TALKING POINTS
Chelsea have never previously met a Romanian team in European competition, and tonight the playing of the Champions League theme will create extra local excitement.

Romanian football has long been dominated by the clubs from Bucharest, and CFR 1907 Cluj are the first team from outside the capital to play in Europe's elite competition. Chelsea have the honour of becoming their opening guests because the champions of their country go straight into the group stage without qualifiers.

The Cluj-Napoca conurbation is a boom city, home to around 310,000 inhabitants, and rapidly emerging as a new commercial centre in Romania. The land has been fought over for centuries.

It was absorbed into the Roman Empire from 100AD, claimed by the Ottomans, but made part of Hungary from the 1860s. The city was returned to Romania after Liberation from the Nazis by Russia in 1944, but retains a high proportion of ethnic Hungarians. The matter of CFR Cluj's Hungarian influence arose controversially during last season's title race, when an ultra rightwing politician and Steaua backer, Gigi Becali, claimed he would do anything to stop Cluj finishing champions, an event that 'would bring shame on the Romanian people'.

Becali was arrested on suspicion of attempting to fix matches in the run-in, and Cluj triumphed anyway. As a candidate for the 'League of Italian Communities' party in his country he must have been particularly distressed by Cluj's recent win in Rome.

KEY STAT Cluj's Dr Constantin Radulescu stadium has a capacity for Champions League games of 23,200. On September 6th 2008, the stadium hosted the first national team match played in Cluj for 85 years: Romania v Lithuania

Cluj is in Transylvania - the home of the Dracula myth and other cultural novelties such as the Cheeky Girls, a big casino in the middle of Central Park, and the group Sistem, who finished third in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest. It is renowned for its skiing resorts and castles in the neighbouring countryside.

The football team CFR 1907 Cluj is sponsored by Signa Towers, a huge development in Cluj-Napoca of two linked 35-floor buildings, and it is symbolic of the new scale of ambition at this club.

Traditionally Cluj are the Romanian railway team. They have won very little in their 101 years, and were struggling in the third tier before wealthy used car magnate Arpad Paszkany took over in 2002. His company, Ecomax, becoming the major investor and success soon followed.

Trophies came, followed by European football, and an influx of hired hands from across Europe, South America and Africa.

There were only five local players in the squad that faced Roma. The remainder comprised four Portuguese, four Argentineans, three Brazilians, a Uruguayan, and a Burkina Faso international. Felipe Scolari will feel at home with the prevalence of Portuguese speakers, including several Brazilians. Cluj have a development partnership with Benfica.

The railroaders are currently fifth, seven points behind leaders Dinamo Bucharest in the race for this season's Liga 1 title. They replaced manager Ioan Andone following a disappointing August.

New man Maurizio Trombetta masterminded a quick revival, including the Roma match. On Friday evening his side went a goal down to third-placed Steaua Bucharest before rallying to equalise and dominate, without further breakthrough. It finished 1-1.

Six years earlier they had been in the third tier of Romanian league football.

The club's landmark league and cup double success last season broke up a 17-year domination by Bucharest sides, and encouraged further investment. Although star Portuguese striker Antonio Semedo left for Steaua in the summer, six players arrived.

The hero of their recent 2-1 victory in Rome, Juan Culio, had joined in 2007.

Complacency may well have played a part in Roma's downfall in the previous round, the Italians were missing influential figures when Cluj visited, particularly Philippe Mexes, Juan and Francesco Totti.

Sebastian Dubarbier hit the bar with a left-foot fizzer as the Romanians responded to Roma's disarray after scoring by shooting from distance. Peralta also made the woodwork tremble with a header, but by then Culio had twice pounced brilliantly, exploiting huge open spaces in Roma's defence.

Trica (who later made way for Peralta) set up his first with a deft cross towards Koné that was cleared only as far as the Argentinean, who volleyed home superbly.

Anyone present at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday also making their way to the Dr Constantin Radulescu arena may well spot similarities - the size and the open corners especially - but at the moment Cluj's modern seating occupies only three sides of the pitch. (A fourth is to be added next year.) The playing surface also has something in common with the Brit: it's just 100m x 60m… perfect for long throws.

Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of our first game in European competition. Tuesday September 30th 1958 saw the Blues line up in Copenhagen, Denmark against BK Frem in the Fairs Cup first round, first leg.

Romanian side CFR 1907 Cluj are the only team in group A to have won their domestic league last season. Bordeaux, Roma and Chelsea were all runners-up.

Six games into this season's campaign, coach Ioan Andone and most of the technical staff had their contracts ended by mutual consent. A day later Italian Maurizio Trombetta (46 on Monday), formerly Andone's assistant, was named as his replacement. It is his first senior role as coach following several assistant coach positions, mainly with lower league Italian clubs. He is unbeaten in four games in charge so far.

This is Cluj's first season in the Champions League and only the third European campaign in their 101-year history. In 2005 they reached the Intertoto Cup final, beating Athletic Bilbao and St Etienne on the way to losing to French side Lens in the final. Last season they lost in the second qualifying round of the Uefa Cup to Anorthosis Famagusta from Cyprus.

