Chelsea striker Nicolas Anelka: Manchester United will be tough but to win the Champions League you must beat the best

Posted Friday, April 01, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

Nicolas Anelka concedes Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final against Manchester United poses a tough challenge for Carlo Ancelotti's side.

The Frenchman believes the contest will be like an ordinary Premier League game, admitting the two sides are very familiar with each other having recently played against one another.

He told the club’s official website: “We know them but I don't think it's a good draw because they are a good team and difficult to beat with a lot of quality players."

"But, if you want to win the Champions League you have to beat good teams.

“These two games with Manchester United will feel like Premier League games, we have already played them in so many games so these will be the same, and we will just have to see what happens.”

Anelka also spoke about his time playing for Real Madrid, admitting that despite winning the Champions League in the time at the Bernabeu it was not his biggest accomplishment in his career.

He added: “It was good to win, but my best achievement in football? I don't think so, because it means I didn't do anything after it. I don't think like, this was the best, or that was the best. I enjoy everything, you have to enjoy your life, it is not always nice, so why pick one moment?

“When you come from England, the way you approach the game and where you are in your life is the total opposite to in Spain," he explained. "I didn't know that, of course it was difficult for me because I wanted to have a simple life and be able to walk on the street like everybody else, but I couldn't do it in Madrid like I can in London.

“This was the most difficult part for me, I didn't want to go there like a big star, of course on the pitch, but outside I wanted to be normal like everybody else. My target was not to be in the paper everyday like a Galactico, and they wanted me to be like this, so it was a problem.

“In the newspaper it said where I was going, going out, shopping, someone following you saying what you are buying. It was strange for me and I didn't want to lead this kind of life.

“It was a difficult year on the pitch because it was difficult outside, I couldn't be how I wanted, so when I am not well outside I am not well on the pitch.

“Also, it was difficult to feel a part of the squad. First of all I couldn't speak Spanish, this is not an excuse, but the mentality was so alien to England, that's why I only stayed one year because I knew it was not for me, but even though it was difficult, the end was a good moment because we won the Champions League and I scored in the semi-finals, but it was a difficult year.”