Competition: Champions League Group Stage Group D
Venue: Stamford Bridge - London
Kick off time: 7:45
Saturday's defeat at Eastlands brought about Chelsea's first back-to-back losses since we were beaten by Internazionale and the same club, Man City, back in February. Mancini also became the first coach since Boxing Day 2009 to deprive the Blues of a league goal. The goalie that day was Joe Hart, then on loan at Birmingham City.
Team News: Chelsea
Didier Drogba remains sidelined following his dismissal in last season's competition. With Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou, Yossi Benayoun and Jose Bosingwa also ruled out by injury, Carlo Ancelotti has already suggested that there may be a place for Daniel Sturridge or Gael Kakuta. He may even like another look at Josh McEachran should the occasion arise.
Team News: Marseille
Marseille have a poor record away from home and lost both legs when grouped with Liverpool back in 2008. L'OM, a major force in French football, but perennially shrouded in trouble of one sort or another, had a major clearout of players in the summer and while in transition are dangerous opponents. The Ligue 1 champions dispensed with their entire senior forward line of Bakary Kone, Fernando Morientes and their top scorer in Uefa competitions, Mamadou Niang. New boys Loic Remy and lanky Andre-Pierre Gignac have taken time to rise to the challenge in Didier Deschamps' 4-3-3 formation. Remy had health concerns, but Gignac is one of those strikers whose goals come in spells - he's yet to open his account this season. The diminutive Ghana international forward Andre 'Dede' Ayew (pictured below with Michael Essien), back from a series of loans, is having a better season in front of goal, with three to his name so far. Level with him is Nigerian Taye Taiwo, best known for his powerful shots form distance. Marseille can use their flanks very effectively.
After missing a beat at the start of the league season they have begun to settle into a rhythm and rose to fifth at the weekend with Saturday evening's 2-1 home win over Sochaux, left-back Taiwo (a speculative cross/shot) and wide right midfielder Lucho Gonzalez (slotting home from a long throw) scoring the goals. Equally good news for l'OM was the return of tall, experienced Souleymane Diawara to central defence for the first time this season, because their defence has been suspect this season, conceding ten goals in eight games. Gabriel Heinze has been playing in central defence rather than the left-back position more familiar during his time at Manchester United. Often considered formidable in the cauldron of their home stadium, the Stade Velodrome, it was a surprise to see them picked off expertly there by Spartak Moscow on Matchday One. Their downfall resulted from former Osasuna right-back Cesar Azpilicueta's own goal.
We Have History:
Didier Deschamps, the Marseille manager, was in charge of Monaco back in 2004 when tinkering Claudio Ranieri's Blues crashed out at the semi-final stage, having beating Arsenal in the memorable quarter-finals. Chelsea and Marseille have met twice before in the second group stage of our first Champions League campaign in 1999/2000. For the home leg, manager Gianluca Vialli deployed Gustavo Poyet behind strikers Gianfranco Zola and Tore Andre Flo, while Deschamps was the anchor in a compact midfield alongside Dennis Wise and Jody Morris. Marseille's reserve keeper Stephane Trevisan was busy all evening, but Chelsea's backline was frequently shaky. Dennis Wise's goal reversed the usual roles: Flo chipped to the far post for Zola to head back into the box Wise controlled and drove home. William Gallas, who was in the Marseille squad, was missing from both matches with a broken leg. Claude Makelele and Didier Drogba are other Blues who played for l'OM.
Stats: Chelsea:
Venue: Stamford Bridge - London
Kick off time: 7:45
Saturday's defeat at Eastlands brought about Chelsea's first back-to-back losses since we were beaten by Internazionale and the same club, Man City, back in February. Mancini also became the first coach since Boxing Day 2009 to deprive the Blues of a league goal. The goalie that day was Joe Hart, then on loan at Birmingham City.
Team News: Chelsea
Didier Drogba remains sidelined following his dismissal in last season's competition. With Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou, Yossi Benayoun and Jose Bosingwa also ruled out by injury, Carlo Ancelotti has already suggested that there may be a place for Daniel Sturridge or Gael Kakuta. He may even like another look at Josh McEachran should the occasion arise.
Team News: Marseille
Marseille have a poor record away from home and lost both legs when grouped with Liverpool back in 2008. L'OM, a major force in French football, but perennially shrouded in trouble of one sort or another, had a major clearout of players in the summer and while in transition are dangerous opponents. The Ligue 1 champions dispensed with their entire senior forward line of Bakary Kone, Fernando Morientes and their top scorer in Uefa competitions, Mamadou Niang. New boys Loic Remy and lanky Andre-Pierre Gignac have taken time to rise to the challenge in Didier Deschamps' 4-3-3 formation. Remy had health concerns, but Gignac is one of those strikers whose goals come in spells - he's yet to open his account this season. The diminutive Ghana international forward Andre 'Dede' Ayew (pictured below with Michael Essien), back from a series of loans, is having a better season in front of goal, with three to his name so far. Level with him is Nigerian Taye Taiwo, best known for his powerful shots form distance. Marseille can use their flanks very effectively.
After missing a beat at the start of the league season they have begun to settle into a rhythm and rose to fifth at the weekend with Saturday evening's 2-1 home win over Sochaux, left-back Taiwo (a speculative cross/shot) and wide right midfielder Lucho Gonzalez (slotting home from a long throw) scoring the goals. Equally good news for l'OM was the return of tall, experienced Souleymane Diawara to central defence for the first time this season, because their defence has been suspect this season, conceding ten goals in eight games. Gabriel Heinze has been playing in central defence rather than the left-back position more familiar during his time at Manchester United. Often considered formidable in the cauldron of their home stadium, the Stade Velodrome, it was a surprise to see them picked off expertly there by Spartak Moscow on Matchday One. Their downfall resulted from former Osasuna right-back Cesar Azpilicueta's own goal.
We Have History:
Didier Deschamps, the Marseille manager, was in charge of Monaco back in 2004 when tinkering Claudio Ranieri's Blues crashed out at the semi-final stage, having beating Arsenal in the memorable quarter-finals. Chelsea and Marseille have met twice before in the second group stage of our first Champions League campaign in 1999/2000. For the home leg, manager Gianluca Vialli deployed Gustavo Poyet behind strikers Gianfranco Zola and Tore Andre Flo, while Deschamps was the anchor in a compact midfield alongside Dennis Wise and Jody Morris. Marseille's reserve keeper Stephane Trevisan was busy all evening, but Chelsea's backline was frequently shaky. Dennis Wise's goal reversed the usual roles: Flo chipped to the far post for Zola to head back into the box Wise controlled and drove home. William Gallas, who was in the Marseille squad, was missing from both matches with a broken leg. Claude Makelele and Didier Drogba are other Blues who played for l'OM.
Stats: Chelsea:
- The Blues have topped our group in five of the last seven campaigns.
- We have never failed to progress to the Champions League knockout stages in eight attempts.
- The defeat to Inter Milan last season in our most recent game is our only reverse in 22 home Champions League matches (including 15 victories) at Stamford Bridge since 2006.
- We have reached the semi-finals in five of the last seven Champions League campaigns and the final once in 2008.
- Chelsea have been knocked out in the last three seasons to the eventual winners.
- Nico Anelka needs 2 goals to achieve 50 goals for Chelsea
- If selected Alex will make his 100th Chelsea start
- Chelsea's next goal will be thier 150th in the Champions League
- Tonight is our 97th match in the Champions League
- Marseille are the only French side to win the Champions League
- In his first season Didier Deschamps managed Marseille to their first Ligue1 title in 18 years
