Source: PA
Kalou ready to kick-start late run
Salomon Kalou feels Chelsea can use their Champions League tie against Copenhagen as a "turning point" to finish the campaign in style.
The Blues look set to reach the quarter-finals of Europe's elite club competition once again when they take a 2-0 lead into Wednesday night's second leg at Stamford Bridge. The win in Denmark last month provided a much-needed confidence boost for Carlo Ancelotti's men after defeat to Liverpool, a goalless draw at west-London rivals Fulham and then crashing out of the FA Cup at home to Everton.
Indeed, since then, Chelsea have also beaten Manchester United to help keep the Barclays Premier League title race open, while closing the gap at the top by beating Blackpool 3-1 at Bloomfield Road last week.
Ivory Coast striker Kalou believes momentum will be important if the Blues are to salvage something from the campaign, now nine points off the pace but with a match in hand ahead of their clash against top-four rivals Manchester City on Sunday.
"Copenhagen can be the turning point, because going away and winning 2-0 is a great result," Kalou told www.UEFA.com. "Now we have the second leg at home and we will try to make it good by winning again, then we can prepare for the next round peacefully.
"However, a football match is never done, you play 90 minutes, so we have to be focused on that. If they reach this stage of the competition it means they're a good team, so we have to have respect for them and play our usual game."
