Makelele tells Blues to win respect

8:29am Friday 16th May 2008

Veteran midfielder Claude Makelele believes winning the Champions League would earn Chelsea respect throughout the world.

Makelele won the trophy with Vicente del Bosque's Real Madrid six years ago and now the France international is hoping to add to that success with victory over Manchester United in Moscow next Wednesday.

He said: "To win this competition would give Chelsea a lot of credit throughout Europe because then all the teams on the continent would respect us more."

He added: "It is a symbol of a big team throughout Europe and the world and it is a good sensation for a player.

"Then Real Madrid were the best team in the world and it gave them more credit as a club," said Makelele of the Spanish giants' 2002 triumph.

"People look at winners and say: 'This is a big team.' I remember all the teams who came to play Real Madrid in the Champions League were scared.

"They knew that they would lose but they might lose by four or maybe six goals. It would be good to see Chelsea have this power.

"It is difficult winning it but it would be so good for the players as well as the club."

News in brief