Source: Telegraph
Chelsea face Juventus with Michael Essien promising Guus Hiddink bright future
Juventus v Chelsea
Kick-off: Tue Mar 10, 7.45pm (GMT);
Olympic Stadium, TurinTV: ITV4, Setanta Ireland
Radio: BBC Radio Five Live
Tonight's hurdle – Chelsea lead 1-0 from the first leg – will be problematic, but with key players returning, the final two and a half months could prove fascinating for the Blues.
Of Essien's chances, Hiddink said: "He will be in the 18, so he's ready to start. Let's see what will happen. We can either start with him or bring him on later, as we did at Coventry, but he's OK and in the squad for the match."
As for Carvalho, Deco and Anelka, Hiddink added: "It's also good that those three are back, although not fully at full strength. Carvalho is OK. He played a recent (reserve) game and is fit to join in.
"Anelka has also started to train again and we'll see what his reaction is. We have a few hours to make a decision. Deco started back a few days ago. He's a little more problematic. He's fit, but his injury was a muscle, a hamstring, not a rupture but small, so you must be careful. We'll look at him after training to see whether he's in the 18, yes or no."
In addition, Cole is ahead of schedule. The England midfielder ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in Chelsea's 4-1 FA Cup win over Southend in January and needed an operation that ruled him out for the rest of the campaign.
But the 27-year-old is confident he can return to action in time for the start of next season after making a good start to his rehabilitation.
"I am ahead of schedule," he said. "The physios are really happy with me and how I feel at the moment is how I am supposed to be feeling.
"There is obviously a bit of muscle wastage in the legs so I am working on that but I am pleased.
"There was always in my head a dream of a possible Champions League or FA Cup Final but the physios put the kibosh on that every time I mention it. So my comeback target is going to be pre-season for the start of next season."
By then Chelsea hope to have at least one trophy in their cabinet and after six straight wins - five under Hiddink - optimism at Stamford Bridge is high.
"When you are at this stage of the competition, then it's a matter of the balance," added Hiddink.
"If you start in September, October, then the big teams have to survive. You have to be first or second in the group, and there are few surprises on qualifying.
"When you are here now, in February and March and so on, then it's very tight, equal games. The teams who can call upon a big squad, because they are competing on more roads, in case of injuries can replace some of their key players - they have more chances. It's tight.
"When you are in this period in Europe, I don't want to talk about luck but you have to force luck a little bit. If you're strong in your selection and your squad, you can go all the way. They have experience after all these years."
