Manchester United 1 - 1 Chelsea

Man Utd v Chelsea: Preview

Updated: May 19, 2008, 9:23 AM UK

Chelsea are confident left-back Ashley Cole will be fit for Wednesday night's Champions League Final against Manchester United.

Cole sustained a knock on his right ankle in training on Tuesday after a tackle from Claude Makelele.

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But the club believe he will have recovered in time, with Wayne Bridge on standby.

Avram Grant continued to keep his future plans under wraps as he prepared Chelsea for the biggest game in their history.

Grant, whose position as manager has been the subject of almost continual speculation since he took over from Jose Mourinho, was non-committal as he looked ahead to Wednesday night's clash with Manchester United in the Champions League final.

Grant refused to talk about his own situation but was very clear on where he gets his inspiration from, a set of portraits depicting famous politicians, military figures and sportsmen.

"We are here today 11 days after the league,'' said Grant. "If it's a normal season for Chelsea we are on vacation now. This is the most important game in the world.

"I am not the most important man here. You have to recognise the owner, the players, the staff and the supporters and ask questions about the final and not me.

"I like to learn from leaders. Pictures of Gandhi, Michael Jordan, Martin Luther King, Muhammad Ali and Anwar Sadat. They were great people.

"They got to the end and tried to win everything.''

Grant revealed he spoke to the club's billionaire Russian owner Roman Abramovich last Sunday and is due to speak to him again on Wednesday evening during the build up to the game.

"You can imagine how he feels, he came from Moscow,'' said Grant. "It was his dream and that of every player and supporter of Chelsea to be in the final. It is very special.''

Grant knows he will have to outwit the wily Sir Alex Ferguson for his side to get their hands on the coveted trophy.

"Manchester United are a very good team and have had a very good season,'' he added.

"It is not easy to score against them. The forwards are very good, the midfield is very good.

"I really respect Alex as a person and as a manager. He has done great things. Not many managers have been in the final of the Champions League and I respect him. But I want to win.''

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has a selection dilemma ahead of the all Premier League clash.

Ferguson concedes he will find it difficult naming not only his team but also the seven substitutes after taking 24 players to Russia.

With all his key men fit, he could be tempted to pick the side that beat Wigan to retain their Barclays Premier League title nine days ago.

Paul Scholes was in that team and has already been promised a place in the starting line-up after missing the 1999 European Cup victory through suspension.

Ryan Giggs is meanwhile poised to overtake Sir Bobby Charlton's record of 758 appearances for the club.

Ferguson looked forward to the Champions League final and insisted: "I am very relaxed.''

The Scot is determined to get his hands on the trophy again after a nine-year absence that in his words "has left a void and a vacuum''.

Not that Ferguson is fretting too much ahead of the showpiece match against Chelsea at the Luzhniki Stadium.

He said: "The one person who should not have nerves is myself.

"It is not as if this is my first European final.

"I have won the Champions League before as well as the Cup Winners' Cup twice.

"Hopefully I will have the composure to help the players.

"You do not get to European finals too often and you have to relish the moment.''

Ferguson, who revealed the club had opened negotiations with striker Carlos Tevez over a new contract, first tasted success at this level when Aberdeen won the Cup Winners' Cup in 1983. He then went on to win the competition with United in 1991.

Eight years later they triumphed in the Champions League with a famous victory against Bayern Munich at the Nou Camp in Barcelona.

Ferguson believes such is their rich history they should have won Europe's top club competition more than twice.

He said: "It has been a tremendous disappointment not to have gone to the final sooner.

"We have reached two semi-finals - against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan - and it leaves a void and vacuum in your life that is hard to explain. So we are delighted to be back.

"I have said many times that we have an illustrious history but there is weakness in terms of European trophies won. I hope we can go some way to putting that right on Wednesday.''