? Defender may meet Anton Ferdinand's brother Rio on Sunday
? Ramires expected to miss a month after injuring ligament
The boos pursued John Terry even as he strode, suited and booted, on to the team bus, the Chelsea captain glancing up wearily at his tormentors before climbing on board and closing the doors on the outside world before a hearing at Westminster magistrates court on Wednesday when he will answer a charge of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.
This occasion may have passed off relatively smoothly, but other awkward afternoons that draw the focus to the centre-half's conduct and test his ability to remain in his bubble await. The agreement struck between Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea in the hours before Saturday's fixture, and sanctioned by the Football Association, to cancel the customary pre?match handshake ensured a potentially combustible match was denied an obvious early spark. Home players were prepared to snub the visiting defender en masse in a show of solidarity for their team-mate. The clubs would need to seek permission from the Premier League if they wish to waive the ritual when the teams meet at Stamford Bridge on 28 April.
At Stamford Bridge on Sunday, Terry could stride down a line of Manchester United players and offer Rio Ferdinand, Anton's brother, his hand. The relationship between England's captain and his deputy has always been an intriguing subplot to the affair, even if it has not yet been exposed given the United player's absence through injury when England met up in November. Yet, if Ferdinand graduates from bench to team against Stoke on Tuesday and then retains his place at the weekend, the potential for the Chelsea player to be embarrassed is there.
His younger brother, like Terry, performed well in trying circumstances on Saturday. Anton Ferdinand tweeted his thanks to the home support for the rousing reception afforded him at Loftus Road even as QPR spluttered in a scrappy west London derby. To have performed this capably some 24 hours after receiving a death threat ? not his first ? complete with spent cartridge in the post was admirable. The only chants directed at him by the visiting support came after Juan Mata's controversial penalty had eased Chelsea ahead, with those behind the goal asking for reminders of the score.
That he was targeted at all was ludicrous.
Terry, who denies the charge, was subjected to worse from the home partisans ? the simple chorus of "Racist, racist, racist" rang out at one point ? but was tidy in possession, strong in the tackle and aggressive in his aerial challenges. Adversity tends to bring the best from him. Composure has returned to his displays over recent weeks, with his side having re-established some trademark solidity. Even his partnership with David Luiz is hinting at an understanding. The team have shipped only one goal in five games this month.
Andr� Villas-Boas suggested a decision was still to be taken as to whether Terry travels to Swansea City for the league game on Tuesday, but the player will surely start the awkward fixture at the Liberty Stadium, particularly as he is not expected to attend the hearing in London the following day. Instead, his legal counsel will deliver a plea of not guilty on his behalf, with a date for trial then to be set. There are suggestions it could commence in six to eight weeks' time. Asked whether he would consider giving his captain time off to deal with the issue, Villas-Boas said: "Eventually, if it is important for [him to get] the justice, we will do it. But it hasn't influenced him, or us, at the moment. His level of performance has not been affected."
Chelsea can be grateful their hosts lacked any real bite here, though the loss of Ramires, so impressive in terms of energy and goalscoring this term, for a period of time represents a blow. The Brazilian has at least provided an encouraging early assessment of the medial ligament damage sustained in a second-half tumble as he attempted to block a shot. "The ball hit my foot with force and twisted my knee," he said. "When I fell to the floor I was already feeling a lot of pain and thought it was something really serious. However, the doctors looked at it and said the medial ligament in my knee was stretched, but it's not snapped. I will have a more detailed exam to find out what really happened, but I believe and hope it's nothing serious."
The results of the MRI scan the 24-year-old underwent yesterday will be scrutinised on Monday with Chelsea hopeful one of their more consistent performers this season will be absent for a month at most. Regardless, the injury will not force Villas-Boas back into the market ahead of the transfer deadline on Tuesday, though the Londoners are set to buy Kevin de Bruyne from Genk. The 20-year-old winger will undergo a medical Monday before signing a five-and-a-half-year contract, with the Belgian club to receive an initial ?8m (�6.7) and the player back for the remainder of the campaign on loan. He will most likely spend next season elsewhere on loan to gain further experience.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/jan/29/john-terry-queens-park-rangers-chelsea
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