Kalou fears end of European dream

London: Salomon Kalou has admitted this season may be the last chance for Chelsea's ageing team to finally win the European Cup.

Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka are all over 30 while John Terry, the captain, and Ashley Cole reach that milestone in December. "That's the reason why we should win, we should go for every challenge," said the 25-year-old Ivory Coast international.

"And I think this season will be a great season for Chelsea because this may be the last opportunity for us to win the Champions League or to win more prizes together. Everyone is concerned by that and we have a decent goal and this team is willing to do their best to achieve all those trophies."

Chelsea won the Double last season in Carlo Ancelotti's first year in charge and Kalou is confident that they are again the team to beat. "Always. Everyone comes to Stamford Bridge to beat Chelsea because they want to beat the best team," he added. "And I think this year Manchester [United], Arsenal, Manchester City maybe, or Tottenham or Liverpool, they can challenge Chelsea."

Most of Chelsea's players had disappointing times at the World Cup in South Africa, but Kalou believes that will only improve their desire. He said: "Of course, of course. We have good professionals in the team, good experience and people are hungry to win because, at the World Cup, it was not so good for everyone at Chelsea. They have that hunger to win games because we know that the World Cup was a disappointment for everyone."

While Kalou named Manchester United as Chelsea's main title rivals he welcomed back Michael Essien, who returned from a knee injury in Sunday's 3-1 Community Shield defeat to Sir Alex Ferguson's team after eight months out. "We know how important he is for the team, how important he can be to the whole season, because having him in the team is a bonus," Kalou said. He dismissed Chelsea's poor pre-season form, which has seen them lose four successive matches.

"Some players came in at different moments [from the World Cup], and some players didn't train for one week, so they need time to be fit. It can be a problem but we have the players and the experience of these kind of competitions. I think they will be ready for Saturday, I have no doubt of that," Kalou said of Chelsea's season opener against West Bromwich on Saturday at Stamford Bridge.

Ricardo Carvalho, who left Stamford Bridge this week to rejoin Jos Mourinho at Real Madrid in a $8-million (Dh29.42 million) deal, said he has wanted to leave for the past two seasons. "I was going to go [to Internazionale] last year but Chelsea did not let me," he added.

Very clear

"For the last two years I have been very clear that I wanted to leave. I was reaching 30, 31 years of age and I wanted to experience another league but they wouldn't let me. It was not easy to leave Chelsea."

Chelsea have been given the go-ahead to complete the $18.2 million transfer of Ramires from Benfica after the player was granted a work permit at a tribunal. The clearance came yesterday afternoon, when the assistant manager Ray Wilkins and the club secretary Dave Barnard attended a hearing in London and argued the case for the Brazil midfielder to receive a permit under the special-circumstances clause, given that he has not played the required 75 per cent of international matches over the past two years. The Brazilian is expected to arrive in London tomorrow to complete the paperwork, although he is unlikely to be considered to face West Bromwich.

West Ham will have to appeal after the Serbian forward Miralem Sulejmani, signed provisionally on loan from Ajax yesterday, saw his work permit application rejected. The 21-year-old, who was not included in his country's squad for the World Cup finals, had agreed a 12-month deal.

Fixtures

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• Braga v Sevilla
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• Basel v FC Sheriff
• Partizan Belgrade v Anderlecht