Steaua Bucharest v Chelsea: Champions League match preview
A look ahead to the Blues’s Champions League visit to Bucharest
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Your support makes all the difference.After their shock loss at home to Basel in their opening Champions League group fixture, Chelsea know the pressure is on to get a result against Romanian champions Steaua Bucharest.
While Chelsea’s multi-million pound squad should not be troubled by Steaua on paper, when the two teams met in Bucharest in the Europa League last season they were unable to break down the Romanian’s dogged defence and lost 1-0 – a fact that is unlikely to improve any nerves the team may have this time round.
Their opponents are currently joint top in the Romanian Liga 1 and have made an unbeaten start domestically. After they were comfortably outclassed against Schalke in their first match they will be keen to transfer their good league form into Europe and look to replicate last year’s performance against Chelsea.
KICK-OFF: Tuesday, 7.45pm
PAST MEETINGS…
Chelsea 3 (Mata, Terry, Torres) Steaua Bucharest 1 (Chiriches), Europa League, knock-out phase, March 2013.
Steaua Bucharest 1 (Raul Rusescu) Chelsea 0, Europa League, knock-out phase, March 2013.
STATS…
Chelsea have never lost their opening two games of the Champions League group stage.
Steaua Bucharest have only conceded one goal at home this season.
Chelsea have only won two of their last ten Champions League games away from home.
In eight games no Romanian side has ever scored more than one goal against English opposition in the Champions League.
ODDS…
Chelsea to win: 1.74
Steaua Bucharest to win: 6
Draw: 3.75
TV: Live on Sky Sports 4 at 7.45pm, highlights on ITV at 10.00pm
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