If Roma and Bordeaux draw, a Chelsea win here would leave the Blues five points clear of the two teams previously expected to vie for qualification to the knockout phase.

Other Group A fixtures
Wed 7.45pm Bordeaux v Roma

 Group A table

	P	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Chelsea	1	1	0	0	4	0	3
Cluj	1	1	0	0	2	1	3
Roma	1	0	0	1	1	2	0
Bordeaux	1	0	0	1	0	4	0

 

TACTICAL BRIEF
It is a measure of Cluj's spirit that they actually went one behind against Roma - the goal scored by former Chelsea full-back Christian Panucci - before taking control and prevailing 2-1.

Cluj boss Maurizio Trombetta used a 4-2-3-1 formation that evening in Italy (his second game in charge) and against Steaua, and is likely to do the same tonight.

The system gives him the flexibility he needs to make use of a very athletic and mobile midfield. When their club president Iuliu Muresan says the whole team will attack and the whole team defend, he speaks the truth.

They defend very deep but break in numbers with lightning speed. Their full backs rarely raid forward otherwise. When Roma attacked, Cluj quickly had 10 men behind the ball, with Koné alone upfront awaiting the long-distance get-out pass.

The Burkina Faso forward is an Emile Heskey-type, big and strong, running tirelessly across the width of the pitch, a very able target man. He retains possession well and is proficient at bringing midfielders into play.

Cluj's creativity lies in the three behind Koné. Arguably their key man is Eugen Trica, a well-travelled midfield playmaker who at 32 still exerts tremendous influence on their attacking play. Dida, a 26-year-old Brazilian, started ahead of Trica in the Steaua game.

Juan Culio's goals against Roma were well taken. The first was an opportunistic stab between defenders, the second an angled volley across the keeper after Trica's subtle chip was not properly cleared.

He is primarily left-footed but can play either side. The Romania national side are evidently renewing interest in the previously little-known South American, who would have to take citizenship in his adopted country of 18 months.

Cluj's success will depend heavily on the performance of their two deep-lying midfielders, probably the highly-rated Gabi Muresan and Dani, who fall back into the back fourwhen the opposition is pressing. Bald-headed Muresan has played as a defender, but when even Cluj's official website says he has 'an indecently powerful shot', you can see why Cluj like to have him slightly further forward. And if Roma is anything to go by, Cluj shoot from anywhere and everywhere.

The Argentinean presence is felt most strongly in this advanced midfield area. Sebastian Dubarbier is a young and very fast forward. Another possible participant, attacking midfielder Sixto Peralta, headed one cross thunderously against the Roma post late on. 

Chelsea stormed into the lead in the opening match against an unimpressive Bordeaux side. In particular the French proved vulnerable on crosses, despite their height at the back.

Deco, who was not at his best that evening, is of course missing from this match, as is Joe Cole. Salomon Kalou, in such great form, appears to have recovered from the ankle knocks he has suffered recently and should provide useful pace.

It is unlikely the Chelsea boss will change much from the team that eased past tricky Stoke City at the weekend. The Potters full-backs found their counterparts Ashley Cole and José Bosingwa too hot to handle, and Cluj's are of much the same ilk.

Didier Drogba, gradually returning to match sharpness, is available again after his Uefa suspension. Where better to go for the jugular than in Transylvania.

WE HAVE HISTORY
Like Chelsea against Southampton back on Boxing Day 1999, last season Cluj became the first club in their country to field a team comprised entirely of overseas players.

Although this is the first occasion Chelsea have played a Romanian side and Cluj a British team, two Romanians figure in the history of the Blues.

Dan Petrescu is one of eight overseas players to have played more than 200 games for the club between 1995 and 2000. Adrian Mutu scored 10 goals in 38 appearances between August 2003 and September 2004.

When Cluj won the Romanian Cup last season, they defeated 'Super Dan's side Unirea Urziceni 2-1 in the final.

Ivory Coast-born Burkina Faso international Yssouf Koné impressed in Rosenborg's fateful 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge last season. With the Norwegians leading 1-0 in that game, he set up Alexander Tettey 12 yards out but luckily for the Blues the resulting shot was way off target.

He was less lively in the rematch in Trondheim, outjumping Carlo Cudicini for one cross, but labouring without product for an hour before being subbed. Chelsea won that one 4-0, but Rosenborg did brilliantly to beat Valencia 2-0 home and away.

Koné's agent claimed Chelsea were interested in competing for his signature shortly after those games, but he moved instead to Romania. Two other Rosenborg players who featured against the Blues - Canadian keeper Lars Hirschfeld and Swedish left-back Mikael Dorsin - also joined Cluj this year. Dorsin, however, returned to Norway in the summer after just eight games in Romania.

Argentinean midfield playmaker Sixto Peralta was a popular figure on loan at Ipswich Town in 2001/2, at the end of which the relegated Suffolk club was too skint to buy him.

He started the 0-0 draw against Chelsea at Portman Road in April 2002 and was replaced by Darren Bent, now of Spurs, with 20 minutes to go. (Titus Bramble was on the bench for Town.) John Terry, Frank Lampard and Carlo Cudicini are Chelsea's sole survivors from that game. Like fellow countrymen Sebastian Dubarbier and Diego Ruiz, he arrived at Cluj during a busy January 2008 transfer window.

