PRE-MATCH BRIEFING: AS ROMA V CHELSEA

By the end of tonight's game in Italy, Chelsea could have taken a step towards a return to Rome in May. Club historian Rick Glanvill and club statistician Paul Dutton look forward to la dolce vita.

TALKING POINTS
A win in one of the founding cities of Western civilisation will virtually guarantee Chelsea's passage to the knockout phase of the Champions League.

The Londoners have yet to concede a goal in this year's campaign, and only one team faced in the last nine games in all competitions has managed to breach the Blues' defences. Ominously for the Italians, Nicolas Anelka is also the Premier League's top scorer. In contrast, Luciano Spalletti's side has conceded ten goals in their previous four matches, registering only one for themselves.

Yet Chelsea's recent away form in Europe could stand improvement. The 4-0 over Rosenborg is the only win in the last seven games away from the Bridge (if the Moscow final, a draw, is included). That contrasts with our peerless travelling form in the Premier League.

KEY STAT Chelsea's last 11 away games in all competitions have seen nine wins and two draws since our last away defeat at Fenerbahçe in April.

Everyone is talking about Rory Delap's long throws and their impact (and this column doffs its digital cap to the midfielder for his skewering of Arsenal). He has been awarded four 'assists' in the league so far, though seven of Stoke City's strikes have come in the confusion caused by his sideline flings.

Two Chelsea players have a number of assists equal to or higher than Delap's and are nothing like as heralded.

Joe Cole also has four, despite only figuring in eight matches, of which he has played all 90 minutes just once. And in five of the other seven he has left the field before the 65 minute mark.

Joey's effectiveness, though, is no surprise to Chelsea fans. The Londoners have also won the last 32 games in which he has scored, going back to 2004.

A notch higher on the assists ladder is the much-maligned Florent Malouda, with five. One was the brilliantly selfless and aware sideways pass to Nicolas Anelka against Sunderland. He may not have the pace and dynamism of his popular predecessor down the left, Arjen Robben, but the Frenchman is making a major contribution to the current team.

So far this season, Robben has played three league games fewer for Real Madrid than Malouda has for the Blues, in which he has produced only two assists. Malouda already has two league goals to his credit, too; the Dutchman has one.

Speaking of assists, Frank Lampard has achieved this competition's highest number so far, three. Barcelona's Xavi has the same.

John Terry's timing is usually pretty good. His solitary goal at Stamford Bridge against Roma was not only vital because it broke the deadlock and sent Chelsea clear at the top of Group A. It was also his first goal since missing that penalty in the Champions League final in Moscow. Looking fitter and sharper again, it surely won't be his last in this campaign.

Remember that when teams are level on points in Champions League groups, order is determined by the aggregate of scores between them.

Other Group A fixture
Tue 7.45pm - CFR Cluj v Bordeaux

Champions League group A table

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Chelsea	3	2	1	0	5	0	7
CFR Cluj	3	1	1	1	2	2	4
Roma	3	1	0	2	4	4	3
Bordeaux	3	1	0	2	2	7	3

TACTICAL BRIEF
'When I was in Portugal and John Terry played against me [for England] I was always afraid when he came into the penalty area,' Luiz Felipe Scolari said following his skipper's goal two weeks ago against tonight's opponents. 'Now I'm here and I tell him I expect the same.'

Roma's defence will be equally expectant considering JT's brilliant header was all that separated the two Champions League combatants at the Bridge. Earlier, the defender had also performed a perfect last-gasp tackle to rob Matteo Brighi of an excellent shooting opportunity.

If there are to be more chances for Roma this evening, they will have to play a less constricting, more attacking game at home in Italy, as Felipao expects.

It's likely Roma supporters will be more anxious than usual, having seen their side slip to third in the Champions League group, with a solitary win, and also stumble horribly in Serie A this season.

It is also the Romans' first home European tie since the dismal defeat to CFR Cluj on the competition's opening night, a 1-2 reverse after Christian Panucci had opened the scoring for the Italians.

