PETIT WRITES OFF TITLE HOPES

The Frenchman says that Claudio Ranieri's side does not have enough talent to challenge for the title, and believes that a place in Europe is a more realistic target.

"Chelsea do not have enough players good enough to win the Premier League," said Petit.

"We are very far from being able to challenge Arsenal, Liverpool or Manchester. There are a lot of things to improve if one day we want to win the crown.

"I'd rather be realistic and think that we are going to fight all season to snatch a place in Europe.

"In the league we lose too many points stupidly to aim any higher."

Petit has denied that he will retire from international football after the next World Cup, and says that although he did mention retirement, he was only thinking of the possibility.

"I cannot believe it. I dared pronounce the word 'retirement' during an interview for (tv channel) France 3 and all the newspapers published that I would retire after the World Cup.

"I never said that. I only said that I was thinking about the possibility of retiring. I did not say I would keep playing neither that I would stop, I said I was thinking.

"If I keep having such a great pleasure with Les Bleus I can't see why I would stop, if the contrary happens, of course retiring would be an option to consider.

"Anyway all that (possible retirement) is much ado about nothing. Believe me, the day I decide to retire I will not say that I am thinking about it."