Chelsea 4-1 Napoli (aet) - Chelsea exclusive training session 14/03/12 | Champions League 2012
- 10 years ago
Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge are set to return to the Chelsea line-up for Wednesday's Champions League last-16 second-leg tie at home to Napoli.
Both players came off the bench in Saturday's 1-0 win against Stoke but may start against Italian side Napoli, who lead 3-1 from the first leg.
As in Italy, and Chelsea's last three league games, Didier Drogba could be preferred to Fernando Torres up front.
Napoli rested striker Edison Cavani for Friday's 6-3 thrashing of Cagliari.
The Uruguay international should partner Argentina forward Ezequiel Lavezzi in attack.
Lavezzi scored the first and third of Napoli's goals in the first leg with Cavani getting the second.
Chelsea's strike came through Mata, who believes home advantage will aid his side's chances of advancing to the quarter-finals.
"From the first minute, we have to try to create chances to score," said the Spaniard. "We know that they have very, very good strikers.
"We have to be careful with them but we are going to press them from the first minute.
"In football, nothing is impossible. At Stamford Bridge, this Champions League, we had good results in the group - 3-0, 2-0 and 5-0.
"All the supporters, for sure, will be cheering us. It's a final for us and I think we can do it."
Aiming to maintain his 100% record since stepping in for the sacked Andre Villas-Boas , interim Chelsea boss Roberto di Matteo adopted a cautiously optimistic approach.
"We will have to be balanced, obviously, because their threat on counter-attacking is very good and they have some players that can hurt you," he commented.
"When they come here on Wednesday, they will play against a good team, a great team, and we will make their life difficult. We have to believe that we can turn this around."
/football on Youtube brings you the latest football news, transfer rumours and footballing gossip from the English Premier League and European Champions League.
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"chelsea v napoli" highlights trainign goals ashley cole terry ivanovic lam
Both players came off the bench in Saturday's 1-0 win against Stoke but may start against Italian side Napoli, who lead 3-1 from the first leg.
As in Italy, and Chelsea's last three league games, Didier Drogba could be preferred to Fernando Torres up front.
Napoli rested striker Edison Cavani for Friday's 6-3 thrashing of Cagliari.
The Uruguay international should partner Argentina forward Ezequiel Lavezzi in attack.
Lavezzi scored the first and third of Napoli's goals in the first leg with Cavani getting the second.
Chelsea's strike came through Mata, who believes home advantage will aid his side's chances of advancing to the quarter-finals.
"From the first minute, we have to try to create chances to score," said the Spaniard. "We know that they have very, very good strikers.
"We have to be careful with them but we are going to press them from the first minute.
"In football, nothing is impossible. At Stamford Bridge, this Champions League, we had good results in the group - 3-0, 2-0 and 5-0.
"All the supporters, for sure, will be cheering us. It's a final for us and I think we can do it."
Aiming to maintain his 100% record since stepping in for the sacked Andre Villas-Boas , interim Chelsea boss Roberto di Matteo adopted a cautiously optimistic approach.
"We will have to be balanced, obviously, because their threat on counter-attacking is very good and they have some players that can hurt you," he commented.
"When they come here on Wednesday, they will play against a good team, a great team, and we will make their life difficult. We have to believe that we can turn this around."
/football on Youtube brings you the latest football news, transfer rumours and footballing gossip from the English Premier League and European Champions League.
tags
"chelsea v napoli" highlights trainign goals ashley cole terry ivanovic lam