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Chelsea morale gets a boost with Duff`s return for Stuttgart showdown
London, Mar 09: Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri warns of the danger posed by Champions League opponents Stuttgart.
London, Mar 09: Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri warns of the danger posed by Champions League opponents Stuttgart.
Ranieri told a news conference on Monday (March 8) that he would warn his players against complacency before Tuesday's Champions League match with Stuttgart at Stamford Bridge. The Italian boss said he had watched Stuttgart win 2-0 at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, with goals from Alexander Gleb and a Horst Heldt penalty, and was impressed with their performance. He said: "I watched the match, the Stuttgart match, and they won well, played well. They scored very early with Gleb and at the end of the match with a penalty and they played very, very well. It's a dangerous, dangerous team. All the German teams are very dangerous. We won in Stuttgart 1-0 and I hope it's enough, but the round is not finished yet."
Chelsea, boosted by the return of their most expensive player Damien Duff, have an enviable home record in European competition having lost only two of 43 matches played at Stamford Bridge.
But, despite winning every away game and topping their group in the first round, they have not been so consistent in London this season, losing 2-0 to Besiktas and managing only a scoreless draw against Sparta Prague.
The London side will be at almost full strength for the game, only midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron and Emmanuel Petit who have long term back and knee injuries respectively, failing to make Ranieri's squad list.
Ireland's Duff, who has played less than an hour's competitive football since December because of shoulder and Achilles injuries, is likely to return to the starting line-up.
Stuttgart will also have to get past a defence and goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who have not conceded a goal for nearly seven hours of Champions League competition, keeping clean sheets in the last four games.
John Terry, who as captain will be marshalling the back four with France skipper Marcel Desailly likely to start on the bench, said the side had great self-belief, despite recent losses to Arsenal in both FA Cup and Premier League.
"All the players downstairs believe we've got a chance in this competition, but it's going to be a tough game tomorrow," the England central defender said. "They've got to come to the Bridge, the fans are going to make it hard for them. We're certainly going to make it hard and hopefully we can hold on."
As a 17-year-old trainee in 1998 Terry travelled to Stockholm with the team and watched Chelsea beat Stuttgart in the Cup Winners' Cup final. He said he would like to repeat the experience on the pitch.
With Chelsea's erratic home form in the Champions League, Claudio Ranieri is likely to use his most experienced side. Chelsea have won all their away fixtures but lost to Besiktas and managed only a 0-0 draw against Sparta Prague at home in the group stage.
Trailing 1-0 after the first leg in Germany, Stuttgart's morale has been boosted by a 2-0 Bundesliga win at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday that keeps them third in the table. It was a convincing win and their first away from home since November.
The team held a light training session on Monday (March 8) at Stamford Bridge and should be at full strength against Chelsea.
Felix Magath said midfielder and captain Zvonimir Soldo, who was substituted on Saturday with a knee problem, would be fit.
"We are very pleased to be able to prepare for tomorrow's Champions League match against Chelsea. The 0-1 score that we inherited from the first game put us in a worse position than Chelsea is. However after our game against Borussia on the weekend we are in good spirit," the German said.
Brazilian-born striker Kevin Kuranyi, now a German international, should start despite a goal drought since January. Hungary striker Imre Szabics, in poor form, was expected to be replaced by Brazilian Cacau.
Probable teams: Chelsea: 23-Carlo Cudicini; 2-Glen Johnson, 26-John Terry, 13-William Gallas, 18-Wayne Bridge; 14-Geremi, 4-Claude Makelele, 8-Frank Lampard, 11-Damien Duff; 7-Adrian Mutu, 21-Hernan Crespo.
