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Stamford Bridge    February 21, 2013    KO 8:05 PM GMT

By Chris Teale

For the home side, Demba Ba is cup-tied having appeared for Newcastle in the competition this season, so Fernando Torres should lead the line.

Chelsea may start with a strong side as they look to wrap up the tie, with manager Rafael Benitez expected to rotate if a victory is secured.

Meanwhile, the Blues have no new injury or suspension worries ahead of this game, with David Luiz available again.

For Sparta, Jiri Jarosik missed the first leg with injury but should be fit for this game and, despite his poor finishing in the first leg, striker David Lafata should continue up front.

 

DID YOU KNOW?

  • The first leg of this tie was Chelsea’s first game in this competition since the 2002-03 season.
  • Brazilian Oscar (pictured) was on the pitch for less than a minute before he scored the winning goal in the first leg last week.
  • Before the first-leg clash, these teams last met in the group stage of the 2003-04 Champions League, with the Blues taking four points from the two games.
  • Chelsea are 5/1 to win the game 2-0 with Coral.
  • Sparta Prague have never won a major club competition organised by Uefa.
  • Sparta captain Marek Matejovsky spent two seasons with Reading in the Premier League, making 51 appearances for the Royals and scoring twice.
  • The club’s most famous run in a European competition came in the first ever Champions League in the 1991-92 season, when they defeated Rangers and Marseille to reach the semi-final stage.

 

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