Mourinho steeled for Bremen task

Chelsea FC were always among the 2006/07 UEFA Champions League favourites, even before adding Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack to their stellar squad this summer. But as they begin their Group A campaign at home to Werder Bremen on Tuesday night, manager José Mourinho is concerned about their Bundesliga opposition.

'Difficult group'
"I think they were the best team in the third group of seeds," he said. "It could have been an easier draw. I don't think they are afraid of us. [Afraid] is not a word you can apply at the highest level. I think they respect us, they know they are in a very difficult group." Hardly a controversial statement as, along with PFC Levski Sofia, Chelsea's nemeses from last season FC Barcelona are also in the pool, the third time in Mourinho's three Stamford Bridge seasons that they have encountered the reigning European champions.

Many contenders
Indeed, Mourinho refuses to say more than that Chelsea are among a large pack of potential winners. "If you look at the players we bought, it is right to say Chelsea should be stronger [than last season], should be contenders," he said. "But it is not fair to forget the other teams. For me there are a minimum of ten favourites. If we finish third and go to the UEFA Cup, then we would be favourites!"

Shevchenko praise
As for those highest-profile arrivals, Mourinho admits that Ballack needs time to work on his midfield understanding with Frank Lampard, but the Portuguese coach is delighted with Shevchenko. "He is a team player. He is not worried about scoring goals or being man of the match, he is a great human being and we love having him," Mourinho said. "But his scoring record is unbelievable. He will score more than one goal in these six [group] matches."

Wiese woe
While Chelsea's sole injury absentee is Joe Cole (knee), Bremen must do without bronchitis-afflicted goalkeeper Tim Wiese - Andreas Reinke fills in. And while Tim Borowski and Torsten Frings are training again after fitness worries, Per Mertesacker has a heel injury and striker Miroslav Klose is struggling. "He has a thigh injury which is improving," Bremen boss Thomas Schaaf said. "If Miroslav cannot play, it will be a very great loss. But it has not hindered our preparations as we have tested out a variety of approaches."

Cup setback
Bremen have made a decent start in the Bundesliga, but crashed out of the German Cup on Saturday with a penalties loss to third division FK 1903 Pirmasens. "Of course we weren't overjoyed," Schaaf said. "But that has nothing to do with the game against Chelsea, it hasn't hindered our preparation. We are concentrated on the task in hand."

Ballack reunion
The visitors are, of course, reunited with their former FC Bayern München rival, Ballack. Bremen captain Frank Baumann, a sometime German international team-mate of Ballack, said: "We'll be looking out for him, but they do not just have one goalscorer but 20 or 25 players that can score goals." Schaaf added: "I wish him well here at Chelsea - but not for Tuesday evening."

Probable teams
Chelsea: Petr Čech; Khalid Boulahrouz, Ricardo Carvalho, John Terry, Wayne Bridge; Michael Essien, Claude Makelele, Michael Ballack, Frank Lampard; Andriy Shevchenko, Didier Drogba.

Bremen: Andreas Reinke; Clemens Fritz, Petri Pasanen, Naldo, Pierre Wome; Frank Baumann, Tim Borowski, Daniel Jensen; Diego, Ivan Klasnić, Miroslav Klose/Hugo Almeida.