Group D – Kick-off 19:45 (BST)
Although both sides have already reached the knockout stages, there is still the small matter of who finishes top of Group D to play for tonight in the Estadio do Dragao.
Porto coach Jesualdo Ferreira is confident his side can overturn Chelsea’s one-point advantage despite the English club’s “quality, ability and class”.
“No Porto game is without pressure and our already being through to the knockout stages doesn’t change that,” said Ferreira. “Chelsea are the best English team, but we want to win. The points at stake will decide who wins the group. We want to play good football, put on a good show and compete with Chelsea.
“Although we have not played a competitive game for two weeks we have had nearly all our players available which is very unusual this season. We were able to prepare much better for this game. We have been struggling recently for good results, but this will prove we are better than we have been in our past few league games.
“Chelsea are doing well in the Premier League and a point ahead of us in the Champions League, but despite all their quality, ability and class I think we can beat them.”
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti intends to make several changes from the team that defeated Wolves at the weekend.
“It is an important match, not only for first place,” said the Italian. “Porto are a strong team in the Champions League and did well at Stamford Bridge. It is a very good test because we want to show our personality on the pitch – to go forward we have to have character and quality – it will not be easy in this stadium.
“Carvalho and Deco will play. I want to change something, some players, and the players that did not play against Wolves will play – Ivanovic, Carvalho, Deco, Ballack. I think Zhirkov can play at left-back. I don’t know about Drogba, maybe he will start on the bench. He is well but I prefer to keep him on the bench.”
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