Moscow waiting to exhale

Chelsea will argue they could have won the very first one in 1955. The Football League wouldn8217;t let Chelsea enter the first European Cup on the basis that the domestic competition should take precedence. Now the Blues have finally made it to the final and Abramovich can savor the moment in his own country.

Chelsea8217;s opponents are very familiar 8212; the same Manchester United team that has beaten the Blues to the English title the last two years. Instead of facing AC Milan8217;s Kaka or Barcelona8217;s Lionel Messi, Chelsea will again go up against Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez. United won their first meeting 2-0 at Old Trafford in September 8212; Grant8217;s first game in charge after he replaced Jose Mourinho 8212; and Chelsea won 2-1 at Stamford Bridge last month.

Manager Alex Ferguson8217;s United is going for a third European Cup title, to add to its triumphs in 1968 and 1999.

8220;We give them credit and they8217;ve probably deserved to win the league, but this is something totally different,8221; Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole said. 8220;We8217;re not going there to be second best. People like John Terry and Didier Drogba said a long time ago that they want to win it, and this is our chance to do that.8221;

While United8217;s tradition in European soccer goes back to the days of Matt Busby and the team which was decimated by the Munich air crash 50 years ago, Chelsea are comparative newcomers. Apart from two triumphs in the now defunct Cup Winners Cup, the Blues have never made it to the final of the premier competition despite reaching four semi-finals in five seasons.

Grant, whose future as Chelsea manager is in doubt even if the Blues win on Wednesday, believes the club has built a reputation as being one of European soccer8217;s giants and will maintain it.

8220;We are a big team now already, but we are creating a tradition here,8221; he said. 8220;Chelsea didn8217;t have a tradition, so that started a few years ago when Claudio Ranieri reached the semi-final 8212; the club8217;s first semi-final of the Champions League. When you want to be a big club, you have to be between the lions of Europe. Now we want more and you will see in the next years that this will not be the last time we will be in the final.8221;

While United look to the counter attacking skills of Ronaldo, who has scored 41 league and cup goals this season, Chelsea hope that Drogba can dominate the Red Devils defence and that Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard will control the midfield.

Pitch trouble

The players have to contend with a playing surface which could be a major problem. The artificial surface normally used in the stadium has been removed and replaced with natural grass. But the first replacement surface was too bumpy and ripped up. Matt Frost, an Englishman called in to produce a field worthy of a final, had only 15 days to replace it.

On Tuesday, the surface resembled a patchwork quilt and many of the strips of turf had different shades of green. There are fears the turf could be cut up badly once the game kicks off.

Officials spell trouble

Chelsea could be forgiven for being worried about the choice of officials for the Champions League final. Lubos Michel of Slovakia will referee the match assisted by linesman Roman Slysko, three years after the pair awarded a controversial goal to Liverpool against Chelsea in a Champions League semi-final. United will also be hoping the appointment is an omen. Michel oversaw their 7-1 rout of AS Roma in last season8217;s quarter-finals.

Ashley injured

Chelsea had an injury scare ahead of the final when Ashley Cole hobbled off the field with an ankle problem after a bad tackle by team mate Claude Makelele. The left-back twice needed treatment but was able to continue training with his right ankle heavily bandaged.

8226;Live on Ten Sports: 12.15 am