CFR Cluj setting own Chelsea agenda

Although Chelsea FC swept aside FC Girondins de Bordeaux two weeks ago to claim pole position in Group A, the undisputed result of the night was CFR 1907 Cluj's shock 2-1 victory away to last season's quarter-finalists AS Roma. The question now is: can the Romanian side upset the form book again?

Record attendance
"I hope we can surprise Chelsea," said the Liga 1 side's Italian coach Maurizio Trombetta, "but maybe it was easier to do so against Roma because no one expected it." His team will benefit from the backing of what is certain to be a club-record attendance, with the CFR Stadium capacity having been increased to over 23,000 during the summer. "That will definitely help," he said, "although it's what happens on the pitch that counts."

Full squad
The Romanian champions have not enjoyed the best of starts to their title defence, although a 1-1 draw against fellow UEFA Champions League competitors FC Steaua Bucureşti on Friday extended their unbeaten home record and brought them up to fifth in the table. Trombetta has the luxury of a full squad to choose from, with Sixto Peralta fit following an adductor strain. The Argentinian midfielder is expected to begin on the substitutes' bench as Trombetta keeps faith with the XI that prevailed in Rome.

'Extremely motivated'
In stark contrast to CFR Cluj's first-ever tilt at the UEFA Champions League, their Matchday 2 opponents are last term's runners-up and are attempting to qualify for the knockout phase for the sixth successive year. Not that the team from Transylvania are ready to slip meekly into the role of underdogs. "Chelsea are a very powerful side, full of stars," said Trombetta. "But if we just think about them and our own limitations, we will lose before the game has started. That is not our philosophy. My players are extremely motivated and I just have to make sure the conditions are right so they can perform to the best of their ability."

Respect 
Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is also playing down his side's apparent superiority. "These days all teams know about their opponents, and their players are in good shape," said the Brazilian, who will be without the injured Deco (hamstring), Michael Essien and Ricardo Carvalho (both knee). "Cluj will be confident because they won in Rome. They also want to show the world that they are a big club. We have to treat them with respect. Cluj are thinking about going as far as they can in world football and if they keep improving as they are, they will be a team we come to know for many years."

No complacency
Chelsea are obviously no strangers to rapid rises themselves having grown into a continental heavyweight since the arrival of Roman Abramovich. They go into Wednesday's contest fresh from assuming the Premier League lead for the first time this season following Saturday's 2-0 victory at Stoke City FC – not that they are about to get complacent. "If [CFR Cluj] beat us it will not be a surprise," said Scolari. "It will be because they are better on the day."