Critics are jealous of us, says Chelsea’s Schuerrle

Critics of Chelsea’s defensive approach in Sunday’s 2-0 win over English Premier League leaders Liverpool are simply jealous, forward Andre Schuerrle said. The German player said this ahead of his team’s second leg Champions League semi-final clash against Atletico Madrid tonight and repeated that the team will have no problem employing the same tactics if it brings further success. Chelsea moved to within two points of Liverpool following the Anfield victory, but manager Jose Mourinho has come under fire since for his defensive tactics, with opposite Brendan Rodgers accusing him of ‘parking two buses’. The Blues took a similarly defensive approach to the first leg of their Champions League semi-final away at Atletico Madrid last week, which ended goalless. German Schuerrle, who joined the west London club from Bayer Leverkusen in June, said critics of their approach were envious of its success and it did not matter how they played provided they won. “Winning is what matters,” the 23-year-old was quoted as saying in British media. “It’s the most important thing. “You can play perfect football, have lots of one-touch stuff, and you lose. But that’s not what you want - you want to win. There’s no point in playing well and losing... “If people look at us and say ‘Chelsea can’t play’, even when we win, it’s just because they’re jealous.” Chelsea stifled Liverpool’s much-vaunted attacking threat, scoring towards the end of each half through Demba Ba and Willian. The result appeared to favour 2011-12 champions Manchester City, who are third on 77 points, one behind Chelsea and three off Liverpool but with a match in hand and superior goal difference. Despite that, and Mourinho’s continued assertion that Chelsea cannot win the title, Schuerrle insisted they could still win a league and European double. “Everybody thinks we can win the league and the Champions League,” Schuerrle added. Chelsea’s final two league matches are against relegation-threatened Norwich City and Cardiff City.