Rosenborg - Chelsea

[Kjello]

Tickets sold out...

[2mas]

Yes, it is sold out. Tickets were sold the last days before the two last home matches, but this time neither UEFA nor the visiting team has returned any.

By the way:

Rosenborg BK had not won successive games in the UEFA Champions League since the 1997/98 campaign, not including qualifying ties, and achieving that feat in the last two fixtures of this campaign means that they approach their final two matches with genuine hopes of making it through to the knockout rounds for only the second time in eleven attempts. They will even rise to the top of Group B if they were to take maximum points off Chelsea FC.

Read more: Rosenborg relishing Chelsea challenge

[2mas]

Kjernen migt have some tickets left. These will be sold on match day...

A draw is kind of an objective on Wednesday. If Schalke lose to Valencia, one point is enough to the secure the 3rd place and UEFA Cup.

The question is whether the players are match fit, three weeks after the last match. But our November record at Lerkendal is quite good:

22.11.95: Rosenborg - Legia Warszawa 4-0
20.11.96: Rosenborg - IFK Göteborg 1-0
27.11.97: Rosenborg - Real Madrid 2-0
25.11.98: Rosenborg - Athletic Bilbao 2-1
24.11.99: Rosenborg - Bayern München 1-1
08.11.00: Rosenborg - Bayern München 1-1
23.10.01: Rosenborg - Celtic 2-0 (last home fixture)
12.12.02: Rosenborg - Lyon 1-1
29.10.03: Rosenborg - Red Star 0-0 (last home fixture)
24.11.04: Rosenborg - Panathinaikos 2-2
23.11.05: Rosenborg - Olympiakos 1-1

5-6-0 and 17-7 in goal difference is not bad a month after the league has finished.

The weather forecast says minus 5-6°C Wednesday evening. The snow came last night:

[Christian]

[2mas]

Thanks for clearing things up!

[Ingeman]

We can go to the next stage if we only get one point aswell. But Valencia vs. Shalcke has to be a draw then..

Isn't that correct?

[Kjello]

No, If we get three points against Chelsea and Schalke don't win we are ready. If we win and Schalke and Valencia draw both we and Chelsea are ready for knockout stage.

[2mas]

[Skotten]

I can't wait for this, not sure where i'm going to be sitting as yet but really looking forward to my first RBK CL game. (It's also my first CL game of any kind.)

It's quite cold here at the moment but i'd imagine it will be bitter on Wednesday.

Not sure some of Chelsea's stars will like this, hopefully we an do the business.

[2mas]

The quarter final against Juventus in 1997 is still the biggest match played at Lerkendal, but when it comes to attention worldwide, the "group final" on Wednesday however might be the biggest.

Read more: Match of the millennium

Really looking forward to this one!

[2mas]

To avoid to tumble on the ground and to protect your feets for all the minus degrees, we recommend very warm Norwegian shoes with tick soles, the beksømsko.

To avoid freezing on the fingers it is very rational to use selbuvotter , a Norwegian knitted international bestseller for decades.

Because it is winter we recommend long underwear or stilongs.

And of course a warm cap made of wool (topplue) is the best to protect your ears from the cold weather.

Read more: Welcome to Trondheim!

[2mas]

Roar Strand is still not fully recovered after his calf injury. Fredrik Stoor therefore continues at the right back in the big match against Chelsea:

Lars Hirschfeld

Fredrik Stoor - Bjørn Tore Kvarme - Vidar Riseth - Mikael Dorsin

Per Ciljan Skjelbred - Alexander Tettey - Abdou Razack Traore
Marek Sapara

Yssouf Kone - Steffen Iversen
Read more: Same line-up as last time

[Engelsk]

Can't wait for the match
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thecomplexii.com - Founded 2005

[2mas]

Chelsea press conference 17:30 CET: live video feed

Rosenborg press conference (in English)

The former Tottenham striker Steffen Iversen has hit top form in recent weeks and scored twice against Valencia away and got a hat-trick for Norway last week.

"Some people say I'm unfit but I am answering them with my goals," he said.

Some of the Rosenborg players are lacking match practice as the domestic league finished on November 3 but most of them were involved with the national team last week. The snow and sub-zero temperatures forecast for Wednesday should benefit the home side.

"I am convinced we can go through," said Iversen. "Take a bit of bad weather and a lot of attitude from us and Chelsea won't find it easy playing against us."

Read more: Struggling Sevilla, desperate Sporting - and an in-form Iversen

"It would be good to wrap up the job there," said Chelsea defender Ashley Cole. "We know that it is going to be freezing cold and a hard game, but if we can go there and win it will wrap things up and put us through."

The weather forecast for the match in the city of Trondheim is for near freezing temperatures, with rain, snow and slush.

