Chelsea look to prove point against Bremen
By tvbp1985
@tvbp1985 (999)
China
November 22, 2006 6:51pm CST
Chelsea go into Wednesday's Champions League clash at Werder Bremen knowing a point will secure them top spot in group A and manager Jose Mourinho has promised his team will not take their foot off the gas.
The English champions have dropped just two points in their four European games and a draw in Bremen will see them progress as group winners because of a superior head to head record.
Chelsea have a title duel with Manchester United on Sunday but Portuguese supremo Mourinho insists his charges are focussed on the task in hand.
"We can not go to Bremen with a second team. We will go there to get a result," Mourinho explained.
"It does not matter what the next game is whether it be Manchester United or Manchester City."
Bremen are second in the group on seven points and need a win against Chelsea to maximise their chances of edging reigning champions Barcelona, two points behind, for the second qualification spot.
The Spanish champions face Levski Sofia on Wednesday and are expected to net the three points to set up a thrilling finale against Bremen at the Nou Camp on December 5.
"If Bremen beat Chelsea and Barcelona end up out of the competition, that is not our problem," added Mourinho.
Chelsea and Barcelona have met two years running in the Champions League and the animosity between the two giants has led to suggestions that Chelsea will not want to do the Spaniards any favours.
German international captain Michael Ballack, rested against West Ham at the weekend, is expected to return for Chelsea on his first return to Germany since leaving Bayern Munich in the summer.
Ballack has several international team-mates in the Bremen side and Torsten Frings is hoping to get one over on his good friend.
"We have already had a difficult phase this season but Barcelona came along and we went on a run," said Frings. "We need to do the same again now starting with Chelsea."
Bremen had their moments in the first match at Stamford Bridge but lost 2-0 - a similar result could put Barcelona in the box seat for second.
German clubs have not fared well against Chelsea in this competition with the Londoners defeating VfB Stuttgart at the last 16 stage in 2004 and then Bayern in the quarter-finals the following season.
With Russian billionaire oil magnate Roman Abramovich ploughing cash into Chelsea the pressure is on Mourinho to lift the trophy - as he did with FC Porto in 2004 - and Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba is already dreaming of the final.
"I would love a Champions League final with Chelsea and Lyon this season," Drogba said. "Lyon play some great football and it would be a fantastic final."
Drogba is joint top scorer, along with AC Milan's Kaka, in the Champions League with five goals to his name.
1 response
