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Deschamps' road to fruition

AS Monaco FC coach Didier Deschamps said his players' quality and work-rate had carried them through.

By Trevor Haylett in London

AS Monaco FC coach Didier Deschamps recalled a press conference from Matchday 1 as he saluted his side's "fantastic achievement" after withstanding the passion and might of Chelsea FC to earn a place in the UEFA Champions League final for the first time in the club's history.

Deserved triumph
After the 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, which took Monaco to a final date with FC Porto on 26 May in Gelsenkirchen, Deschamps reflected: "At the start of the season I said this is a new adventure, let's see how far down the road we can go. Now we are in the final and it's a fantastic achievement but one that is very much deserved because the players have worked very hard and have put in some quality performances along the way."

Invaluable experience
Deschamps won the competition as a player with Olympique de Marseille and Juventus FC but insisted the final would not be about him but about his team. "I am there to help the players and give them the benefit of my experience but it is their final and it is something hopefully they will enjoy."

Pivotal moment
Both Deschamps and Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri said the game's pivotal moment came in the second minute of added time at the end of the first half. Chelsea had taken a 2-0 lead to square matters overall but Hugo Ibarra's intervention as he bundled in the ball following Fernando Morientes's header against the bar set the visitors up for the kill, which Morientes then completed with a smartly taken goal on the hour.

'Take off'
"We were a little nervous at the start and Chelsea enjoyed quite a few opportunities," said Deschamps. "Going 2-0 down almost freed the players mentally because now we had to go for it. That goal lifted us and disappointed them and that enabled us to take off in the second half."

Ranieri pride
Ranieri said: "If it had stayed at 2-0 at half-time then the second half is another match because they would have to attack us and we could counterattack against them. But I am proud of my team. They were unbelievable. In the first half we played very well and put them under a lot of pressure."

Splendid goals
Even though Chelsea had scored splendid goals through Jesper Grønkjær and Frank Lampard they had also missed easy chances and that was ultimately to cost them their dream. "The feeling in the dressing room is terrible," said Grønkjær, who added that his goal was meant as a cross. "We’re all annoyed with the way that Monaco scored just before half-time. Then when they scored their second we had to score three more which was hard."

Respect for Porto
Deschamps added that Monaco had a lot of respect for Porto but they would not fear them. "They are a team that has come on from winning the UEFA Cup and they have managed to lift their game this season," he said. "They have a lot of experienced players who are used to performing under pressure. We have to go there and try to win the game."