BULGARIA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Chelsea and Levski Sofia prepare for their Champions League Group A match

Levski Sofia have their sights on a major upset when they host big-spending Chelsea at the Vasil Levski national stadium in the Champions League on Wednesday (September 27). The odds of that happening in Levski's long-awaited home debut in the Champions League proper are slim looking at their performance in their Group A opener. Levski did not make a start to remember with a 5-0 rout at the hands of European champions Barcelona at the Nou Camp two weeks ago. Injuries to strikers have given Levski Sofia coach Stanimir Stoilov a headache before Wednesday's match. Bulgaria Under-21's Valeri Domovchiiski and his strike partner Emil Angelov are definitely out with injuries. The absence of Angelov and Domovchiiski had looked to open the door for the experienced Georgi Ivanov, the Bulgarian Premier League's top scorer with eight goals but he suffered a muscle strain in training on Monday (September 25). Ivanov's double inspired Levski to a 3-0 win at lowly Rodopa Smolyan on Friday (September 22) that took them to the top of the league. Levski's Brazilian-born left back Lucio Vagner will return to their starting line-up after missing the defeat at Barcelona due to suspension. "Although we have problems with strikers we will try to play the way we are used to and will seek a goal from the first minute, to use the support of our fans," said Stoilov at a news conference in Sofia on Tuesday (September 26). A wave of euphoria has swept through Sofia before Chelsea's visit with match tickets sold out in less than five hours last Wednesday. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho expects captain John Terry to be fit for the tie and said he would field the best team available. "I will try to play with the team I think is the best team and if John (Terry) is one hundred per cent fit, he will play," said Mourinho. The first-pick central defender Terry, who has a reputation for playing through injury, suffered a back problem in training last week and missed Saturday's (September 23) 2-0 win at Fulham that took Chelsea to the top of the Premier League. Central defender Khalid Boulahrouz should return from illness to plug the central defensive gap alongside Ricardo Carvalho, allowing Paulo Ferreira to return to right back. Mourinho is likely to stick with experienced Champions League campaigner Andriy Shevchenko though the 30 million pound ($57 million) striker has yet to shine for his new club. Germany captain Michael Ballack, suspended for three domestic games after being sent off last week, will also return in midfield. Chelsea beat Werder Bremen 2-0 at home in their group opener.

ITN Source | September 27, 2006

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