Stuttgart: 1-Timo Hildebrand; 2-Andreas Hinkel, 3-Boris Zivkovic, 5-Marcelo Bordon, 21-Philipp Lahm; 20-Zvonimir Soldo, 6-Fernando Meira, 15-Alexander Gleb, 7-Silvio Meissner; 22-Kevin Kuranyi, 18-Cacau. Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen (Denmark)
Bureau Report
Ranieri told a news conference on Monday (March 8) that he would warn his players against complacency before Tuesday's Champions League match with Stuttgart at Stamford Bridge. The Italian boss said he had watched Stuttgart win 2-0 at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, with goals from Alexander Gleb and a Horst Heldt penalty, and was impressed with their performance. He said: "I watched the match, the Stuttgart match, and they won well, played well. They scored very early with Gleb and at the end of the match with a penalty and they played very, very well. It's a dangerous, dangerous team. All the German teams are very dangerous. We won in Stuttgart 1-0 and I hope it's enough, but the round is not finished yet."
Chelsea, boosted by the return of their most expensive player Damien Duff, have an enviable home record in European competition having lost only two of 43 matches played at Stamford Bridge.
But, despite winning every away game and topping their group in the first round, they have not been so consistent in London this season, losing 2-0 to Besiktas and managing only a scoreless draw against Sparta Prague.
The London side will be at almost full strength for the game, only midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron and Emmanuel Petit who have long term back and knee injuries respectively, failing to make Ranieri's squad list.
Ireland's Duff, who has played less than an hour's competitive football since December because of shoulder and Achilles injuries, is likely to return to the starting line-up.
Stuttgart will also have to get past a defence and goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who have not conceded a goal for nearly seven hours of Champions League competition, keeping clean sheets in the last four games.
John Terry, who as captain will be marshalling the back four with France skipper Marcel Desailly likely to start on the bench, said the side had great self-belief, despite recent losses to Arsenal in both FA Cup and Premier League.
"All the players downstairs believe we've got a chance in this competition, but it's going to be a tough game tomorrow," the England central defender said. "They've got to come to the Bridge, the fans are going to make it hard for them. We're certainly going to make it hard and hopefully we can hold on."
As a 17-year-old trainee in 1998 Terry travelled to Stockholm with the team and watched Chelsea beat Stuttgart in the Cup Winners' Cup final. He said he would like to repeat the experience on the pitch.
With Chelsea's erratic home form in the Champions League, Claudio Ranieri is likely to use his most experienced side. Chelsea have won all their away fixtures but lost to Besiktas and managed only a 0-0 draw against Sparta Prague at home in the group stage.
Trailing 1-0 after the first leg in Germany, Stuttgart's morale has been boosted by a 2-0 Bundesliga win at Borussia Dortmund on Saturday that keeps them third in the table. It was a convincing win and their first away from home since November.
The team held a light training session on Monday (March 8) at Stamford Bridge and should be at full strength against Chelsea.
Felix Magath said midfielder and captain Zvonimir Soldo, who was substituted on Saturday with a knee problem, would be fit.
"We are very pleased to be able to prepare for tomorrow's Champions League match against Chelsea. The 0-1 score that we inherited from the first game put us in a worse position than Chelsea is. However after our game against Borussia on the weekend we are in good spirit," the German said.
Brazilian-born striker Kevin Kuranyi, now a German international, should start despite a goal drought since January. Hungary striker Imre Szabics, in poor form, was expected to be replaced by Brazilian Cacau.
Probable teams: Chelsea: 23-Carlo Cudicini; 2-Glen Johnson, 26-John Terry, 13-William Gallas, 18-Wayne Bridge; 14-Geremi, 4-Claude Makelele, 8-Frank Lampard, 11-Damien Duff; 7-Adrian Mutu, 21-Hernan Crespo.
Stuttgart: 1-Timo Hildebrand; 2-Andreas Hinkel, 3-Boris Zivkovic, 5-Marcelo Bordon, 21-Philipp Lahm; 20-Zvonimir Soldo, 6-Fernando Meira, 15-Alexander Gleb, 7-Silvio Meissner; 22-Kevin Kuranyi, 18-Cacau. Referee: Kim Milton Nielsen (Denmark)
Bureau Report