Chelsea vs CFR Cluj: Preview
Chelsea haven’t exactly excelled themselves in the Champions League so far this season and haven’t managed to win away, so maybe it’s just as well we’re at home tonight. Then again, our home form doesn’t exactly inspire much confidence either so we could be in for a nervy time as Chelsea take on Cluj at Stamford Bridge.
Our 3-1 defeat in Rome and draws away to Bordeaux and Cluj, means a win is a must for us tonight in case the other game in the group conspires against us. Whilst Cluj can’t qualify, if they play for pride or park a bus on the pitch, we could be in serious trouble.
Michael Ballack certainly seems cautious going into this game, stating: "Normally at this stage we are qualified but we didn’t play well every game. We have the last game at home but we don’t have to speak so much about this. We have to win.
"Sometimes you can’t explain things and normally at home especially we are very strong. But in the last weeks with the first defeat for a long time, we lost a little bit of something and we couldn’t make the results that we wanted."
Cluj’s Yssouf Kone meanwhile is clear the Romanians won’t be bending over to accommodate a seeing to either, stating: "I heard that Scolari would go back to Brazil if they didn’t beat us. But if Chelsea don’t beat us tomorrow, he will really be in trouble.
"We will try our best tomorrow because it is really important for us to go back home with a result. Right now Chelsea are under the pressure, the biggest pressure in the group. Chelsea will have to work hard to beat us but it won’t be easy for them.
"We will be playing without any pressure. They have big players but we are not bad either. It will be worth more than just three points to us if we win."
Even with nothing to gain from the fixture, Cluj coach Maurizio Trombetta wouldn’t be surprised to see an upset tonight, he claimed: "Playing against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge is enough motivation for us.
"Unfortunately for us we have no chance of going any further. But we were outsiders in Rome and won and so maybe with a little luck and concentration, we can to it again against Chelsea."
As for the Chelsea boss though, he’s having none of it, saying: "Is it unthinkable that Chelsea go out? Well, I don’t think any people in the world are thinking about this, but it is possible because we have given this opportunity to the other teams.
"Yes, I am disappointed because of what’s happened. But I don’t think about going out because I believe in these players and I believe we’ll reach the second round. Now I don’t know if it will be in first position or second position because it’s not in our hands, but it’s normal if we think about beating Cluj here in London.
"But we will need to play better in the second round than we have so far if we want to go on."
On the injury front for Chelsea, Michael Essien (knee), Juliano Belletti (ankle), Ricardo Carvalho (knee), and Franco Di Santo (hamstring) all remain out of contention. Florent Malouda is a doubt with a slight knock, although Joe Cole could be fit enough to return. Frank Lampard also misses out through suspension.
Chelsea
