John Terry expresses delight to be back playing after racism trial

 

John Terry is happy to be playing for Chelsea after putting his difficult summer behind him.

Terry followed quarter-final defeat with England in Euro 2012 with a court case which saw him acquitted of racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

Terry scored for Chelsea in the 3-2 defeat by the MLS All Stars in Pennsylvania on Wednesday but could still be charged by the Football Association over the Ferdinand affair.

He said: "I'm delighted to get back to football, concentrate on what I love doing. I'm very pleased to be here with the side and concentrating on getting fit first and foremost - and cracking away early on in the season."

The summer signings of Eden Hazard, Marko Marin and Oscar - for an outlay of around £65million - have shown Terry that owner Roman Abramovich is committed to further success with the club even after the Champions League final win over Bayern Munich.

Terry added on Abramovich in the Guardian: "He's down at the training ground, he's around the hotel, he wants to know what's going on, what kind of training we are doing. It is really refreshing to see and I think it's good for the new players to see that.

"You have to [spend]. There is so much money out there. Even after winning the Champions League it is so important that we keep competing. And thankfully we have got an owner who is very much prepared to do that."

PA

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