Mourinho and Abramovich end the Cold War at Chelsea

It hardly compares with the breaking of the Berlin Wall but a breakthrough came in the Cold War at Chelsea last night when Roman Abramovich exchanged words with Jose Mourinho for the first time in four months; the tone decidedly friendly after they had booked prized seats at the new Wembley Stadium for an FA Cup final against Manchester United.

A demanding extra-time victory over Blackburn guaranteed Chelsea, winners of the last FA Cup at the old Wembley, the first of potentially three defining contests with Sir Alex Ferguson's side after Michael Ballack's 109th-minute winner had kept alive their aspirations of a unique quadruple. But it was events following the game that could have greater implications for the future at Stamford Bridge.

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For the first time since a home game against Wigan on 13 January, Abramovich entered the champions' dressing room to congratulate players whose remarkable character had saved Chelsea once again; then, in the Old Trafford directors' lounge, he met the manager he may sack this summer, such is the disintegration of their relationship. "I wasn't in the dressing room when he came in because I was doing my tour of the media," explained Mourinho, "but I met him outside and told him 'Congratulations'. He told me 'Congratulations to you too'. That is normal." But so little has been normal between the leading protagonists at Stamford Bridge that even the briefest conversation may constitute a rapprochement.

Abramovich and Mourinho have not exchanged a glance since the owner's desire to add the Israeli Avram Grant to the Chelsea coaching staff was vetoed by his manager in January, when his attempts to sign a striker and the Bolton defender Tal Ben Haim were thwarted by a hierarchy that is still to inform a coach with the Carling Cup in the bag and designs on the FA Cup, Premiership title and Champions League that he will be wanted next season. On Friday the Chelsea manager had said that no one had given him any guarantees about his future at Chelsea, now at least he is on talking terms with the one man who has the ultimate say.

On potentially facing United for the European Cup, League title and the FA Cup, Mourinho insisted: "I would be glad to play them three times at the end of the season with a trophy at stake. What Chelsea and Manchester United have done this season is unbelievable. They didn't progress in the Carling Cup, but Chelsea and Manchester United are competing for all three [other major trophies].

"I was invited to a charity dinner for Sir Alex Ferguson in November and he was telling me then it would be an all-English final in the Champions League. I told him that I believed in what he said. It would be magnificent. English football deserves that. We are the best football country for sure. It would be, what you say here, the cherry on the cake."

Frank Lampard gave Chelsea the lead in the 17th minute but Mourinho's team were indebted to their goalkeeper Petr Cech in a second half dominated by Blackburn and in which Jason Roberts equalised with his first Rovers goal.

"Petr Cech is more than special," added the manager. "He is the best in the world, but to be the best in the world just three months after that surgery...

"There were a lot of question marks over him. Would he be the same again? Would he challenge for the ball if the guy comes at his head in the area? But he went back in and was immediately fantastic. He's a big example not just to footballers, but to people who have had big accidents or anyone who has brain surgery, [he has] shown you can get back to normal."