If Chelsea need to win a trophy this season to save Claudio Ranieri, then what better one to win than club football's most coveted prize? The captain John Terry believes his team can win the Champions League, and claims all his colleagues agree.
On this high wave of confidence Ranieri's team go into their return with VfB Stuttgart at Stamford Bridge tonight determined to finish off the German club and enter Friday's quarter-finals draw.
Ranieri insists there is no question of Chelsea sitting on their 1-0 advantage from the first leg.
"We must score," said the manager yesterday. "German teams are very strong."
Terry shares that positive attitude but, like Ranieri, can take strength from their defensive record which has seen them concede only one goal in nearly seven hours of Champions League football.
Terry's confidence is bolstered by the readiness of the £17 million Damien Duff, widely regarded as Chelsea's most important player, to return after his long absence with shoulder and Achilles injuries.
"This is the first time I've played in the Champions League and it's a great experience," said the 23-year-old Terry.
"We've got a mix of experience and youth and, deep down, every player believes we can win it. You have to have that confidence in yourself. We've already had a lot of wins and announced our arrival in European football. We always believe we can go and get a win."
Ranieri conceded his dilemma over whether to start Duff for the first time this year. He was fulsome in his praise for the Irish winger. "Damien is the man who can open every door for us," he said. "He's an amazing player. He has ability, speed, good crossing and can read every player. He can score a goal and make a goal."
But he added: "He's not the normal Damien at the moment. It's not easy when a player's injured but he's coming back and wants to end his frustration and do something for the team."
Ranieri's other selection problem centres on the front two. Adrian Mutu is still troubled by a hip injury and Eidur Gudjohnsen, who missed a simple chance in Germany but responded by scoring a superb winner at Manchester City, and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink have alternated as substitute alongside Hernan Crespo.
The win in Stuttgart flattered Chelsea but was nonetheless greeted by Ranieri as the "turning point" in Chelsea's season after successive defeats by Arsenal in FA Cup and Premiership.
Yesterday Ranieri, warned that a season without silverware will be deemed a failure, was not so upbeat about his own security. Despite being told by club officials not to comment on his future, intriguingly he said: "I can't look too far forward, and you know why that is better than me.
"If you saw every day that Sven-Goran Eriksson was going to arrive, how could you look forward? I only look at the next day."
Stuttgart should be at full strength with the midfielder and captain Zvonimir Soldo, substituted on Saturday with a knee problem, likely to be fit.
CHELSEA (probable): Cudicini; Johnson, Terry, Gallas, Bridge; Geremi, Makelele, Lampard, Duff; Gudjohnsen, Crespo.
VfB STUTTGART: (probable): Hildebrand; Hinkel, Zivkovic, Bordon, Lahm; Soldo, Meira, Gleb, Meissner; Kuranyi, Cacau.
Referee: K Milton Nielsen (Denmark)
