Chelsea must demonstrate cleverness in French exam

The belief of Jose Mourinho, the man who guided Porto to last season's Champions' League title and who has been charged with repeating the feat with Chelsea, is that English clubs have lacked "cleverness" when competing in Europe.

Since Mourinho gives the impression he is a man with cleverness to spare his task tonight is to pass some on to his team for their Champions' League opener against Paris St-Germain in the Parc des Princes.

Chelsea won every away fixture in Europe last year until the fateful date in Monaco which ended Claudio Ranieri's hopes of survival. On that occasion the team - and their coach - lost their heads but previously there was no shortage of the qualities Mourinho yesterday outlined.

"You must be a team which thinks on the pitch, not play just by instinct or with your heart, or play like opponents want you to play," he said. "You have to be intelligent and clever on the pitch to control the game and control the emotions - this is crucial in the Champions' League.

"One of the secrets is to have a big tactical culture. Playing an Italian side is not the same as playing a Spanish side and so on."

Since Chelsea are set to field four players with experience of the French league they should know what to expect. These include Didier Drogba, last season's top French scorer, and Claude Makelele who retired from the French international team last week. Since Drogba played for Marseille, and Makelele was last year heavily criticised here for his play-acting against Monaco, both may receive a hostile reception.

Mourinho has intimated he will include Damien Duff, who has played three matches this season for the Republic of Ireland but made only one appearance, off the bench, for Chelsea. That would provide much-needed width. Joe Cole is the most likely to make way. Wayne Bridge should return after being rested and Alexei Smertin may displace Tiago who, like Cole, was criticised for his display at Aston Villa.

Vahid Halilhodzic, the PSG coach, is not as fêted as Mourinho but is just as shrewd. After coaching in Morocco and Bosnia he took Lille from the second division to the Champions' League, coaxing far more from Pascal Cygan and Bruno Cheyrou than Arsène Wenger and Gérard Houllier subsequently did.

After a summer of comings and goings which exceeded even those at Stamford Bridge, PSG have started this season poorly and languish in the lower reaches of Ligue 1 without a win in five. Yet there is quality, especially in attack where Pauleta leads the line and Jérôme Rothen has been acquired from Monaco.

Nevertheless, Chelsea ought to start this week of Anglo-French encounters with a victory. Mourinho said he would be happy with a draw, but few believe that, including his players.

Paris SG (4-3-2-1): Letizi; Mendy, Pierre-Fanfan, Badiane, Armand; M'Bami, Cana, Coridon; Ogbeche, Rothen; Pauleta.

Chelsea (4-1-2-1-2): Cech; Ferreira, Carvalho, Terry, Bridge; Makelele; Lampard, Smertin; Duff; Gudjohnsen, Drogba.

Referee: M E Mejuto Gonzalez (Spain).