Champions League: Levski Sofia v. Chelsea

Wednesday, 27 September 06, 02:25 PM · Comments (2)

Chelsea's second Champions League Group A game kicks off later this evening against Bulgarian side Levski Sofia.

Jose Mourinho said he would be happy with a 1-0 win after Levski coach Stanimir Stoilov compared Chelsea's win-at-all-costs style of play with Barcelona's "more attractive football".

"We don’t have a player like Barcelona has, someone to do a trick that’ll leave people open-mouthed," Mourinho said. "But when he [Stoilov] says we are all about winning, I take that as a very good compliment ... If someone wants to offer me 1-0, I’ll go back to London now."

John Terry, who missed Saturday's win over Fulham with back spasms, trained yesterday in the Vassil Levski stadium and is expected to play, even though he, like Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, is one booking away from missing the home game against Barcelona.

Khalid Boulahrouz should have recovered from an eye infection, while Michael Ballack, suspended for three domestic games, is also set to return in midfield.

Levski and Chelsea have met twice before. In the 2001-02 UEFA Cup, Chelsea eased through the first round with a 3-0 home win and a 2-0 triumph in Bulgaria.

Levski have never beaten an English side in six attempts.

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Topics: Premier League 08/09, Chelsea

Posted by Nick Benfield | Comments (2)

2 Comments · Add yours

alex Wrote: | 00.29BST | Sep 28, 2006

I don't foresee any 'tales of the unexpected' from this one....should be another blues day.

Just hope the guys on the card would keep their heads for all of 90 minutes...barca at the bridge should be enough motivation for them i think...

Lordmorf Wrote: | 14.57BST | Sep 28, 2006

Great result, everything is working out for Didi at the moment. Just wish the ball would hit Sheva and go in! Drogba deserves his goals now due to his thankless workrate for the past two years up front on his own. It seems to help him when he has another striker up front alongside him to ease the pressure a bit, or just distract the defenders even.

I would now like to see JM try playing with the two strikers and also with Robben and either Kalou or SWP on the wings in a standard 4-4-2 just to see if it works. I think we will create lots of chances like this. However, it is unlikely as JM does not like this system, and to be fair it would make us less solid defensively. Plus he would have to pick only 2 out of Maka, Essien, Lamps, Ballack, Mikel etc.

We looked so much better with Bridge back in the side, even though he did make a couple of mistakes. His crossing and general willingness to support the attacks gave us more width than we've had recently. I hope he plays against Villa on saturday.

Roll on saturday!

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Champions League: Levski Sofia v. Chelsea

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