Chelsea's backup goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer insists he is ready to play a key role in the club's bid for Champions League glory this season, after it was confirmed that first choice stopper Petr Cech will not take to the field again this season.
#INSERT type:image caption: Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho said he'd rest players against Liverpool this weekend for next week's Champions League game.END#
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Cech was taken to a Madrid hospital after dislocating his shoulder 18 minutes into the Champions League semifinal first leg tie against Atletico Madrid, with 41-year-old Aussie keeper Schwarzer now certain to play in the Blues' remaining games this season.
Mourinho heaped praised on Schwarzer's display in his post match news conference and insisted he had "total faith" in his abilities, with the former Fulham keeper admitting he was ready for action when injury felled Cech.
"I'm always prepared and I'm getting used to this whole thing about sitting out and being ready to play at the last minute," Schwarzer told ITV Sport.
"It is always a tough thing to do, but I didn't have a chance to really think about it in this game. I just went out there and tried to do my job."
In 2010, Schwarzer helped Fulham to the Europa League final, where the Cottagers lost to Atletico Madrid in extra time. Now he's confident that Fulham's London neighbors can move past Atletico.
Schwarzer believes the attitude of the Chelsea players can carry them into a second Champions League final in three years, as he senses a burning desire to return to European football's most prestigious single match.
"I think everyone was right up for it, as you would expect," he added. "We have world-class players in the side and we didn't expect anything less.
"We knew if we could match their determination that our quality could come through. OK, we didn't create too many chances, but we did a good job tonight."