It’s do or die for Chelsea when they take on Valencia in the Champions League tonight (7.45pm KO Live on Sky Sports 2), and bookmakers make them a top priced 3/4 to do the job and progress into the last 16.
Andre Villas-Boas’ side second in Group E, level on points with third-placed Valencia and must win or draw 0-0 to progress.
However the manager insists he has no intention of changing his side’s tactics in a bid to settle for a share of the spoils and that they will play with their usual attacking style.
That could well spell danger for the Blues, and I wouldn’t be rushing in to take odds-on about them winning this.
Valencia know that should the game end in a score draw they would go through as their goal difference is plus eight, compared to Chelsea’s plus six.
They will be keen to attack from the off, and have players capable of exploiting what so far this season has looked a very frail Chelsea defence.
The stats say that Valencia will struggle to notch an outright victory as they have won none of their last seven Champions League matches against English clubs (D4, L3).
However I think that there is every possibility that they will score so it will be a case of whether Chelsea can outscore them for the must win victory.
This really is a tough game to call, and from a betting perspective both teams to score at 5/6 with Coral makes the most appeal.
