UEFA : CSKA Moscow vs Sevilla - 24.02.2010


Wednesday 24th February 2010
Venue: Luzhniki Stadium
Kick-off: 17:30



Adriano: No margin for error

Sevilla wing-back Adriano has told his team-mates they cannot afford to fail in their Champions League last-16 clash with CSKA Moscow.

Sevilla, fourth in the Primera Division, have been handed what looks like one of the easier ties against a side who conceded more goals than any other qualifier from the group stage.

And Adriano knows Wednesday's first leg in Moscow represents a great chance to make further progress - especially with CSKA not having played a competitive game in two and a half months.

"We cannot fail now," he said. "We are all very focused. The game is important for the players because everyone wants to play in the Champions League but it is also important for the club and the fans.


"Sevilla have grown enormously in recent years, are a team with strength and international presence and have to be in the Champions League to strengthen the position of the club."

Saturday's 3-1 win against Real Mallorca, which ended the island side's perfect home league record, has left Sevilla in confident mood.

"It was a great dress rehearsal for the match in Moscow," said Adriano. "It was a great game that confirmed the level the team is at. Anyone who underestimates Sevilla is taking a big risk.

"In the Champions League, everyone understands that Sevilla have great potential."

Sevilla arrived in Russia to be greeted by unfamiliarly cold conditions and the players took the chance to have a snowball fight in training.

Adriano added on www.sevillafc.es: "We respect CSKA, we also respect the influence that the cold may have, but we are ready to deal with everything: the snow, the cold and the opponents."

Sevilla will be without striker Luis Fabiano for the Luzhniki Stadium clash after the Brazil player sustained an injury to his chest in the win over Mallorca.

Winger Diego Capel also picked up a muscle injury in that game and will miss out but Fredi Kanoute has recovered from a thigh problem and is available.

"It is a pity that Luis Fabiano is not available but, as much importance as a player can have, the team always has solutions to deal with these absences," said Adriano.

"We are a team, we are a group and that makes the difference in football."

Having been out of action for so long, with the Russian season having concluded at the end of November, CSKA look like having a fully-fit squad available.

Highly-rated defender Uros Cosic and and young forward Alan Dzagoev are both back in full training after back and groin injuries respectively and are expected to be available.

Sergei Ignashevich and Aleksei Berezutski are back after European suspensions.

CSKA defender Vasili Berezutski is not expecting the weather to work in his side's favour.

"It would be a big mistake to think the Spaniards would just fall over on the slippery surface and give us a clean path to their goal." he said.

UEFA Champions League : Inter Milan vs Chelsea - 24.02.2010

Wednesday 24th February 2010
Venue: Stadio Giuseppe Meazza
Kick-off: 19:45



Mourinho plays down advantage

Jose Mourinho stressed his intricate knowledge of Chelsea does not mean his Inter Milan side have an advantage ahead of Wednesday night's Champions League clash.

Mourinho faces the Blues for the first time since leaving Stamford Bridge in September 2007 after three years in charge.

But although most of the players remain the same, that does not necessarily mean Mourinho knows how to beat the Blues.


"I know Chelsea well but that doesn't mean that it's any easier," he said.

"Sometimes it's more difficult because when you know so much about the team, if you don't decide what is the right information to give to the your new players about your old players, you can get into trouble.

"I played against Porto with Chelsea the year after I left, so in the 2004/05 season.

"It was my team, my players and I knew everything about them, but it was not easy. We won one game and lost the other one."

Likewise, Mourinho does not see any advantage in the current Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti returning to the city where he spent most of his managerial career, as boss of AC Milan.

"It's not easy," added Mourinho.

"I don't think it is for Carlo Ancelotti, who knows Inter very well, and has worked all his life in Italian football and played against Inter a dozen times and is a local man, a man from Milan, from the same city.

"I think he knows everything about us, everything about our players, but I don't think it's an advantage at all."

Mourinho is not expecting Chelsea to come and build the barricades - and nor will Inter - but predicts the tie will be decided at Stamford Bridge next month, rather than Wednesday night.

"I don't remember seeing a game involving Chelsea and them going on the field to defend, or not to win, or to play for a 0-0," he said.

"Inter are the same. It's a game which could be 180 minutes, but it may even be 30 minutes more.

"The first game is important, but I think the second is even more important because that's the one which decides the tie."

As for his own team, Mourinho is still sweating over the fitness of goalkeeper Julio Cesar, who was involved in a car accident on Sunday.

Although the Brazilian was able to train on Tuesday, Mourinho will assess him again prior to kick-off having called veteran goalkeeper Francesco Toldo up as cover.

Ancelotti insists that events outside of Chelsea's dressing room will have little effect on their preparation.

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is to separate from his wife Cheryl following a string of allegations about affairs with other women.

But Ancelotti, keen to play down a war of words with Mourinho, insisted his squad would not be distracted by any off-the-field issues.

"I think we are focused will be on this important game," said Ancelotti.

"We will not change our motivation for this game, whatever happens outside our dressing room."

Ancelotti has found himself facing a major selection headache over the left-back position.

Cole's broken ankle and a calf injury to Yury Zhirkov has left the Italian having to call upon Juliano Belletti.

Belletti has not played for over a month because of a knee injury and Chelsea's problems have been further compounded by the fact that Paulo Ferreira, who can play in that position, has not been included in the club's Champions League squad.

Mourinho has found himself unpopular among other Serie A coaches and Italian football's authorities because of his outspoken behaviour and Ancelotti had allegedly claimed that every neutral in Italy will be hoping his Chelsea side can beat Mourinho's Inter.

But Ancelotti added: "I never said this. I respect Inter Milan fully. I understand how much Inter want to win this cup but we also want to win it.

"To be honest I am not interested in Inter Milan and their dressing room.

"I think the game will be very even with two strong teams and it will be a great battle."

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