Benitez upbeat despite defeat

Rafa Benitez believes Chelsea will reach the Europa League quarter-finals despite losing 1-0 to Steaua Bucharest.



Raul Rusescu scored the only goal of the last-16 first-leg clash after he was fouled by left-back Ryan Bertrand.



Interim manager Benitez called the penalty award "soft", but is optimistic ahead of next Thursday's second leg.



"We know that we have to do our job now at home," said Benitez, whose side must first travel to Manchester United for an FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday.



"In these kind of games and this kind of competition, if you don't score away it's always more difficult. Still, you have to believe.



"We are disappointed, but still we have the belief we will win at home."



The decisive moment came when left-back Iasmin Latovlevici crossed with the outside of his right foot towards Rusescu, who was pulled back by Bertrand and converted the resulting penalty.



"I think it was very soft," Benitez told ESPN. "You cannot change the situation but it is very soft."



Bertrand was booked for the foul, which Benitez argued was further evidence that Russian referee Sergei Karasev made the wrong decision in pointing to the spot.



The Chelsea boss claimed that the position of the foul made it a denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity, and that the referee should have sent off Bertrand if he thought it was a penalty.



"If you give the penalty, why not the (red) card? Strange."



Benitez made five changes to the side which beat West Brom 1-0 in the Premier League last Saturday.



But he insisted that Sunday's FA Cup trip to Old Trafford had not been a distraction.



He said: "It's another competition and atmosphere. It will be totally different. It's another challenge for us."



Goalkeeper Petr Cech also felt Chelsea deserved better than a defeat, but is confident they can come back in the second leg to reach the quarter-finals.



"This is not the result we want to get away from home in the first leg but to be fair we had better chances than them," said Cech.



"I hardly made a save all game. They had a penalty and they scored from there and they won. We're just disappointed we didn't score.



"We made it hard for the return leg but 1-0 is not a result you can't overcome."



Steaua were spurred on by a vociferous 55,000 crowd, which booed every Chelsea touch and loudly roared their own team on.



Their manager Laurentiu Reghecampf said: "Tonight we only wanted to score and to stop Chelsea from scoring. This is just the result.



"Regardless of what will happen in London, they have to be congratulated for winning against a very, very good team.



"This game is played in two games. We have to perform even better than tonight in London in order to qualify for the quarter-finals."

Benitez plays down bust-up

Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez has played down reports of a training ground bust-up with some senior members of the squad.



It was reported on Tuesday that Benitez was involved in a heated exchange with a number of players, including captain John Terry, following the Blues’ defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.



Benitez was quizzed about the reports at his press conference on Tuesday but was quick to play down the incident, claiming his relationship with his players is good.



“This was a normal meeting between players and technical staff, which happens after every game, it was normal talk, nothing else. You show your disappointment, that is normal,” Benitez explained.



“I can understand the frustrations of Terry, he is an important player for us and has been injured with his knee. It was very brief exchange of ideas, and that is it, nothing else. It is just a team talk after a defeat.



“We had a meeting on the pitch with my players and technical staff, which is part of our business. Now we have to move on and start thinking about Middlesbrough.”



Benitez has endured a tough time in his short spell in charge of the Blues but he insists he has a good relationship with his squad.



“It is fantastic. I have no problem,” he said.

Benitez dismisses title hopes

Rafa Benitez has written off Chelsea's chances of challenging for this season's Premier League title.

The interim boss made the trophy a target when he replaced Roberto Di Matteo in November, but the midweek draw with Southampton left his side 13 points behind leaders Manchester United.

And ahead of Sunday's derby game against Arsenal, Benitez said: "In terms of the league I don't think we can do it.

"But the Capital One Cup is there, the FA Cup is still open and the Europa League is still open.

"I just have to give the team the confidence that we can win against anyone. If you have that belief it becomes easier.

"The team is very close. We have John Terry and Frank Lampard back from injury. Now we have to be more consistent."


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