CHELSEA STATS
Chelsea's last eight away games in all competitions have seen seven wins and one draw since our last defeat at Fenerbahçe in April.

This season is our seventh appearance in the Champions League. We have been finalists in 2007/08, semi-finalists in 2003/04, 2004/05 and 2006/07, quarter-finalists in 1999/2000 and the last 16 in 2005/06.

Chelsea's previous five years in Europe
2003/04 Champions League - semi-finals
2004/05 Champions League - semi-finals
2005/06 Champions League - round of 16
2006/07 Champions League - semi-finals
2007/08 Champions League - runners-up

Chelsea's overall record in European competition is played 144, won 77, drawn 38, lost 29. This is our 12th season in succession in Europe.

Chelsea have played 72 games in the Champions League proper (excluding qualifying games). We have won 36, drawn 21 and lost 15.

Chelsea are on an 18-game undefeated run (excluding penalty shoot-outs) since our last defeat in Turkey against Fenerbahçe on April 2nd.

Chelsea have won three (Valencia twice and Rosenborg) and lost three (Werder Bremen, Liverpool and Fenerbahçe) of our last 10 away Champions League games. The draws were against Porto, Schalke, Olympiacos and Liverpool.

 Chelsea's previous six games

Aug 31	Tottenham H	D 1-1
Sep 13	Man City A	W 3-1
Sep 16	Bordeaux H	W 4-0 Champions League
Sep 21	Man Utd H	D 1-1
Sep 24	Portsmouth A	W 4-0 League Cup
Sep 27	Stoke City A	W 2-0

2008/09 Champions League appearances - 1
Anelka 1, Bosingwa 1, Carvalho 1, Cech 1, A Cole 1, J Cole 1, Deco 1, Lampard 1, Mikel 1, Malouda 1, Terry 1, Ballack 0+1, Belletti 0+1, Kalou 0+1.

2008/09 Champions League goals - 4
Anelka 1, J Cole 1, Lampard 1, Malouda 1

MILESTONES
Frank Lampard's goal on Matchday 1 against Bordeaux was his 18th in European competition for the Blues, and he joins Didier Drogba as our top all-time European scorer. Peter Osgood is third with 16. Frank is also our leading European appearance maker with 60+3 games, ahead of John Terry with 59 and Claude Makelele 47+2.

Petr Cech's clean sheet at Stoke on Saturday has put him clear second in our all-time list with 95, ahead of Carlo Cudicini with 94+5, and behind Peter Bonetti on 208.

CLUJ STATS
The club was founded in 1907.

Major honours
Transylvanian Champions 1910/11
Romanian League Champions 2007/08
Romanian Cup winners 2007/08

The letters in the name stand for "Caile Ferate Romane" (Romanian railway), the national railway company.

Cluj's two previous seasons in Europe
2005/06 Uefa Intertoto Cup - final
2007/08 Uefa Cup - second qualifying round

The Railroaders are unbeaten in five games in all competitions (three wins, two draws).

CFR Cluj's European competition record is played 13, won six, drawn four, lost three.

Their Champions League squad of 22 consists of six Romanians, five from Argentina, four Portuguese, three Brazilians, two from Ivory Coast, one Canadian and one Uruguayan.

MOST RECENT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LINE-UP
Matchday 1
Tuesday September 16 2008 Roma (away) W 2-1

Stancioiu  Tony      Cadu (c)         De Sousa     Pereira Muresan                      Dani  Dubarbier                 Trica                      Culio  Koné   Substitutes Peralta for Trica (67), Panin for Dubarbier (89)  Scorers Culio (27, 49) Attendance 25,382

Cluj's League Divizia A results

Jul 27	Otopeni A	W 4-0
Aug 3	Gloria Buzau H	W 2-0
Aug 9	Rapid Bucharest A	L 0-1
Aug 17	Universitatea Craiova H	D 1-1
Aug 24	Vaslui A	L 1-2
Aug 28	Politehnica Iasi H	D 0-0
Sep 12	Gloria Bistrita A	W 2-1
Sep 20	Farul Constanta H	W 3-0
Sep 27	Steaua Bucharest H	D 1-1

Divizia A scorers
Dubarbier 3, Koné 2, Cadu 1, Deac 1, Didi 1, Fabbiani 1, Panin 1, Souza 1, Trica 1, own goals 2.omanian Divizia A table

Top		P	GD	PTS
1	Dinamo Bucharest	9	9	22
2	Unirea Urziceni	9	12	21
3	Steaua Bucharest	9	12	20
4	Timisoara	9	9	16
5	CFR Cluj	9	8	15
6	Brasov	9	4	15
7	Vaslui	9	0	15

THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE
The referee is Florian Meyer from Germany. This will be the first occasion he has officiated Chelsea or CFR.

OTHERWISE ENGAGED
There are no players suspended or within a booking on a ban.

Three yellow cards in the Champions League result in a one-match ban.