Carlo Ancelotti claims all neutral Italian football fans will want Chelsea to beat Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan in their Champions League meeting at the San Siro tomorrow night.
Ancelotti and Mourinho had a strained relationship when the former was in charge of Inter's city rivals AC Milan, and the Portuguese manager is unpopular among many fans due to his outspoken comments against other teams and the league authorities.
And Inter have today said they plan to appeal against the three-game ban and 40,000 euro (£35,000) fine awarded to the former Blues boss yesterday for the handcuff gesture he made during Saturday's match with Sampdoria, in which two Inter players were sent off.
Ancelotti told Il Giornale: "All of Italy, apart from Inter supporters, will be a fan of Chelsea."
The 50-year-old also hit out at Mourinho for his criticism of those who have succeeded him at Stamford Bridge, with the former Porto boss keen to point out the relative lack of success experienced by the Blues since his departure.
"It is true that after him nobody has won anything for Chelsea," Ancelotti continued. "But that guy Grant (Avram, who guided Chelsea to the Champions League final in 2008) did not do so badly."
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