Cech in history bid

PETR CECH insists Chelsea are not slumming it in the Europa League despite their humiliating early exit from the big-time.

The rest of the country was transfixed by Manchester United’s mega-clash with Real Madrid at the Bernabeu last night.

But the reigning European champions flew to the Czech Republic for a more low-key meeting with Sparta Prague.

Failure to qualify from their Champions League group means the Blues were relegated to Europe’s second-class competition for the first time.

However keeper Cech refuses to be downhearted about the club’s dramatic fall from grace. He said: “It’s not great that we’re playing in the Europa League because we wanted to be in the last 16 of the Champions League.

“I was watching the Celtic versus Juventus game the other night and we should be there. But we’re not and that is down to our own mistakes.

“But I’ve never played in the Europa League or the UEFA Cup and for me it’s an interesting experience.

“People will say it’s not a great competition but if I have to play in it I want to win it.It’s the chance to win a competition the club has never won.

“And if we can win the Europa League it means we can play in the Super Cup again next season and become one of the few clubs in Europe to have won every competition.

“It’s a chance to make history even if it’s not the way we might have wanted at the start of the season.”

Cech, 30, has never faced former club Sparta since leaving for Rennes in 2002 and has had to come up with 25 tickets for family and friends for the match.

He will play despite breaking the little finger on his left hand during Chelsea’s 3-2 defeat at Newcastle 12 days ago.

He said: “I came to punch a cross and I punched Gary Cahill’s head at the same time. And he has a hard head.

“It hurts but I have been with Chelsea a long time and managed to play with broken shoulders, a broken nose and even a broken head. So a finger cannot stop me.

“It’s the first time I have played against any Czech team so it will be strange but exciting.”

Chelsea will be without the suspended David Luiz and the ineligible Demba Ba tonight.

But boss Rafa Benitez has ruled out rushing John Obi Mikel and Victor Moses into action after winning the African Cup of Nations with Nigeria on Sunday.

Benitez said: “Flying from South Africa and then Nigeria would be too much so we have left them in London.

“I’ve had experience in the UEFA Cup with Valencia and Liverpool and when you see the names of teams involved you realise that it is a massive competition.”

CHELSEA (likely): Cech, Azpilicueta, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Lampard, Oscar, Mata, Hazard, Torres.