ANDRIY Shevchenko faces a struggle to break into the Chelsea side under Luiz Felipe Scolari after the Brazilian hinted he has no chance of starting the Premier League opener against Portsmouth.
The Ukraine striker has endured two disappointing years at Stamford Bridge following a big-money move from AC Milan.
Shevchenko came on as a substitute against Lokomotiv Moscow in the pre-season Railways Cup on Friday but missed the decisive penalty as Chelsea were beaten in a shootout.
The Blues will play Shevchenko's former club AC Milan in the third-place play-off on Sunday, but the striker will not play a major role.
Scolari said: "I came here to this tournament to look at my team for the game against Portsmouth and I need to prepare my team for that game.
"If I have a chance to put three or four more players into the game, I will. If not, I will follow my idea for the game against Portsmouth.
"I'm not thinking about giving Shevchenko a game. If I need to put him or Franco Di Santo in the game, I will, but my idea is about Portsmouth. I know 75% of my team. Now, maybe 85%."
Shevchenko came on as a substitute against Lokomotiv Moscow in the pre-season Railways Cup on Friday but missed the decisive penalty as Chelsea were beaten in a shootout.
The Blues will play Shevchenko's former club AC Milan in the third-place play-off on Sunday, but the striker will not play a major role.
Scolari said: "I came here to this tournament to look at my team for the game against Portsmouth and I need to prepare my team for that game.
"If I have a chance to put three or four more players into the game, I will. If not, I will follow my idea for the game against Portsmouth.
"I'm not thinking about giving Shevchenko a game. If I need to put him or Franco Di Santo in the game, I will, but my idea is about Portsmouth. I know 75% of my team. Now, maybe 85%."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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