Big Phil: Blame me-not Chelsea; UEFA EURO 2008 Austria-Switzerland BIG-MATCH ACTION...

Byline: By Keith Jackson 

LUIZ FELIPE SCOLARI took the rap for Portugal's exit - but insisted his forthcoming switch to Chelsea wasn't the reason.

Big Phil's side haven't won since his move was confirmed last week but he denied it had affected his players.

He said: "If I hadn't announced it we would have lost anyway. We lost because we didn't do things with enough quality.

"I am responsible for choosing the players and putting them on the field in certain places so the person most responsible for Portugal not being in the last four is the Portugal coach."

Scolari rued the fact Michael Ballack got away with a push in the back of Chelsea team-mate Paulo Ferreira for what turned out to be the decisive third goal.

The manager said: "When we are pressing our opponents and concede a third goal, we have to start all over again and the opponents grow in stature.

"I can't guarantee it would have changed the game but if it's afoul it has to be given."

Germany assistant coach Hans-Dieter Flick, who took charge of the dugout in place of banned boss Joachim Low, said: "We won 3-2 and the match is over. Whether it was a foul or not does not matter to me now."

Bastian Schweinsteiger scored the first goal and set up the others for Miroslav Klose and Ballack. Flick said: "He promised a big performance after his ban against Austria and was justifiably man of the match."

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FEELING BLUE: Phil Scolari