Champions League Preview: Chelsea Aiming to Seal Progress into the Next Round

Chelsea vs. Copenhagen

Chelsea will be on course to better last season's Champions League run if they manage to use the two-goal lead they enjoy over FC Copenhagen.

Nicolas Anelka was the star of the first leg, but it remains to be seen if he will be in Carlo Ancelotti's plans for the match against Copenhagen.

Didier Drogba was paired with Fernando Torres in the last match, but that did not prove to be an inspired partnership, as both failed to light up the game. It could see the return of Anelka, who was much better alongside Torres.

FC Copenhagen come into the match not in the best of forms, having won just one match since the Chelsea defeat. Even though their season has just started, it does not seem to be the form that allowed Copenhagen to enter into the knockout stage of the Champions League.

The Danish are expected to struggle at Stamford Bridge, which is a place where most teams often struggle in the Champions League. However, given that their rustiness could have certainly improved by this time, it is certainly not going to be easy for Chelsea.

Real Madrid vs. Lyon

Real Madrid will be finally have a chance to end the run of Champions League exits at the hands of Lyon, which has been the case a number of times in the last few years.

The away goal that Real Madrid scored in the Stade de Gerland will be a massive goal in the context of the game, given that Madrid can advance into the next round with a goalless draw.

Given the fact that José Mourinho rarely loses at home, the best chance that Lyon have will be to draw the match. They will be extremely confident about doing so, having drawn with Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in the previous years.

Cristiano Ronaldo was earmarked to miss the game due to an injury, but he seems to have recovered miraculously in time to face Lyon. His goals will certainly be something that José Mourinho will be looking forward to, even though he also seems to have found another goal scorer in the form of Karim Benzema.

The former Lyon man scored the first leg and, given his impressive form of late, he could well be starting the match alongside Ronaldo.

 

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