Champs League provides lifelines for AVB, Ranieri

PARIS: Chelsea boss Andre Villas-boas and Inter Milan coach Claudio Ranieri, himself a former Stamford Bridge manager, will be looking to the Champions League this week to boost chances of keeping their jobs.

Villas-boas has been described as a ‘dead man walking’ by Ranieri and he should know – he was one of several high-profile managers to fall victim to the whims of Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

Ranieri is probably even under more threat at Inter as his side have lost five of their last six games, including being knocked out of the Italian Cup of which they were the holders, and face a testing trip to French side Marseille tomorrow.

Villas-boas arguably faces the tougher midweek challenge as Chelsea travel to Serie A outfit Napoli – who ousted Inter from the Italian Cup – tonight on the back of a dire 1-1 home draw with Championship side Birmingham in the FA Cup.

However, the indefatigable Portuguese handler, faced with an increasing band of critics as well as a split dressing room, insists his job is safe.

Asked after the Birmingham clash if the outcome of the Napoli tie would have any bearing on his future he said: “No. No, not at all.”

“It’s not up to me to decide that, you have to ask that question to the right person.”

Villas-boas accepts that the Napoli game is a tough task, coming so soon after the Birmingham draw and a Premier League defeat by Everton the preceding weekend which leaves them battling to assure Champions League football next season.

“The situation is we don’t have enough good results for us to feel a bit strong,” said Villas-boas, who is anxiously awaiting fitness tests on John Terry and Ashley Cole. – SAPA-AFP