10/04/2002  Blackburn 0 Chelsea 0
 
Blackburn still face an anxious bid to beat the drop after 
failing to stretch their run of successive Ewood Park 
victories against a Chelsea side again struggling to find a 
cure for their latest dose of away-day blues.

Graeme Souness' side should have made it four in a row at 
home, but were forced to settle for a draw which leaves them 
languishing in 17th in the Premiership, and just three points 
above the relegation zone.

The point, though, was good enough for Chelsea to see them 
leapfrog Newcastle back into the vital fourth place which 
carries with it Champions League football next term, although 
the Magpies have two matches in hand.

While Chelsea can look forward to continental action of 
some description, the question is whether Claudio Ranieri will 
be at Stamford Bridge next season to oversee such a 
campaign.

An air of mystery surrounds Ranieri's future with the Blues 
for he is refusing to confirm he will be in charge beyond the 
summer, although chairman Ken Bates insists a two-year 
extension to his current deal - which has just over a year to 
run - is close to being signed.

The waters have been muddied by Barcelona's purported 
interest as the Catalan giants claimed at the weekend the 
50-year-old is one of three coaches short-listed for the job 
of replacing Carlos Rexach at the Nou Camp.

The former Valencia and Atletico Madrid manager has stated 
he likes life at Chelsea, although is flattered by the reports 
coming out of Barcelona, and in his own words he has added: 
"In the summer, who knows?"

It is all in stark contrast to the words of Bates who, 
after discussing with Ranieri his future over champagne and 
smoked salmon on Sunday morning, insists the status quo will 
be maintained.

Bates is adamant Ranieri is determined to see through the 
job he started 18 months ago, and that he is not going to 
Barcelona, while cheekily suggesting the Primera Liga club 
should appoint Arsenal's Arsene Wenger instead.

If Ranieri does decide to stay he will have to resolve the 
often thorny problem of Chelsea's away form as the Blues have 
still won just once on their travels in the top flight since 
the turn of the year, and that at already-relegated 
Leicester.

On this occasion they were indebted to goalkeeper Carlo 
Cudicini for ensuring they suffered nothing worse than this 
goalless clash.

The Italian needed to be at his best as Blackburn looked 
like a side which had won their previous three home games, and 
far from a team embroiled in a relegation scrap.

In a thoroughly-entertaining encounter, Cudicini was helped 
by his post early on as Andy Cole - returning after a 
three-match ban for his stamp on Bolton's Mike Whitlow - 
struck the outside of the woodwork, albeit from an 
almost-impossibly acute angle.

But then the Italian superbly blocked a powerful Damien 
Duff drive, while later in the half he was at full stretch in 
pushing away a 15-yard shot with the outside of his right boot 
from Lucas Neill.

Duff was again denied by arguably the best save of the game 
early in the second half when the Republic of Ireland star 
struck an angled screamer from 12 yards, only for Cudicini to 
somehow keep out a shot destined for the top right-hand 
corner.

Tugay, who last played against Chelsea for Galatasaray in a 
5-0 Champions League thrashing, was within a whisker of 
gaining sweet revenge after Cudicini had fisted clear a 
cracking cross from Neill from the right-hand edge of the 
area.

But in sending back a first-timer from 22 yards with his 
right foot, the ball was within inches of the right-hand post 
as Blackburn appeared the team more likely to break the 
deadlock.

But Rovers could not break through, although Chelsea were 
not without their chances, with Eidur Gudjohnsen having the 
first of the game after seven minutes.

But the Iceland international, like Tugay, was within a 
whisker of scoring as his fierce left-foot shot flashed past 
Brad Friedel and the woodwork from 20 yards.

Friedel was indebted to Stig Inge Bjornebye whipping the 
ball off the toes of Mario Stanic midway through the first 
half after Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's goal-line pull back had 
fizzed past the American and through the six-yard box to the 
far post.

It was a fumble by Friedel three minutes after the break 
which gave Chelsea their best opportunity as Gudjohnsen was 
onto the rebound following Hasselbaink's drive, but after a 
touch to cut inside Craig Short, he then scooped the ball over 
with his weaker right foot.

In the end, neither side will have been happy ending the 
game honours even.