the squad, and I have guaranteed Joe's position in the squad."
