A peace deal may be in the offing with Roman Abramovich but Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho was more concerned about hailing the magnificent example of Petr Cech at Old Trafford last night.
Away from the cameras, in the middle of the Manchester United directors' suite, Mourinho and Abramovich embraced warmly to celebrate Chelsea's extra-time FA Cup semi-final triumph over Blackburn.
It was the first time the pair had exchanged words since January and will be interpreted in some quarters as a softening of Abramovich's seemingly unshakeable desire to get rid of Mourinho in the summer.
Even for the man whose cash has bankrolled Chelsea's phenomenal rise to prominence, such a move would be virtually impossible if Mourinho guides the Stamford Bridge outfit to an unprecedented quadruple, which he is still in line to do.
However, Cech is a major reason for that after he pulled off a stunning, gravity-defying save to claw out a back-header from John Terry which was looping in.
Coming just six months after he was carried off unconscious at the Madejski Stadium following an horrific collision with Reading's Stephen Hunt, it was a remarkable testament to Cech's fortitude. And one his manager is keen should not go unrecognised.
"Petr Cech is more than special," said Mourinho.
"He is the best goalkeeper in the world, everybody knows that. But to be the best in the world three months after that incredible surgery is amazing.
"When we saw him at Reading, and then in the hospital, without hair and with a big scar, and then when he was trying all his different helmets on, there were a lot of question marks.
"We didn't know whether he could come back and still be the same.
"To come back and be so good, so quickly is fantastic.
"He is a big example, not just people in football but anyone who has had a major accident or brain surgery.
"Some people are scared about whether they will have a normal life again. What he has done is incredible."
Without Cech's save, or Michael Ballack's late winner, there might have been no meeting with Abramovich.
As it is, the Chelsea owner can now look forward to a mouth-watering clash with Manchester United on May 19, providing both teams can make it that far.
Mourinho admitted he is worried about the damaging mental and physical toll so many hard games are having on his team, especially given the report he got back from Eastlands yesterday, where Champions League semi-final opponents Liverpool played out a bore draw with Manchester City.
"One of my assistants went to watch and he left after 60 minutes because it was like a testimonial match," he said.
"We have just played for two hours, then in three days we have a match at West Ham which we have to win and on Sunday we have another at Newcastle where we are in exactly the same position.
"The way the matches are in this country is unbelievable. The players either die or get better. Thankfully, most of them get better."
It was the first time the pair had exchanged words since January and will be interpreted in some quarters as a softening of Abramovich's seemingly unshakeable desire to get rid of Mourinho in the summer.
Even for the man whose cash has bankrolled Chelsea's phenomenal rise to prominence, such a move would be virtually impossible if Mourinho guides the Stamford Bridge outfit to an unprecedented quadruple, which he is still in line to do.
However, Cech is a major reason for that after he pulled off a stunning, gravity-defying save to claw out a back-header from John Terry which was looping in.
Coming just six months after he was carried off unconscious at the Madejski Stadium following an horrific collision with Reading's Stephen Hunt, it was a remarkable testament to Cech's fortitude. And one his manager is keen should not go unrecognised.
"Petr Cech is more than special," said Mourinho.
"He is the best goalkeeper in the world, everybody knows that. But to be the best in the world three months after that incredible surgery is amazing.
"When we saw him at Reading, and then in the hospital, without hair and with a big scar, and then when he was trying all his different helmets on, there were a lot of question marks.
"We didn't know whether he could come back and still be the same.
"To come back and be so good, so quickly is fantastic.
"He is a big example, not just people in football but anyone who has had a major accident or brain surgery.
"Some people are scared about whether they will have a normal life again. What he has done is incredible."
Without Cech's save, or Michael Ballack's late winner, there might have been no meeting with Abramovich.
As it is, the Chelsea owner can now look forward to a mouth-watering clash with Manchester United on May 19, providing both teams can make it that far.
Mourinho admitted he is worried about the damaging mental and physical toll so many hard games are having on his team, especially given the report he got back from Eastlands yesterday, where Champions League semi-final opponents Liverpool played out a bore draw with Manchester City.
"One of my assistants went to watch and he left after 60 minutes because it was like a testimonial match," he said.
"We have just played for two hours, then in three days we have a match at West Ham which we have to win and on Sunday we have another at Newcastle where we are in exactly the same position.
"The way the matches are in this country is unbelievable. The players either die or get better. Thankfully, most of them get better."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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