On Saturday, goals either side of half-time for Juventus were enough to sink Luciano Spalletti's side. Del Piero hit a brilliant 30-yard free kick in to the top left corner in the 38th minute, and Marchionni breezed through a Roman defence in disarray to poke home ten minutes later.

Spalletti's side are currently one point from the relegation zone in Serie A. Since beating Bordeaux on Champions League Matchday Two, they have lost five successive games in all competitions. Domestically, they find themselves in 17th place.

Against Juve, Spalletti used the same favoured 4-2-3-1 formation he had at the Bridge, though Francesco Totti, impressive in that game, was absent having felt severe pain in his knee once again.

He may well miss this encounter too. Julio Baptista played alone upfront in his absence on Saturday. David Pizarro, who was supposed to feature in London, also returned from injury, but central midfielder Alberto Aquilani, who limped off against Chelsea, still has a thigh injury.

Defensively Roma have not convinced, amid much chopping and changing. At Juve, our former loanee Christian Panucci reverted from centre to right-back, then made way for the more offensive Cicinho after Juve's second as they looked for more attacking impetus.

Luiz Felipe Scolari has already said that Nicolas Anelka's match fitness will give him the nod over the returning Didier Drogba tonight. Wayne Bridge is the obvious replacement for the injured Ashley Cole.

WE HAVE HISTORY
The encounters between Chelsea and Roma in the 1965/6 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup were notorious for very different reasons. The home game at the Bridge was a battle of fractured tempers, thrown punches and sendings-off. Eddie McCreadie was sent off for openly decking an opponent in a 4-1 win in which Terry Venables' cheeky free kicks were rare highlights.

The return leg was built up in the press as a revenge mission and Roma fans were at fever pitch when Chelsea took to the pitch. All sorts of items were thrown onto the pitch at his team, but Manager Tommy Docherty (pictured below) was an astute observer of European football.

He ensured his team played the situation to their advantage, slowing and stifling the game, and telling them to be canny: when Johnny Boyle was hit by a missile he spent an age on the floor, despite later admitting that he wasn't hurt a bit.

Chelsea's spoiling tactics did not pacify the Italian supporters, and their President had to walk around the perimeter appealing for calm on the terraces. The game finished 0-0, 4-1 on aggregate, but Chelsea's torment lasted into the night, as louts smashed windows on the players' and officials' coaches as they crawled through the Roman traffic to the airport.

Of course, there are the usual common sense warnings to travellers from Britain going to the game, but we fans have enjoyed several recent trips to the Eternal City to play Roma's arch-rivals Lazio, without serious problems.

On the field in 1999/2000, the Blues drew 0-0 and, in 2003/4, won 4-0. Both were group stage ties.

October 6 1965 Roma 0 Chelsea 0 (second leg)
Roma Cudicini, Toamsin, Carpenetti, Carpanesi, Losi (c), Benaglia, Tamborini, Leonardi, Francesconi, V Benitez, Nardoni.
Chelsea Bonetti, Shellito, McCreadie, Hollins, Hinton, R Harris, Murray, Graham, Bridges, Venables (c), Boyle.
Attendance 40,000

MOST RECENT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LINE-UP
Chelsea 1 Roma 0
Wednesday October 22nd 2008 at Stamford Bridge
Referee Kyros Vassaras (Greece)
Crowd 41,002

Chelsea Cech Bosingwa Carvalho Terry (c) Bridge Mikel Kalou Deco Lampard Malouda Anelka Substitutes Belletti for Malouda (h/t), Di Santo for Kalou (76) Ferreira for Anelka (90+2) Scorer Terry 77 Booked Malouda, Terry Totti (c) Vucinic Aquilani Taddei Brighi De Rossi Riise Mexas Panucci (c) Cicinho Doni Roma Substitute Perrotta for Aquilani (61), Menez for Taddei (81) Tonetto for Riise (82) Booked Mexes, Panucci

CHELSEA STATS
All four goals Chelsea have conceded in the 15 games this season have been scored in the first half.

Chelsea and Man United are the only two teams from the 32 yet to concede after three games in this season's group stage.

