One the face of it, it's easy to draw parallels between tonight's game and the one Chelsea faced at the same stage five years go versus Barcelona. Joe Cole, part of the team that night, sees differences too.

Then as now the Blues played away to the leaders of one of the major European leagues in the first knockout round first leg and returned with a 2-1 defeat, feeling a little aggrieved by a refereeing decision in the opening 90 minutes.

We put Didier Drogba's red card in Spain firmly behind us by racing into a three-goal lead on the night in the second leg and although Barcelona made a fight of it with two goals, the side then coached by Jose Mourinho made it through.

There will be players taking part tonight who were part of that game and there is little in European football that most of this Chelsea squad have not faced before. Cole agrees this breeds belief and adds:

'A result of 2-1 away from home is, as far as defeats go, the best defeat you can have. Scoring that goal makes a big difference.

'Inter are a great side but we know we are in a good position and they are not Barcelona. That Barcelona side was probably one of the greatest teams ever. You had Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho in their prime, Deco is his prime. You could argue Xavi was in his prime as well and there was Andres Iniesta coming in as a young player - some of the best players in the modern era.

'This game won't be like the Barcelona game, it will be a tight affair I am sure,' reckons Cole who had a major hand in the second and third goals in March 2005.

'Jose [Mourinho] was a massive person at Chelsea and the fans will give him a great reception which he deserves but they also need to realise that Carlo is our manager now and Roman in our owner and we will fight for them.

'Don't fall into the trap of making Inter Milan feel too welcome,' he warns.

Flags or scarves will be laid out at seats around the stadium for tonight's game but please bring your own colour and singing voices, and please arrive early to raise the temperature ahead of kick-off.