PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: CHELSEA V CFR 1907 CLUJ

TALKING POINTS

After the recent setback in Bordeaux, Felipe Scolari joked that if his side could not beat CFR to make the minimum expected progress in this season's Champions League, he may as well retire to Brazil.

There are, almost certainly, worse places to spend a self-imposed exile than the land of carnival, samba and caipirinhas.

But his words were spoken with a steely undertone that should be evident in the team he picks for tonight's match and the determination of his players to put off his premature return to South America. That commitment will have to be matched by passionate and unyielding support from Chelsea fans if we want a chance to win club football's most coveted trophy. (Remember, this is not the Emirates.)

The draw in Bordeaux a fortnight ago felt almost like a defeat, in part becauseDiarra's easy headed goal came late in a game Chelsea should really have closed out, but mostly because it threw the Londoners' future in this competition into doubt. The Blues have never previously failed to make the post-Christmas phase.  

KEY STAT Saturday's game at the Reebok brought a sixth consecutive away league clean sheet for Chelsea, beating the previous club record of five, set in 1999/00 and equalled in 2004/05.

Many people have noted the strange disparity between our travelling form in Europe- where we have not won in a year - and in the Barclays Premier League - where we have not lost in the same time frame. (Our last away league defeat was at the Emirates on 16 December 2008.)

We should be celebrating the all-time top flight record of 11 successive away league wins achieved at Bolton, incredibly with only one deflected Robinho goal conceded.

But our last five games at Stamford Bridge have seen only one win against Sunderland, one draw (Newcastle) and three defeats (Liverpool, Burnley on penalties and Arsenal).

Happily, here is a contrast with European form that works in our favour: we are unbeaten here since losing to Barcelona in February 2006, and have won bothGroup A matches at the Bridge this season. There seems no reason to doubt that will continue this evening.

CFR made a stunning start to the Champions League, winning away to Roma. Since then the Italians have improved and the Romanians declined as a force. They currently lie fourth in Romania's Liga 1, and it is their away form - won two, drawn two, lost four - that is their main problem.

In this competition, after the shock of Rome and our draw in Cluj, came three consecutive defeats, beginning with a 0-1 in southern France.

The fact that each team in our group has lost at least once means that three points separate the top three and there is a disturbing range of outcomes that takes time to sift through.

The most important one is that a Chelsea win this evening will ensure qualification to the knockout stage, in second place at least.

If Chelsea win and Roma fail to do the same at home to Bordeaux, Felipe Scolari's men would win the group - and, pointedly, no team has gone on to win the Champions League without completing this stage in a top place.

A draw would be sufficient for Chelsea were Roma either to beat or draw withBordeaux.

If Chelsea fail to win and Bordeaux were victorious in Rome it would mean February would bring Uefa Cup football to Stamford Bridge for the first time since 2002.

CFR's mind-set could have a critical bearing. The rest of Romanian football has been on winter break since December 1 and this match might come as something of a hangover. Their fans already seem to be on vacation: the home game againstGaz Metan brought their lowest crowd of the season, 5,000.

They have also suddenly suffered a crop of injuries, with up to three of the back five that played so well in Cluj absent tonight.

On top of that Maurizio Trombetta's side are already guaranteed bottom slot in Group A - they cannot qualify for the Uefa Cup even if they win at Stamford Bridge as a result of their head-to-head comparison with Bordeaux. In the hackneyed phrase, they are playing for pride.

If Chelsea do make the cut we will line up alongside the 12 teams already through:Barcelona (definite group winners), Arsenal, Atlético Madrid, Bayern Munich,Juventus, Liverpool, Lyon, Manchester Utd, Porto, Real Madrid, Sporting and Villarreal.

The only other question marks over who qualifies come in Group B. Two will progress from three aspirants: José Mourinho and Inter, Henk ten Cate'sPanathinaikos and Anorthosis of Famagusta.

The draw for the Champions League Round of 16 is on Friday 19 December at 11am. Should Chelsea qualify, we cannot be drawn against Bordeaux, Roma, Arsenal, Manchester Utd and Liverpool.

Other Group A fixture

Tue 7.45pm Roma v Bordeaux

Champions League group A table

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Roma	5	3	0	2	10	6	9
Chelsea	5	2	2	1	7	4	8
Bordeaux	5	2	1	2	5	9	7
CFR Cluj	5	1	1	3	4	7	4

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WE HAVE HISTORY

Prior to Matchday 2, Chelsea and CFR Cluj had never met in European competition. That was also the first occasion Chelsea have played a Romanian side and Clujan English team.

