Guus Hiddink has spoken publicly for the first time on the subject of Ashley Cole's midweek incident and where the player fits into plans for Saturday's quarter-final at Coventry.

The temporary first team coach has also given some big injury news with Paulo Ferreira ruled out for the season having damaged an anterior cruciate ligament in training yesterday (Thursday).

It is Chelsea's third cruciate knee injury in this unfortunate season, the club having previously gone a decade with no such injuries to players on first team duty.

Ironically, our Portuguese international full-back has been lost from the squad in the same week as Michael Essien returns to it, six months after his own cruciate rupture. Ricardo Carvalho, over a hamstring problem, is also back

'They have played their game at Villa Park (for the reserves), 60 minutes for Carvalho, a full game for Essien so they will be in the squad travelling this afternoon,' Hiddink confirmed.

'I am happy to have two players back with international experience. We have this difficult game in Coventry and we can go into the semi-final of the FA Cup and we will be highly rewarded. Then after tomorrow, the next step is very important, the Juve game. But there are no priorities.

'Ashley Cole will be in the squad tomorrow,' he added.

'I talked this morning with Ashley about this situation and he has publicly apologised about his conduct towards the police officer. We also have internal discipline and it is to be considered internal. Of course I have spoken firmly with him about responsibility and there are rules inside this club regarding going out.

'I talked also to Ray Wilkins about this because he is very close to me and Ashley talked privately in detail with me about what happened. I spoke firmly with him and the group.'

Cole was detained by police and received a fixed penalty notice on Wednesday night.

'He apologised for being abusive when he asked for help in this situation. He in my opinion and his opinion overreacted abusively toward the police. He asked for some help and he went a little bit too far.

'But if he regrets it deeply and makes his apologies publicly and directly, then I think at this moment we have to close the gates.'

Hiddink arrived at Chelsea with a reputation as a disciplinarian and although he doesn't wish to counter this, he explained his management is based on every case on its own merits.

'You have to judge what the circumstances were. I tackled him on this behaviour and he was in his opinion harassed a little bit by your colleagues,' Hiddink told reporters.

'That is why he reacted like he reacted and he regrets that.

'That is why we have to put it in the right perspective. I had some things going on with the Dutch national side 10 or 12 years ago and I took my measures.

'That was different. It was counter-productive to the relationships within the team. I don't like to generalise because then you get rigid and tough without thinking. If it is harming the productivity within the team then I am going to say - hey!'

Coventry City have announced they will be without left-back Danny Fox for tomorrow's clash. He damaged knee ligaments in the 2-1 defeat to Sheffield United on Tuesday night.

There will be more FA Cup preview from Guus Hiddink in Cobham on Friday on Chelsea TV  at 6.30pm.