Veron returns as Lampard heads for a century
Following the high of the Champions League encounter with Arsenal on Wednesday night, Stamford Bridge will once again be the venue for our third consecutive home match as we look to continue our recent run of fine form in the Premiership.
However, the team that takes to the pitch tomorrow afternoon will be different to the team that played on Wednesday. No new injuries have been sustained but Claudio Ranieri will bring in fresh legs as we enter the most critical stage of the season so far.
" I will do some changes tomorrow because we need some fresh players," the Chelsea boss announced this afternoon.
" All the players are in good condition; of course the players involved in the Arsenal match are a little tired because it´s normal, not physically but mentally. It´s normal when you play the Champions League matches you spend a lot of psychological energy. It was important that we played well, it was not a good, good result but it was not a bad result."
Despite Arsenal scoring an away goal, the mood in the camp is good and there are several reasons to be optimistic about the second-leg, having achieved our best result against Arsene Wenger´s men so far this season.
" My players knew Arsenal were the favourites, of course all of our thoughts would be better if we won, but that wasn´t possible because they have good players and Pires scored a good goal for Arsenal.
" Now it is important to look ahead and the next match against Arsenal they are the favourite but Chelsea have scored every time in the Champions League away so far, haven´t conceded a goal so far, why can´t we continue to do this? Then they must beat us if they want to go into the semi-final."
Before round two of the Champions League battle, we have important Premiership matches against Wolves and Tottenham.
Wolves have everything to play for and will be hoping to avenge the 5-0 scoreline from earlier in the season. The fixture at Mollienux was a fine day for Chelsea with Damien Duff and Hernan Crespo scoring their first goals for their new team.
Six months on Wolves have everything to play for as they fight fiercely against relegation. Despite our fine form nothing is being taken for granted.
" There is nothing easy in football. You must work hard and maybe in the end you achieve the points, that is the right way to play. I have said this to my players and tomorrow I will repeat the same words, it is an important three points.
" I think Wolves are desperate to get the points. They lost their last match against Liverpool at the end of the match, that means tomorrow it will be a difficult match for us but we want to win.
" We need to win because the day after there will be a big match - Arsenal versus Manchester United. Every result it will be good for us, the draw, the Arsenal victory or the Manchester United victory; if we win of course."
Tomorrow will also mark a special day in the career of our midfielder Frank Lampard. Uncharacteristically, Claudio has confirmed that the Chelsea No 8 will start against Wolves and in doing so will become only the third outfield player, behind Alan Shearer ( Blackburn) and Wayne Bridge ( Southampton) to play 100 consecutive Premier League matches.
" I don´t know what happened with him, maybe when I am tinkering I forget him!" joked Claudio. " No, he will play and he´ll play his 100th consecutive match. Frank is a strong man and in my opinion he is full of everything, he is strong, resistant, he is a very, very good player."
The big non-match news is the return of midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón who today completed his first training session since returning from Argentina where he has been recovering from his back operation. Claudio is pleased to have the Argentinean back.
" I recognise him, don´t worry," he joked. " He made his first training session with my fitness coach, Roberto Sassi and he worked well without any problem and that was good. I think in a couple of weeks Seba could be ready to play a half."
