Champions League final: Terry suffers for bravery

John Terry was last night left heartbroken and in tears after his devastating penalty shoot-out miss.

Chelsea captain Terry slipped on wet turf as he ran up to take the spot-kick which could have wont he Champions League for Roman Abramovich in Moscow.

And last night it emerged that only Terry stepped up after one of his team-mates opted out at the last moment.

Terry, who took Chelsea's fifth penalty knowing if he converted it he would win the club their first European Cup, was not due to take among the first takers.

But Terry's Chelsea teammate Frank Lampard insisted that the lionhearted skipper will be back despite his heartbreak.

Lampard, who was one of Chelsea's successful penalty takers, said: "JT is a man's man.

Not many centre-halves would take the last penalty of that importance.

"John is Mr Chelsea. He wants it more than anyone. He did what he did and he will be back."

Chelsea's Dutch coach Henk Ten Cate also praised Terry's strength of character and encouraged him to step in for one of his team-mates.

Striker Didier Drogba, one of Chelsea's spot-kick specialists, had been sent off four minutes from the end of extra time, while Nicolas Anelka might have been expected to take one of the first five but ended up taking - and missing - the decisive seventh spot-kick.

Ten Cate said: "John was unbelievable. He is a great man and a great character. It takes real guts to take a penalty in that situation.

"It is easy sometimes for a player to change his mind, or feel unwell and want to go later and that is what happened here. So John decided to take one.

"He had been practising them in training, he had taken them well and was happy to take one tonight. He has been a good penalty-taker.

"But when he ran up he slipped and there is nothing you can do about that, it is just bad luck.

"I thought we were the better team and after we came from behind and dominated one of the best teams in the world. That is a remarkable achievement.

"I feel very proud of the players and they should be proud of themselves.

"We played well and deserved to win but when it comes down to penalties it is a lottery and we drew the short straw."

Terry's defensive partner Ricardo Carvalho admitted: "There were a lot of tears in the dressing room, and we couldn't stop John from crying."

It was heartbreaking for Chelsea and Lampard in particular as defeat comes just weeks after the death of his beloved mother Pat.

When he scored his equalising goal, he looked to the sky and mouthed the words "that's for you".

Lampard added: "I feel very emotionally drained. This has almost become not that important with things personally that have happened recently.

"My team-mates have been fantastic.

"I'm very fortunate to have them and wanted to be here with them and win the Champions League."

When re ran up he slipped - and there is nothing you can do about that.

HenkTen Cate