Chelsea and Valencia hope to finish the job

The return at the Nou Camp on Tuesday promises to be a nerve-wracking occasion for both sides as Barca are more than capable of picking up the two goals that could see them qualify.

It was a special night for Chelsea fans in the first leg as Italian wizard Gianfranco Zola and Norwegian star Tore Andre Flo combined for three goals in eight minutes of madness, to put the "blues" one solid performance away from a semifinal appearance in their inaugural appearance in the Champions League.

The international flavour that is so prominent at Chelsea, with a host of foreigners that include French World Cup winners Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps and Frank Leboeuf, as well as Uruguayan Gustavo Poyet and their little and large strike force that is Zola and Flo are held together by the fiercest of competitors that is Englishman Dennis Wise.

The little captain has been a stalwart at Chelsea for 10 years and is in the best form of his life, rewarded with an England recall by Kevin Keegan for the friendly against Argentina in February where he was man of the match. Wise is Chelsea’s leader and the man who helps the foreigners blend so well together. Despite his short stature he is well respected by the numerous internationals at Chelsea and leads by example.

Italian coach Gianluca Vialli has raised a few eyebrows recently with his dramatic chopping and changing of a line-up that seems to win the big matches no matter who he puts out.

The former European Cup winner with Juventus made five changes to his side that beat Barcelona but still came out a winner 2-1 over Newcastle in a dramatic FA Cup semi-final.

Barcelona have hit their worst form of the season at just the wrong time. The defeat against Chelsea has been followed by a trio of 3-0 defeats, at home against Mallorca, a Spanish Cup semifinal first-leg defeat at the hands of relegation candidates Atletico Madrid and most recently another thrashing against another struggling club – Oviedo.

Coach Louis van Gaal must be fearing for his job as unrest and poor form has crept into the Barcelona camp and recent reports have suggested that all is not well between Van Gaal and international stars Patrick Kluivert of Holland and world player of the year Rivaldo of Brazil.

The Spanish League title is slipping away as Deportivo la Coruna have built a gap at the top, while their Cup defeats against Chelsea and Atletico could see the Catalan giants end up with nothing when two weeks ago they were dreaming of the treble.

Fellow Primera Liga rivals Valencia however are flying. They stunned Lazio 5-2 in the first leg and only a disaster in Rome on Tuesday will prevent them from reaching the semis.

Another 6-2 thrashing against Oviedo last week and a 2-1 win away to Sevilla in their most recent outing has moved the club up to fifth place in the league and only four points from another Champions League appearance for next season.

They have not lost at home in Champions League play in this years campaign at the Mestalla Stadium and 55,000 passionate supporters have consistently turned up to see if the club can add to the Cup Winners Cup they won in 1980, as well as the European Super Cup they won in the same year.

On a domestic note Valencia lifted the Spanish Cup last season although their last league title was way back in 1971. Midfielder Gaizka Mendieta is set to return after recovering from a calf injury picked up in the 4-1 win over French side Bordeaux in the second group phase and came on as a second-half sub to score the opener in the win over Sevilla.

Argentine coach Hector Cuper was unhappy with the performance against Sevilla but remained upbeat: "We didn’t have the resources to play as well as our recent performances but it will be different on Tuesday".

Lazio were stunned by the first-leg performance of the Valencians and will have to go hell for leather if they are to overturn a three goal deficit.

The Serie A contenders cannot be ruled out completely as their fine recent run will show. But their hopes of success in the Italian championship recede at the weekend with Juventus now five points clear.

However, they carry a 2-1 lead into the second leg of the Italian Cup against Inter Milan who will be without their stricken striker Ronaldo of Brazil and that could be their best chance of silverware this season – the football equivalent of losing 1000 dollars and finding a cent.

Swedish coach Sven Goran Eriksson Will welcome the return of star striker Simone inzaghi and defender Alessandro Nesta, both of whom missed the 3-3 draw with Fiorentina at the weekend.

Lazio broke Chelsea’s unbeaten home record in Europe when faced with elimination from the second phase and have showed a taste for the big occasion, but come tomorrow they will have to be at their very best if they are to win by at least three goals and reach the semifinals.