Paris, Nov 26: Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri's popularity will soar today if he leads the London club back to where most of their fans believe they should be - among the 16 best sides in European football.
Chelsea stand on the brink of making into the final stages of the competition for the first time since the 1999/2000 season when they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Barcelona.
After some exemplary displays from their rich mix of top foreign stars so far in the competition, Chelsea need just a point from the Group G clash at Stamford Bridge against Sparta Prague to secure the lucrative knockout phase.
As the big-spending London club also continue their impressive drive on the domestic front, Ranieri admits that Sunday's league encounter against Manchester United is a major step in their bid for the premiership title.
However, the quietly spoken Italian warned they must first do the essential against Sparta, who languish in third place in the group with only four points.



"The next match in the league is against Manchester United and it's a big, big match. We're looking forward to it, but we must think about Sparta Prague first," Ranieri said after Chelsea's 1-0 away win over Southampton on Saturday.



Ranieri welcomes back Argentinian stars Hernan Crespo and Juan Sebastian Veron after resting them at the weekend.


Bureau Report