Big Pete targets quick Blues return

"The club said I should be back in two weeks, so we shall see. I believe it will be so," Cech said. "This season has been awful with injuries but I hope I will be back in the goal soon."

Petr now faces a race to be fit in time for the crucial Premier League clash against Manchester United on 26 April.

Big Pete confirmed the incident had been nothing more than an unfortunate accident and insisted he did not blame Israeli defender Ben-Haim after the Czech keeper needed 50 stitches. He said: "We were both trying to stop the goal and he wanted to kick the ball away and I dived for it at the same time. We hit each other and he tore my face - it was a coincidence. When we dived for the ball it was important the goal was not conceded. There are 50 such situations during every training session - it was simply bad luck," he added.