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Premier League

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is banking on his World Cup flops to help him achieve his Champions League dream next season.

The Blues were eliminated by Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan in the last 16 of the elite competition last season and Ancelotti is determined to go the distance in the coming edition of the Champions League.

He believes several of his wounded stars have a point to prove after failing to shine at the World Cup in South Africa.

Ancelotti said: "All my Musketeers, including Drogba, Malouda, Lampard and Terry, have played in a World Cup which has lowered their profile.

"If you look at all the big nations that failed, from England to Argentina, France and Brazil, the coach was trying to get the right balance between the individuals and the organisation of the team."

Ancelotti led the Blues to a domestic double in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge and will be gunning for the one that eluded him last season.

"In my first season with Chelsea, we won the Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield.

"But I missed out on the Champions League, so that is now my dream.

"At the moment everything here in London is good.

"But I know if we do not keep winning that things will soon change for me.

"So we must quickly rediscover the enthusiasm we had last season and same good football."

Despite proclaiming his ambition for next season, the Chelsea manager has been surprisingly quiet in the transfer market, with £6 million Yossi Benayoun and Czech teenager Tomas Kalasas his only signings this summer.

Whereas Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Juliano Belletti have been shown the way out of Stamford Bridge.

In contrast, fellow cash-rich club Manchester City have been on an incredible spending spree, which has made Ancelotti sit up and take notice.

"City have spent more than any other team in Europe.

"For them this season is not just about aiming for fourth place. They will be fighting us for the title."

With City close to adding Mario Balotelli to their pile of signings this summer, Ancelotti is adamant the 19-year-old will only make the Citizens a stronger threat.

"I do not know if Chelsea wanted Balotelli but I'm not happy he's going to Manchester City.

"Mario is a crazy talent and the Premier League will be the ideal landing for him.

"But, of course, 30 million Euros is an incredible figure to pay for a teenager."

While Ancelotti is still hoping to complete a £20m deal for Benfica's midfielder Ramires, he has conceded that Chelsea can no longer compete in the transfer market with City's billionaire owners.

He said: "Even Roman Abramovich has stopped giving out money everywhere."