Chelsea Football Club

• Nickname:Blues
• Founded:1905
• Manager:Rafael Benitez

• Ground:Stamford Bridge
• Capacity:42440

Mourinho stands by Sheva

19 Oct 2006 - 08:08:08

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Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has vowed to stand by striker Andriy Shevchenko, who has struggled for form since his big-money summer arrival from AC Milan.

The 30-year-old Ukraine ace has scored just twice in 12 appearances for the Blues and has failed to find the net in his last nine outings.

However, after the 1-0 Champions League win over Barcelona, sealed by a Didier Drogba strike, Mourinho said: "Drogba and Shevchenko both won the game, as well as the other nine players on the pitch.

"Chelsea beat Barcelona and Didier and Sheva had a contribution to that. Didier scored, yes. But maybe in March Sheva is scoring and Didier is not.

"But, for me, the team played very well and I always say the team needs individuals, but the team is more important than individuals.

"I will keep picking Sheva until he scores. I will pick him unless he has a problem or unless I decide to give him some rest.

"We have Portsmouth, Blackburn, Sheffield United and Barcelona to come so, in one of these games, I will leave him on the bench.

"But it is done only for rotation and not for anything else."