This season is our seventh appearance in the Champions League. We have been finalists in 2007/08, semi-finalists in 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2006/07, quarter-finalists in 1999/2000 and the last 16 in 2005/06.

Chelsea's last five years in Europe
2003/04 Champions League - semi-finals
2004/05 Champions League - semi-finals
2005/06 Champions League - round of 16
2006/07 Champions League - semi-finals
2007/08 Champions League - runners-up

Chelsea's overall record in European competition is played 146, won 78, drawn 39, lost 29. This is our 12th season in succession in Europe.

Chelsea have played 74 games in the Champions League proper (excluding qualifying games). We have won 37, drawn 22 and lost 15.

Chelsea have won three (Valencia twice and Rosenborg) and lost two (Liverpool and Fenerbahçe) of our last 10 away Champions League games (excluding last year's final). The draws were against Porto, Schalke, Olympiacos, Liverpool and CFR Cluj.

Chelsea's record on Italian soil

1965/66	Roma	D 0-0
1965/66	AC Milan	L 1-2, D 1-1
1997/98	Vicenza	L 0-1
1999/00	AC Milan	D 1-1
1999/00	Lazio	D 0-0
2003/04	Lazio	W 4-0

Chelsea's last six domestic games

Sep 27	Stoke A	W 2-0
Oct 5	Aston Villa H	W 2-0
Oct 18	Middlesbrough A	W 5-0
Oct 26	Liverpool H	L 0-1
Oct 29	Hull City A	W 3-0
Nov 1	Sunderland H	W 5-0

2008/09 Champions League results

Sep 16	Bordeaux H	W 4-0
Oct 1	CFR Cluj A	D 0-0
Oct 22	Roma H	W 1-0

2008/09 Champions League appearances
Bosingwa 3, Cech 3, Lampard 3, Malouda 3, Mikel 3, Terry 3, Anelka 2+1, Kalou 2+1, Bridge 2, Carvalho 2, Deco 2, Ballack 1+1, Alex 1, A Cole 1, J Cole 1, Drogba 1, Belletti 0+3, Di Santo 0+2, Ferreira 0+1.

2008/09 Champions League goals
Anelka 1, J Cole 1, Lampard 1, Malouda 1, Terry 1.

MILESTONE
If selected, Juliano Belletti will his 50^th appearance in a blue shirt.


ROMA STATS
Major honours
Serie A Champions (3)
1942, 1983, 2001
Italian Cup winners (9)
1964, 1969, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1991, 2007, 2008
Inter-Cities Fairs Cup (1)
1961
Italian Super Cup (2)
2001, 2007

Roma's only European success was the Fairs Cup in 1960/61 when they defeated Birmingham 4-2 on aggregate. Fabio Cudicini (Carlo's dad) played in goal for Roma in both legs. Roma beat Union St Gilloise (1st round), Cologne (QF) and Hibernian (SF) to reach the final that was actually played in September and October of the following season.

They have twice lost out in Uefa finals - the 1984 European Cup on penalties to Liverpool and the 1991 Uefa Cup to Inter Milan over two legs.

Roma qualified for the Champions League as runners-up of Serie A, three points behind champions Inter Milan and so finished as runners-up behind the Nerazzurri for the third successive season.

Roma's last five years in Europe
2003/04 UEFA Cup - third round
2004/05 Champions League - group stage
2005/06 UEFA Cup - round of 16
2006/07 Champions League - quarter-finals
2007/08 Champions League - quarter-finals

