SOCCER UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIRST KNOCKOUT ROUND, FIRST LEG: Napoli v Chelsea:A DEFIANT Andre Villas-Boas has dismissed suggestions his future as Chelsea manager will be defined by the Champions League tie against Napoli with the Portuguese already "excited" and "confident" about the team's prospects for next season.

Chelsea confront Napoli, conquerors of Manchester City in the group stage, in the ferocious atmosphere of the Stadio San Paolo tonight braced to be without their injured captain, John Terry. They have slipped to fifth in the Premier League and laboured to take Birmingham City of the Championship to a fifth-round replay in the FA Cup.

Villas-Boas has endured unrest within the ranks which, with the owner, Roman Abramovich, making a point of observing training at Cobham recently, has suggested that his ideas are not backed by all of his players. That appeared a risky tactic given that the Russian oligarch has employed six managers since 2007, with Luiz Felipe Scolari dismissed at around this stage of the season three years ago when the team’s position in the Premier League’s top four appeared similarly under threat.

“There’s been an obvious tendency for change to happen,” Villas-Boas said. “But from the messages (issued) by the club and the board in the recent past there’s a clear indication that there’s a change in the way we approach the projects for the future. The speculation is normal, given the cultural past of this football club, but you have to understand that there’s a different perspective now.

“We have great belief in what we will do next year, setting up a team to bring us the biggest amount of trophies we can have. I’m really confident about next year. That doesn’t take any responsibility for what’s happening now but we had a three-year project to change not only the team but the culture and structure of the club. There’s a lot we needed to do, a lot of plans, so that’s why I’m excited about the future. I have the full confidence of the owner, I am here to do my job. And my job is for this year and the next two years.”

Villas-Boas did suggest his frequently delivered reminders that he retains Abramovich’s full support might ring truer if publicly backed by the club’s hierarchy. The owner will not be in Italy this evening. “These words would be more valuable coming from the top to you guys, I know,” the manager said at his pre-match media conference, which was also attended by the Chelsea chairman, Bruce Buck, and the chief executive, Ron Gourlay.

“I cannot keep saying them but as the voice of the club I will continue to perpetuate this message because this is what we believe in.

“From 2004 up to now, this club has made a dramatic change for the best. It has been the richest part of Chelsea’s history, full of trophies and success, and you want to perpetuate that. To do that you have to make changes because you cannot sustain the same habits that you had in 2004. That was the project [we accepted]. Having said that, we have to build a team to win trophies from the start. But there’s full belief from the owner in what we’re doing, so hopefully it will continue.”

There were shows of support from senior players last night. Daniel Sturridge claimed Chelsea were “not a divided unit” and Didier Drogba offered a reminder that responsibility for results should be shared between squad and management. “We can feel that nobody really believes in us,” said Drogba. “But we are used to this competition and we’re going to have to show we deserve to be here.”

It is a year since Terry urged his team-mates to “man up” ahead of a knockout tie at FC Copenhagen with pressure mounting on Carlo Ancelotti. Chelsea went on to win that first leg, and tie, 2-0 though they may have to be without the centre-half tonight. Terry trained at a sodden San Paolo last night, if only gingerly, and is still feeling the effects of a knee injury. Villas-Boas said Terry was a “major doubt”, though the prognosis was more positive on Ashley Cole’s calf complaint.

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Racist abuse: Players subjected to monkey chants

CHELSEA have warned Napoli they will complain to Uefa should their players suffer racist abuse in this evening's Champions League first leg at Stadio San Paolo after members of the squad were subjected to monkey chants on arriving at the team hotel, reports Dominic Fifield.

Local fans had congregated outside the Grande Albergo Vesuvio hotel on the seafront yesterday and, while the Premier League side were all greeted with loud jeers, there were monkey chants when the England striker Daniel Sturridge got off the coach.

The chants began again when Chelsea players were spotted at the hotel.

Chelsea officials were made aware of the abuse and issued a statement last night warning their opponents that, should the issue rear up again this evening, they would take it up with Uefa: “If any members of our team or staff are subjected to racist abuse we would find that wholly unacceptable and it would be reflected in our conversations with Uefa.”

Napoli had issued a plea to their supporters to behave over the weekend amid fears Uefa might issue sanctions if there is crowd trouble.

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