FC Copenhagen v Chelsea: Champions League Last 16 Preview

Published February 22, 2011 | By Rolly

Danish champions FC Copenhagen host Chelsea at the Parken Stadium in the first leg of their Champions League Last 16 knockout round.

The hosts have been in imperious form this season and are currently sitting top of the Danish league, a lofty 19 points ahead of their nearest competitors.

Undefeated in 19 matches, the Parken side will not be short of confidence as they seek to plunge visitors Chelsea into a deeper crisis.

In a group consisting of Spanish champions Barcelona, Russian champions Rubin Kazan and Greek champions Panathinaikos, Stale Solbakken’s men did not taste the bitterness of defeat once in their own lair even stubbornly held the 2009 winners Barcelona to an impressive 1-1 draw.

Such confidence and belief will rain down in torrents as an underperforming Chelsea side come to town.

By all accounts, the Blues have endured a terrible domestic season with players off-form, ageing players having failed to be replaced, and top striker Didier Drogba firing blanks.

Saturday’s FA Cup elimination at the hands of Everton means that Europe’s crown prize is all that Blues coach Carlo Ancelotti can take to an increasingly concerned Roman Abramovich come the end of the season.

As such, elimination at this stage to this opposition may mean curtains for the Italian’s time in West London.

Still, a belligerent and bellicose Ancelotti remains unfazed and super-confident. “Chelsea won’t go out against Copenhagen,” the former AC Milan coach told the club’s official website. We shall see!

Team News:

FC Copenhagen have a fully fit squad to chose from and is likely to deploy his trusted 4-4-2 formation. Former Chelsea winger Jesper Gronkjaer will start behind rapid striker Dame N’Doye.

Chelsea are ready to give £50million striker Fernando Torres his maiden Champions League outing in a Blues shirt maybe at the expense of a misfiring Didier Drogba.

Defender David Luiz is cup-tied having appeared for former club Benfica in the group stages, whilst Yuri Zhirkov and Alex remain sidelined.

Likely Line Ups:

FC Copenhagen: Wiland; Jorgensen, Antonsson, Wendt, Pospech; Claudemir, Bolanos, Kvist, Vingaard; Gronkjaer; N’Doye.

Chelsea: Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard; Drogba, Torres, Malouda.

Prediction: FC Copenhagen 2-1 Chelsea. Such is the lack of confidence in the Chelsea camp at the moment that avoiding a defeat at the rumbustious Parken stadium will be considered a good result.

The Blues did not impress in the group stages when they were a better team, and now they are significantly worse, hence the inevitability and lack of surprise as they crumble yet again. Sorry Carlo!

Posted in Champions League, Preview | Tagged Champions League, Chelsea, Danish champions, FC Copenhagen, Fernando Torres, Last 16 knockout, Parken Stadium, Preview