Roma's home record against English teams

1960/61	Birmingham	W 2-0 Fairs Cup final, 2nd leg (agg 4-2)
1961/62	Sheffield Wed	W 1-0 Fairs Cup Rd of 16, 2nd leg (agg 1-4)
1965/66	Chelsea	D 0-0 Fairs Cup 1st Rd, 2nd leg (agg 1-4)
1982/83	Ipswich	W 3-0 Uefa Cup, 1st Rd, 1st leg (agg 4-3)
1983/84	Liverpool	D 1-1 Lost 2-4 on pens aet. European Cup final
1998/99	Leeds	W 1-0 Uefa Cup 2nd Rd, 1st leg (agg 1-0)
1999/00	Newcastle	W 1-0 Uefa Cup 3rd Rd, 1st leg (agg 1-0)
1999/00	Leeds	D 0-0 Uefa Cup Rd of 16, 1st leg (agg 0-1)
2000/01	Liverpool	L 0-2 Uefa Cup Rd of 16, 1st leg (agg 1-2)
2001/02	Liverpool	D 0-0 Champions League 2nd group
2002/03	Arsenal	L 1-3 Champions League 2nd group
2005/06	Middlesbrough	W 2-1 Uefa Cup Rd of 16, 2nd leg (agg 2-2, lost on away goals)
2006/07	Man Utd	W 2-1 Champions League QF, 1st leg (agg 3-8)
2007/08	Man Utd	D 1-1 Champions League group
2007/08	Man Utd	L 0-2 Champions League QF 1st leg (agg 0-3)

Roma's Uefa club competition record is played 185, won 86, drawn 41, lost 58. In the European Cup / Champions League they have won 22 of their 62 games.

2008/09 Champions League results

Sep 16	CFR Cluj H	L 1-2
Oct 1	Bordeaux A	W 3-1
Oct 22	Chelsea A	L 0-1

2008/09 Champions League appearances
Aquilani 3, Cicinho 3, De Rossi 3, Doni 3, Panucci 3, Riise 3, Taddei 3, Vucinic 3, Mexes 2, Baptista 1+1, Brighi 1+1, Menez 1+1, Perrotta 1+1, Tonetto 1+1, Totti 1+1, Cassetti 1, Loria 0+1, Montella 0+1, Okaka Chuka 0+1.

2008/09 Champions League goalscorers
Baptista 2, Panucci 1, Vucinic 1.

Roma are hoping to end a run of five successive defeats in all competitions with only one goal scored and 11 conceded. They have won two and lost two of their five home games this season in all competitions.

On Saturday evening, goals from Claudio Ranieri's Juventus inflicted a fourth successive Serie A defeat and sixth of the season. Roma's team was: (4-2-3-1) Doni; Panucci (c) (Cicinho 58), Mexas, Juan, Riise; De Rossi, Pizarro (Okaka Chuka 70); Taddei (Menez h/t), Perrotta, Vucinic; Baptista.

Roma's last six in Serie A

Sep 24	Genoa A	L 1-3
Sep 28	Atalanta H	W 2-0
Oct 5	Siena A	L 0-1
Oct 19	Inter Milan H	L 0-4
Oct 26	Udinese A	L 1-3
Oct 29	Sampdoria H	Abandoned after six mins - waterlogged pitch
Nov 1	Juventus A	L 0-2

Serie A table

		P	GD	PTS
1	AC Milan	10	8	22
2	Udinese	10	11	21
3	Inter Milan	10	9	21
4	Napoli	10	6	20
5	Lazio	10	6	19
6	Juventus	10	4	18
7	Genoa	10	4	17
8	Fiorentina	10	4	17
9	Palermo	10	1	16
10	Catania	10	1	15
11	Atalanta	10	0	14
12	Siena	10	0	12
13	Lecce	10	-2	11
14	Cagliari	10	-3	10
15	Sampdoria	9	-4	10
16	Torino	10	-5	8
17	Roma	9	-8	7
18	Chievo	10	-10	6
19	Bologna	10	-11	6
20	Reggina	10	-11	5

The capacity of the Stadio Olimpico for Champions League games is 72,608.

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
The referee is Luis Medina Cantalejo. He has refereed one Roma match, in the 2003 UEFA Cup. It is his first Chelsea appointment. He was in charge of England's Euro 2008 qualifier defeat away in Russia.

OTHERWISE ENGAGED
There are no suspensions on either side. Three yellow cards in the Champions League will result in a one-match ban.

Champions League bookings list
Chelsea Alex 1, Anelka 1, Deco 1, Malouda 1, Terry 1.
Roma Panucci 2, Baptista 1, Cicinho 1, De Rossi 1, Mexes 1, Taddei 1,