Chelsea-Inter: At Stamford Bridge, 3/16/10, 19:45 UK

Nervy, nervy match ahead.

Not sure when was the last time Chelsea lost the first leg of the champions league and had to come back in the second. Was it against Barcelona where we lost the first leg at the Bridge and drew the second leg? This recollection is not to mean bad luck for us, it’s just that this thought wouldn’t escape me.

I think this match is so evenly poised that the odds have to be equal. Inter needs a draw and if they score a goal, all the better for them. Chelsea needs to win with a cleansheet.

Can Inter get a draw? Certainly they can. Can Chelsea get a 1-0 win? Certainly they can. The crucial factor is ‘where’ this match is being played—Stamford Bridge. This is what tilts in favour of Chelsea for me.

This is a big match for various reasons—TSO’s return to Stamford Bridge, the Ancelotti vs Mourinho thingy, Inter’s progression at the expense of an English team, the crossroads of Chelsea’s season etc.

I fear TSO. I truly fear him. I have this feeling that he would have this match played to his script.

There would be only one thing on TSO's mind—progression, it’s not goals or a win or the manner of win, it’s just the progression. While Chelsea is certainly superior to Inter in terms of ability and experience, no one understands the strengths and weaknesses of this Chelsea team than TSO himself.

Having joined Inter, he was asked if he would fancy facing Chelsea in the champions league for which he responded, “If I happened to meet them, I’d kill them”. He is a Chelsea legend so he will get all the respect and love, he absolutely deserves it. He has also said that he doesn’t lose at Stamford Bridge.

You’re basically telling JM that all that he needs is a draw to proceed to the next round and give him a couple of weeks to prepare and expect him to lose? I’m worried.

Meanwhile, Ancelotti has something to prove. Since JM arrived in Italy, the managers of Milan, Juventus and Roma have been replaced. Now Carlo has a better chance to give one back to JM.

With a team like Chelsea at Carlo's disposal, a win at home against Inter is a highly possible result. It could be a personally morale boosting event if Carlo manages to knock JM out of champions league.

On the other hand, I won’t be so heartbroken if Chelsea were to be eliminated. While that’s not the best thing to happen, it’s not the worst.

With just nine games to go in the premier league, we need our utmost focus and concentration on the league. If that has to come at the cost of a champions league progression, I wouldn’t mind it.

Don’t get me wrong. I want a trade-off, not an excuse.

If elimination from champions league means more focus on the league and the ultimately the league title, I wouldn’t think twice let champions league go.

Let’s put this perspective. We’re slowly getting ourselves into an injury situation. In these times, with just nine games to go, the lesser we play, the better.

If we progress, I’ll be absolutely thrilled (at the prospect of knocking out Man Utd in the next round). If we don’t progress, we would have only one thing in mind—premier league title.