Failing to concentrate on the task at hand tonight could be dangerous for Chelsea.
Roberto di Matteo will be instilling into his players the importance of tonight’s match.
He shouldn’t really need to, Chelsea’s players know already just how crucial it is.
Lose, and they will undo all their heroic work against Napoli.
The players will be playing for their future and they know it, but even so, they must keep their eye on the task at hand.
With the job half done, Chelsea must see it through at Stamford Bridge and not let the thought of a clash with Barcelona consume their minds.
Chelsea and Barcelona have a chequered history over the past decade, from Jose Mourinho’s clashes with a Ronaldinho inspired Frank Rijkaard side, to Didier Drogba’s foul-mouthed outburst when Chelsea were denied a clear late penalty three years ago.
All of that will be a story for another day. Chelsea have not yet fully earned the right to spar it out with the Catalans again.
Win tonight- or draw- and then the battle lines can be drawn.
Benfica are though very much capable of springing a surprise. Chelsea must not make the same mistake Manchester United did when they faced them at Old Trafford earlier in the season.
A complacent United side thought they had done the hard work grabbing a draw away from home and were fortunate to escape with a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.
The Portuguese side are second in their domestic league, where they have lost just one away game all season, scoring 17 times in 12 matches.
This tells us that they are likely to try and keep it tight defensively, and hit Chelsea with a sucker punch.
If Chelsea’s players do not have their eye on the ball, the clash with Barcelona will remain nothing but a daydream.
image: © Ben Sutherland
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