Chelsea were frustratingly lacking in sparkle or cutting edge in Romania. Long periods of pressure failed to produce good chances, and CFR's packed defence held out relatively easily. The ineffective Didier Drogba was stretchered off after an hour, and following Franco Di Santo's near miss with a header, the deadlock might have been broken with ten minutes remaining when Trica pounced on a slip by Alex, only to graze the post.

Thirty days after the Chelsea draw, CFR won 1-0 at home to Urziceni, coached by former Blues favourite Dan Petrescu.

Chelsea's only other encounter against CFR Cluj was in this season's Champions League.

CFR Cluj 0 Chelsea 0

Wednesday October 1st 2008 at Dr Constantin Radulescu Stadium

Referee Florian Meyer (Germany)

Crowd 20,320

CFR Cluj Stancioiu  Tony          Cadu (c)       De Sousa       Pereira Muresan                      Dani  Dubarbier               Trica                       Culio Y Koné  Substitutes Didi for Trica (87) Booked Pereira, Dani  Drogba  Malouda      Lampard        Ballack           Kalou  Mikel  Bridge          Terry (c)             Alex        Bosingwa  Cech  Chelsea  Substitutes Anelka for Kalou (h-t), Belletti for Drogba (57) Di Santo for Malouda (73) Booked Alex, Anelka

 

Chelsea's biggest home win in the Champions League

20/10/2005 Chelsea 4-0 Real Betis Group stage

16/09/2008 Chelsea 4-0 Bordeaux Group stage

CFR's biggest (and only) away win in the Champions League

16/09/2008 Roma 1-2 CFR Cluj Group stage

Two Romanians have played for Chelsea. Dan Petrescu is one of eight overseas players to have played more than 200 games for the club between 1995 and 2000. Adrian Mutu scored 10 goals in 38 appearances between August 2003 and September 2004.

TACTICAL BRIEF

Cluj have had a very settled side with eight players starting all five group games, and have used the same 4-2-3-1 starting formation. During our game in Romaniathey attacked in numbers and competed feverishly all over the pitch. They also aimed to get the ball behind Chelsea's attacking full-backs - Wayne Bridge and José Bosingwa on the night - whenever possible.

Despite a dynamic home crowd, CFR's attacks often faltered on the edge of the box, and their defending was never completely convincing on crosses - there must be doubts they can replicate that if the Bridge is bouncing.

Chelsea looked casual in comparison. Sloppy final passing meant that there was only Mikel's 35-yarder to show from the first half. One or two slick interchanges almost produced chances after the introduction of Anelka, but the front three with him and Drogba lasted just ten minutes before the latter was injured. Drogba is finally free of injury and suspensions for this match.

Will the second half Blues reunite and start the game tonight?

Like Chelsea, CFR have fitness issues. Goalkeeper Eduard Stancioiu may miss this game with a hand problem, and right-back Tony (pictured below), centre-half De Sousa and striker Didi are already ruled out.

CHELSEA STATS

The Blues have won 50 of the 70 European games at Stamford Bridge. Only Lazio (1999/2000 1-2), Besiktas (2003/04 0-2) and Barcelona (2005/06 1-2) have defeated us.

Frank Lampard together with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadson of Shakhtar Donetskhave had the most shots on target in the group stage with 12.

This season is our seventh appearance in the Champions League. We have been finalists in 2007/08, semi-finalists in 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2006/07, quarter-finalists in 1999/2000 and the last 16 in 2005/06.

Chelsea's last five years in Europe

2003/04 Champions League - semi-finals

2004/05 Champions League - semi-finals

2005/06 Champions League - round of 16 

2006/07 Champions League - semi-finals

2007/08 Champions League - runners-up

Chelsea's overall record in European competition is played 148, won 78, drawn 40, lost 30. This is our 12th season in succession in Europe.

Chelsea have played 76 games in the Champions League proper (excluding qualifying games). We have won 37, drawn 23 and lost 16.

