UCL: Valencia v Chelsea

miss_soojung SG

Off we go to the Mestalla for the 2nd leg against Valencia this Tuesday. Predictions ... predictions ... ?

I'm still going for a 1-2 Blues win. A 0-1 win just seems too tame a prediction for me to go with Very Happy

dragg SG

i think valencia will go through.

chelsea have to score at valencia.

Sad

coldzero SG

A 0-0 draw for me.. Sad

miss_soojung SG

I'm overestimating our boys' scoring ability again?!? Embarassed

ghimpheng SG

no you are not i think it is realistic to predict the scoreline you predicted

ghimpheng SG

0 - 2

stellazio SG

i also fear for our chances, but i hope the boys or men will perform for mourinho..

2 more months left, its time to fire on alll cylinders, even if this is mourinho's final season, let it end in glory.

ghimpheng SG

Moretti admits Valencia concern over Chelsea's big-name attack
tribalfooball.com - April 08, 2007

Emiliano Moretti admits Valencia's defence is concerned by Chelsea's big-name strikers ahead of their Champions League return-leg in Spain.

"We will have to be concentrated for the full 90 minutes and all of us know we are playing one of the best teams in the world," Moretti told valenciacf.es.

"They have great potential up front because Drogba and Shevchenko are strikers with a great physical presence and goalscoring ability and they work very well together."

Drogba equalised David Silva's wonder strike in the first leg at Stamford Bridge and Moretti pointed out that Valencia are in a similar situation as they were against Inter.

"We have a slender advantage, like we did against Inter," he said.

"We hope they will come here and try and attack because they need to win the game because sometimes they don't like to give away any space."

ghimpheng SG

Chelsea's Drogba wants three-year old Valencia revenge
tribalfooball.com - April 09, 2007

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba admits he still harbours a three-year desire for revenge against Valencia.
The Chelsea hitman was devastated to lose to Valencia while wearing Marseille colours in the 2004 UEFA Cup final.

And it has given Drogba an added incentive in the Blues' Quadruple bid.

He admitted: "It remains a really painful memory for me. That defeat in Gothenburg left its mark on me like nothing else."

Drogba, 29, has already gained partial revenge by scoring the first-leg equaliser that denied Valencia victory at Stamford Bridge last Wednesday.

Now he is out to finish the job in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final in Spain tonight.

The 30-goal Ivory Coast star said: "We are not obsessed with winning the Champions League but we do want to win it. It's not something you win from one day to the next.

"It is a big objective this season and we believe in it.

"Valencia are a formidable team at home with the speed of David Villa, the experience of Fernando Morientes and their solid defensive set-up."

ghimpheng SG

Chelsea boss Mourinho convinced of Champions League success
tribalfooball.com - April 09, 2007

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is convinced they will see off Valencia tonight and go on and win this season's Champions League.
"We have had a good Champions League so far," he said. "We finished top of a group that included the champions (Barcelona) and we also beat a good Porto team.

"But winning the Champions League is about details, and sometimes there is nothing between success and no success. I'll give you two great examples.

"I won the Champions League with a goal in the last minute and a year later I lost a semi-final without conceding a goal. The pressure doesn't kill. Not even at the Mestalla because the supporters can't score the goals. Only on one occasion have the supporters scored a goal and that was for Liverpool."

He is referring, of course, to the goal that was scored by Liverpool's Luis Garcia in that 2005 semi-final. A goal that will forever be known by Mourinho as "the ghost goal".

agree

ghimpheng SG

Valencia coach Flores fears Chelsea's Drogba
tribalfooball.com - April 09, 2007

Valencia coach Quique Sanchez Flores admits Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is the danger man ahead of their Champions League return-leg clash.

He said: "We will have to limit the supply line to Drogba and (Andriy) Shevchenko.

"We must be sure to keep them away from our area as much as possible.

"It's not easy to mark a player like Drogba, but we need to mark him closely and we will have to defend well."

Sanchez Flores rested a host of key players for Saturday's Primera Liga game against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames and paid the price as the hosts secured a 1-0 win.

That result relegated Valencia to fifth in the table, six points behind leaders Barcelona.

Sanchez Flores still believes the title is within reach, however.

"We are privileged to defend the Spanish honour in the Champions League and we are also privileged to be in the race for the Spanish title with nine games remaining," he said.

ghimpheng SG

Valencia (probable): Canizares; Miguel, Ayala, Moretti, Del Horno; Joaquin, Albelda, Raul Albiol, Angulo; Silva, Villa.

Chelsea (from): Cech, Cudicini, Hilario, Ferreira, Geremi, Carvalho, Terry, Boulahrouz, A Cole, Bridge, J Cole, Makelele, Ballack, Lampard, Essien, Diarra, Mikel, Shevchenko, Drogba, Kalou, Wright-Phillips.

Essien Back For Chelsea

innosaint SG

I'm also gunning for a Chelsea win over Val, 2-1. This time should have nothing holding back them as it's the final chance of CL victory!

gangsterkillar SG

Yes, go all out for the win Chelsea! CL cup for Chelsea this year Exclamation .

ghimpheng SG

nonsense 1st half

hope to see Essien and ballack replace by joe cole and makelele

jose mourinho will be furious with the 1st half performance for sure

gigabyte14 SG

man u fan comin to tsk tsk u all!

jose should realli stop tinkin abt lampard... tink makelele

SumOne SG

I think Lampard has been the more hardworking one this season. Moreover, Lampard has been in the team longer and more often, so won't make sense not to continue to play him....

SumOne SG

Eh..... Lampard and Makelele different role leh....

SumOne SG

I think they miss Robben, they need his crosses.

But I think Chelsea leaving it to late game again. I expect Drogba to deliver something late. Depending on Joe Cole's fitness level, hopefully his pace is still there and can cause problems for a tired Valencia defence later on.

ghimpheng SG

LAmpard worst game this season