Ancelotti backs Chelsea in transfer appeal

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is confident his club will succeed in their attempt to overturn FIFA's transfer ban.

The Blues have been banned from signing any new players during the next two transfer windows, after FIFA found them guilty of inducing teenager Gael Kakuta to breach his contract with Lens two years ago.

But Chelsea have appealed through the Court of Arbitration for Sport in an effort to get the decision revoked and Ancelotti is hopeful of a positive result.

"The decision was a surprise for me. But now the club are appealing, and we have to wait for a good result for us," Ancelotti said yesterday.

"We hope that they overturn the decision. Now, the transfer embargo is not a problem because we have a very good team and very good players - but in the future, we'll have to wait and see.

"Now I have to think about my job and about my players. I haven't spoken to owner Roman Abramovich about it, but it's not necessary for me to do that. I don't have to speak to Roman about this situation."

Chelsea spent the close-season extending the contracts of several of their stars, with John Terry, Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba among those to sign up, but Ancelotti insists that was more about the future of the club than any concern that FIFA would hit them with a transfer ban.

"Getting players on long-term deals, given this decision, is very important. But that's not about this decision," he said.