Chelsea's last six Premier League games

Nov 1	Sunderland H	W 5-0
Nov 9	Blackburn A	W 2-0
Nov 15	WBA A	W 3-0
Nov 22	Newcastle H	D 0-0
Nov 30	Arsenal H	L 1-2
Dec 6	Bolton A	W 2-0

2008/09 Champions League results

Sep 16	Bordeaux H	W 4-0
Oct 1	CFR Cluj A	D 0-0
Oct 22	Roma H	W 1-0
Nov 4	Roma A	L 1-3
Nov 26	Bordeaux A	D 1-1

2008/09 Champions League appearances

Bosingwa 5, Cech 5, Lampard 5, Malouda 5, Mikel 5, Terry 5, Anelka 4+1, Bridge 3, J Cole 3, Deco 3, Kalou 2+2, Ballack 2+1, Alex 2, Carvalho 2, A Cole 2, Drogba 1+2, Ivanovic 1, Belletti 0+4, Di Santo 0+2, Ferreira 0+2.

2008/09 Champions League goals 

Anelka 2, Terry 2, J Cole 1, Lampard 1, Malouda 1.

 

MILESTONES

Didier Drogba is currently our top European scorer together with Frank Lampard on 18 goals.

CLUJ STATS

The club was founded in 1907.

Major honours

Transylvanian Champions 1910/11

Romanian League Champions 2007/08

Romanian Cup winners 2007/08

CFR were the first team from outside Bucharest to win the Romanian League in 17 years. Six years earlier they had been in the third tier of Romanian league football.

They also won the Romanian Cup last season defeating Dan Petrescu's UnireaUrziceni 2-1 in the final.

This is their first season in the Champions League and only their third European campaign in their 101-year history. In 2005 they reached the Intertoto Cup final beating Athletic Bilbao and St Etienne on the way to losing to French side Lens in the final.

Last season they lost in the second qualifying round of the Uefa Cup to AnorthosisFamagusta from Cyprus.

Cluj's two previous season's in Europe

2005/06 Uefa Intertoto Cup - final

2007/08 Uefa Cup - second qualifying round

Since we visited Cluj in October our visitors have won one, drawn three and lost three away in all competitions. The win was in the last 16 round of the Romanian Cup on November 12th.

CFR Cluj's European competition record is played 17, won six, drawn five, lost six.

2008/09 Champions League results

Sep 16	Roma A	W 2-1
Oct 1	Chelsea H	D 0-0
Oct 22	Bordeaux A	L 0-1
Nov 4	Bordeaux H	L 1-2
Nov 26	Roma H	L 1-3

2008/09 Champions League appearances

Cadu 5, Y Koné 5, Culio 5, De Sousa 5, Dubarbier 5, Muresan 5, Pereira 5,Stancioiu 5, Dani 4, Tony 4, Trica 4, Didi 1+2, Panin 1+2, Peralta 1+2, E Koné 0+3,Deac 0+2.

2008/09 Champions League goals

Culio 2, Dani 1, Y Koné 1.

MOST RECENT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LINE-UP

Matchday 5

Wednesday November 26 2008 Roma (home) L 1-3

Stancioiu      Panin         Cadu (c)      De Sousa          Pereira  Muresan                    Dani  Dubarbier             Trica                 Culio Y Koné Substitutes E Koné for Dubarbier (70), Peralta for Dani (73) Deac for Trica (84)  Scorers Y Koné 30 Booked Trica, Panin Attendance 19,292

CFR played their last league game nine days ago before the three-month winter break.

Cluj's last six League Divizia A results

Oct 26	Timisoara A	L 1-2
Oct 31	Unirea Urziceni H	W 1-0
Nov 9	Brasov A	D 1-1
Nov 16	Pitesti H	W 2-0
Nov 21	Pandurii A	L 1-2
Dec 1	Gaz Metan H	W 2-1

Romanian Divizia A table

Top		P	GD	PTS
1	Dinamo Bucharest	17	12	35
2	Unirea Urziceni	17	14	34
3	Timisoara	17	12	29
4	CFR Cluj	17	11	29
5	Steaua Bucharest	17	11	29

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE

The referee is Sweden's Peter Fröjdfeldt, who officiated our 2-0 win againstSchalke here in October 2007. 

OTHERWISE ENGAGED

Frank Lampard is suspended following his dismissal in Bordeaux.

Champions League bookings list

Three yellow cards in the Champions League will result in a one-match ban.

Chelsea Terry 2, Alex 1, Anelka 1, A Cole 1, J Cole 1, Deco 1, Malouda 1.

CFR Cluj Dani 2, Muresan 2, Peralta 2, Pereira 2, Cadu 1, Culio 1, Panin 1, Trica 1