This is not an article discussing whether John Terry is worth £50m, or whether he should be willing to jump ship to Manchester City for an additional £150,000-a-week, or how indispensable he is to the football club. My main gripe this morning is not at the press having stirred up their latest dose of trouble, or at City`s extravagant spending plans, but at the fact that so many have started to doubt Mr Chelsea`s commitment to this football club.

As far as I`m concerned, the situation is as follows; Chelsea first received a bid from City for Terry in January, which was immediately rejected by the club. Then, last week, allegedly when Chelsea chiefs were tying up the final details for Daniel Sturridge`s move to SW6, City chief executive Garry Cook made another attempt to sign JT. The club`s response was similarly emphatic.

"It was made clear to City, for the second time following an approach last season, that we would not entertain any conversation on the subject.

At that time John also reiterated his total commitment to Chelsea.

We would like to make clear, and will not do so again, that John is not for sale."

That was the club statement released on Thursday, and pretty clearly sums up our position on the matter. Despite press reports that a further, increased, bid has been made for the England captain, these remain unsubstantiated fiction. If you`re willing to take every word The Sun prints as gospel, then City may well have put in a £40m bid for Terry. However if, much like myself, you`d rather listen to the official communications, and would rather stay out of the media`s summer story telling, we can assume that the discussion has been closed. Chelsea aren`t selling, JT isn`t interested. End. Of. Story.

But what strikes me most interestingly from these past couple of days is those even daring to question the commitment and dedication of our skipper. Terry has given, quite literally, blood, sweat and tears to the Chelsea cause over the years. He`s much more than just a centre-back, and much more than just a captain. When the Stamford Bridge foundations were threatening to collapse, as Roman Abramovich and José Mourinho traded blows, and the Special One made his exit, it was JT that held the club together. When Avram Grant came in, to the disapproval of many, and the dressing room was teetering on the edge of meltdown, it was JT that stepped in as the calming influence, and almost secured us a Champions League win in the process. In February when, once again, crisis hit the club as Luiz Felipe Scolari was sacked, it was Terry who took charge and held the team together, before Guus Hiddink arrived as our knight in shining armour. The point is that JT goes above and beyond the call of duty for a club captain. I wouldn`t be surprised if, when cut, he bled blue like the rest of us.

So how come people are foolish enough to think he`d be seriously interested in the Arab billions of City? Do these people seriously believe that Terry would jump ship for an extra hundred grand a week? Have these people not watched JT come through the ranks at this club, and give absolutely everything for the team?

I find it shameful that some supporters feel JT would actually give City serious thought.

If I`m wrong, and I seriously doubt that I am on this one, and it emerges that Terry has actually been engaging in conversation with the City sheiks, I`ll eat my hat. But in the meantime, I`m willing to go with my gut instinct, which is saying that Terry is, has always been, and will remain to be, 100% committed to Chelsea Football Club. In fact, John Terry is Chelsea Football Club.

And all those doubting his devotion, dedication and loyalty at Stamford Bridge should hang their heads in shame. Mr Chelsea is going nowhere!!

Manager : Carlo Ancelotti
Assistant : Ray Wilkins
4-2-2-2
Petr Cech GK
Ashley Cole LWB
Jose Bosingwa RWB
John Terry (C) CB
Ricardo Carvalho CB
Michael Ballack CM
Yuri Zhirkov LM
Michael Essien RM
Frank Lampard CAM
Didier Drogba CF
Nicolas Anelka

Subs : Hilario, John Obi Mikel, Juliano Belletti, Joe Cole, Branislav Ivanovic, Florent Malouda, Salomon Kalou

Injured
Deco
Alex
Ashley Cole

Suspended : Petr Cech.

Out on loan


Scott Sinclair
Franco Di Santo
Michael Mancienne

Players In
D Sturridge - Free
R Turnbull - Free
Yuri Zhirkov -Undisclosed

Reserves

Ross Turnbull
Paulo Ferreira
Daniel Sturridge
Mellis
Woods

Guus Hiddink is confident that Jose Bosingwa can effectively shackle Barcelona winger Lionel Messi in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final in the Nou Camp.

The subject of how to stop Messi has dominated the pre-match build-up following the suspension of England left-back Ashley Cole.

It has left Chelsea without a recognised replacement following the sale of Wayne Bridge to Manchester City in January and an untimely knee ligament injury to Paulo Ferreira.

The answer for the Dutchman is to place his faith in the Portugal international.

Normally a right-back, Bosingwa switched to the other flank in the win over West Ham on Saturday but Argentina international Messi, scorer of 21 goals so far this season, is certain to provide him with more problems than Luis Boa Morte.

The Barca winger is now rated among the best in the world but Hiddink remains confident that Bosingwa's vast European and international experience will nullify his threat.

"At a young age, Messi is one of the best players in the world already," said Hiddink. "He is the kind of player who is playing in a big club because of his style of play.

"He had big promise and within a short period he has made it happen completely.

"I like very much the way he plays, he does like the stardom of playing and it's very effective. It looks very simple but it is very difficult.

"But I have full confidence that Bosingwa can do it the job tomorrow. We have some more options, but if he is doing well he can do the job.

"If you go to a double man-marking system and focus too much on that you forget there are other big players that can do the damage."

But it is not just Messi who can ruin Chelsea's dreams of returning to Stamford Bridge with a good result. Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto'o are equally as potent and Hiddink knows it only too well.

"A lot of teams have shown that it is very difficult to stop them," said Hiddink. "The front line is world class, Henry has class and experience and Samuel Eto'o I had as a young player at Real Madrid when he was 17. At that time he was already impressive and then he then got titles and experience."

Hiddink insists he has already played out the first-leg tie in his head and in team meetings, and the outcome has always been a victory. But the Dutchman knows that sometimes all the best laid plans can go awry.

"You try to analyse what can happen and whether it is within your power to prevent them playing well and for us to be dangerous.

"I said I'd never lost a match in preparation and meetings, but sometimes the reality is more cruel."

Chelsea and Liverpool produced one of the most exhilarating matches ever seen in the Champions League when they drew 4-4 in the quarter final, second leg at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago.

Chelsea secured their semi-final spot 7-5 on aggregate after fighting back from two down at the interval and Hiddink hinted there could be more exciting times ahead at the Nou Camp.

"Both teams have the style to attack when they can," said Hiddink. "Chelsea is not a team with a strategy to sit back and wait until something happens.

"The team is showing a lot of initiative. It is more or less an open clash between two teams who like to go forward."

Barca are the only non-English club left in the last four of Europe's top club competition for the second year in a row.

The 2006 champions lost 1-0 on aggregate to eventual winners Manchester United in last year's semi-finals thanks to a Paul Scholes strike early in the second leg in England.

With the exception of long-term injury absentee Gabriel Milito, coach Pep Guardiola has a full squad to choose from following the Primera Liga leaders' 2-2 draw at fourth-placed Valencia on Saturday.

"We have to rest and recover well because we are about to begin the most important week of the year," the former Barca and Spain midfielder said.

"I did not see any tiredness in the players," he added. "We are like a ma