Roberto Di Matteo’s Blues will look to make the most of home advantage as they take on fifth placed Newcastle United tonight in a crucial match for both sides European hopes for next season.
The UEFA Champions League is not only the elite club competition that every club in Europe wants to participate in but it also represents a major source of financial income for clubs as qualification ensures huge revenues from the sale of TV rights among
other things.
Chelsea has already booked themselves a place in this year’s UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich, yet their chances of qualifying for next year’s qualification depends on how they fare in the Barclays Premier League between now and the end
of the season.
Starting off with the most immediate task as the Blues are set to play host to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alan-c4244 Pardew’s high flying Newcastle United tonight. Both clubs are still in with a real shot at securing a top four finish in the league with only one point separating the two
clubs.
In fact, a win for either side would see them jump to fourth spot and overtake Tottenham Hotspur for 15 minutes at least, seeing how the London side’s match kicks off after Chelsea and Newcastle United’s.
When it comes to form, both clubs are evenly matched as Chelsea have managed to take a total of 12 points from a possible 18, while Newcastle United have fared better dropping only 3-points in their past six matches.
However, the fact that Chelsea are unbeaten in their past six matches and that Newcastle United are just coming off a humiliating 4 – 0 defeat at the hands of Wigan Athletic, means that http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 will start as favourites.
At the same time, however, a draw will not be the worst of results for Newcastle United as one point will see them take fourth place, yet that will mean that the Tyneside club will be dependant of Tottenham’s result in order to stay in that final Champions
League qualification spot.
Newcastle United will be looking to their in-form striker, Papiss Cisse, for some potency in attack, while http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Roberto-c31294 Di Matteo will have a selection headache as he will look to balance his squad for the rest of the season as well.
Chelsea play http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 in the FA Cup final on Saturday and Di Matteo will be looking to rest several key players for that clash. At the same time, qualifying for next year’s Champion’s League is also a top priority for the club and it will be interesting
to see who starts for the Blues tonight and even more interesting to see who doesn’t.
Either way, if the match is half as exciting as the return fixture, which took place earlier on in the season, then football fans are in for a treat.
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