Assistant coach Henk Ten Cate revealed Chelsea had been left "devastated" by their dramatic penalty shootout defeat to Manchester United in the final of the Champions League.

"We were devastated to lose it like that," he said.

"I thought that in the second half and extra-time that we were the better side. We had some good chances and were very unlucky. We hit the post and the crossbar but penalties is a lottery and we got the short straw."

But Ten Cate, who joined the club as Avram Grant's number two shortly after the Israeli replaced Jose Mourinho as manager in September, paid tribute to the character of the players during a difficult season.

The Dutchman, who tasted Champions League success as assistant to Frank Rijkaard when Barcelona beat Arsenal in 2006, said: "The players have done a fantastic job this year. Especially if you look at the many critics they had, the manager especially.

"The players had to cope with it every day and to come so far, and be better over the 120 minutes against one of the best teams in the world means that everyone at Chelsea can be proud."

Ten Cate was full of sympathy for Terry who, he claims, was not in the original five penalty takers.

Terry was just 12 yards away from winning the trophy for the club he joined as a youngster when his standing leg fell from beneath him as he attempted the place the ball to Van der Sar's left.

"It was unbelievable," said Ten Cate. "He just slipped. We practiced penalties in training last week and he was so confident -- he took them all very well.

"He wasn't in the first five but when it comes to take them, somebody might say 'I prefer somebody else take it'."

It is unclear whether Didier Drogba -- sent off in extra-time -- would have gone instead of Terry.