Ancelotti looks for finishing touch

Manager Carlo Ancelotti wants Chelsea FC to sign off on a high as they complete their Group D campaign at home to APOEL FC on Tuesday. Chelsea are already assured top spot in the section, remain undefeated in 20 UEFA Champions League home games and represent a daunting test for bottom-side APOEL, who must win to stay in with a chance of clinching a UEFA Europa League berth. Whatever the outcome, coach Ivan Jovanović believes his Cypriot side has already "exceeded itself" in the section.

Carlo Ancelotti, Chelsea coach
I think John Terry will be able to play but I have to oversee the training session. I want to put the best team out, but the most important thing is to see if the players are able to play. We have some problems with Terry, Ballack and Ashley Cole after the [Manchester City FC] game. They're not big problems, but I want to have a look at things [before naming the squad]. We can use some young players if Ballack, Ashley Cole and Terry can't play. We have two aims. One is to maintain a good performance in the group because we've done very well in winning four games out of five. We want to finish the group with a good performance. We have a good record at home that we want to improve, but also we have to respect the other teams because APOEL and Atlético are still involved in the group and can still finish third. We want to do our best.

Ivan Jovanović, APOEL coach
Chelsea are the best team in the group and certainly one of the teams who could win the Champions League. In all five of our games, my team has exceeded itself. We've tried our best and dealt with very strong opponents. Sometimes we've succeeded, sometimes not. We will try to play the same as we did in Cyprus, Madrid or Porto. Whatever the result, maybe we could have done better, but we have made progress over the last six months and gained a lot of experience – experience which is unique both for Cyprus and for APOEL. It's the greatest recognition we've had and we'll do all we can to be here next year.

Weekend results
05/12/09 Manchester City FC 2-1 Chelsea
(Adebayor 37, Tévez 56; Adebayor 8og)

• Chelsea's lead at the top of the Premier League was cut to two points as they suffered a third defeat of the season – all away from home – at the City of Manchester Stadium.

• The Blues still boast the tightest defence in the Premier League despite having conceded ten goals after 15 games, four more than at the same stage last year.

04/12/09 APOEL 1-1 Apollon Limassol FC
(Charalambides 81; Bangura 20)

• Despite their eight-game league winning streak coming to an end, APOEL moved top of Division A for the first time this season with a point against Apollon.

• APOEL have conceded ten goals in their last 15 matches in all competitions.

Team news
Chelsea
Out: Salomon Kalou (thigh), Alex (thigh), Daniel Sturridge (not specified)
Doubtful: Ashley Cole (ankle), Michael Ballack (knee), John Terry (knee)
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Michael Essien

APOEL
Out: Adrian Sikora (knee), Boban Grnčarov (calf strain), Altin Haxhi (calf strain), Nectarios Alexandrou (calf), Christos Kontis (calf)
Doubtful: none
Suspended: none
Misses next match if booked: Mário Breška, Marinos Satsias

Background
• Nicolas Anelka scored the only goal when Chelsea won 1-0 at APOEL on 30 September. It was the first time the teams had met and also the first time each had faced clubs from their opponents' country.

• Chelsea's unbeaten UEFA Champions League run at Stamford Bridge stands at 20 games, 15 of which ended in a victory for the Blues. Chelsea's last home defeat came in February 2006, when FC Barcelona won 2-1 in the first knockout round.

Did you know?
In eight previous competitive meetings between English and Cypriot clubs, seven have ended in English wins. The 2007/08 UEFA Cup first-round tie between Anorthosis Famagusta FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC finished 1-1 in Cyprus after Tottenham had won the first leg 6-1.

For more information on the match in the official press kit, click here.