"We can hope for an advantage. I think we are more comfortable with this weather than they are," said Rosenborg midfielder Per Ciljan Skjelbred.

Read more: Chelsea can clinch Champions League advancement against Rosenborg

Kone: "'Right now we have real confidence - we are not waiting for Chelsea and treating them as a big team, they have to take us seriously as we will give our best to beat them. We need to win against them; it will be a historic result if we beat them."

Read more: Kone out to make history

Ashley Cole urges Chelsea to finish job

Ref.: Chelsea pies

[2mas]

Didier Drogba is set to spearhead Avram Grant's attack against Rosenborg after recovering from a knee injury sustained on international duty with the Ivory Coast.

Chelsea travelled to Trondheim without goalkeeper Petr Cech (calf), midfielder Michael Ballack (ankle), winger Florent Malouda (knee) and defenders Ricardo Carvalho (back) and Paulo Ferreira (ankle).

Read more: Drogba set for Chelsea return & BBC preview

[Christian]

Michael Ballack is reported to be fit, but is not on the CL-list of Chelsea-players (could first play again in January).

For me, it is a fault not to start with Roar, even if he is not fit at all. Roar is Roar!
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Hilsen fra Tyskland

[Zbegra]

I'd rather have Roar come in the last 30 minutes than having to substitute him after the first 30. That has happened quite a few matches this season. He's becoming an old man
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Kvit og Svart, Alltid!

[2mas]

Don't whether you saw the match in Valencia, Christian, but Stoor impressed everyone. He is the man for the future, and is a better choice than an unfit Strand.

By the way: Kone & Konan vs. Drogba & Kalou

[Yigit]

so excited for this game
hope i can watch on sopcast
i have a strong feeling about the qualifying of Rosenborg, we'll make it!
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Since 1917...

[Christian]

Oh yes, Thomas, I saw the match against Valencia (at Mestalla) live at German Pay-TV Premiere as they show every match. I´m really enjoying it, because they present it also in Norwegian. Wonderful.
And yes, I saw Fredrik on the right side. He was playing great, but you have to know, that I have a faible for veterans as Vidar, Roar, Bjørn Tore and Christer. So I´d like to see Roar. Maybe a fit Stoor is the better choice, but I can't believe that Roar is getting old, Zbegra!
Glad, that he continues!
As for the match, I hope not only Fredrik, but also the others will play as good and fighting as against Valencia.
But now we are not underestimated anymore. Already in Germany RBK became famous the last 3-4 weeks.
Let´s hpe for 1 or even 3 points, but I`m realistic (not pessimistic).

As always I bet for RBKs opponent (and the last times except S04, RBK has taken points!) A kind of ritual!
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Hilsen fra Tyskland

[2mas]

The weather forecast says 3° and dry spell at kick-off and during the match.

Phil Thompson, Sky Sports

The Norwegian champions have proved time and again that they can handle it at this level.

They have the ability, the technical ability, and Chelsea have to do something that Valencia didn't do and that's to give them respect. Rosenborg defeated Valencia at the Mestalla and showed, as they did at Stamford Bridge, that they are no mugs.

They have decent Champions League pedigree - years ago they were a tough nut to crack and they pulled off some fine results knocking AC Milan out famously and defeating Real Madrid in the group stage in 1998 when Madrid then went on to win it.

And to me they are looking back to those days and are strong and capable of pulling off shock results. So I would think Avram Grant would be more than happy with a draw from this one.

Read more: No away day Blues

Goal.com

Essien said: “At Chelsea, we’re all professional and want to do our best for the club and of course the fans.

“There is a job for us all to do at Chelsea, we are going well in the league and there is a big game [tonight] in the Champions League against Rosenborg.�

A win at the Lerkendal Stadium in Trondheim will guarantee their qualification to the first knockout round.

Essien commented: “It would be strange for Chelsea to go out at this group stage.�

Read more: Essien Wants To End Career At Chelsea

London Lite

Drogba:

"I am also eager to show that the draw at Stamford Bridge was just a combination of circumstances. We are leading the group and are unbeaten but we know that a setback at Rosenborg would mean we would lose the top spot.

Drogba is set to return after missing Saturday's eventful 2-0 win at Derby with a knee complaint, and he is the player Rosenborg fear most.

They have devised a plan to deal with the Ivorian, and defender Vidar Riseth hopes training against Norway teammate John Carew will stand him in good stead.

Drogba's call to arms is timely as Rosenborg sense a chance to record an historic win. Their draw at Stamford Bridge conferred more prestige than wins home and away against Valencia, and their players are looking at tonight's meeting between the top two as Group B's cup final.

Read more: Drogba: Chelsea need to win well tonight to show our Euro credentials

[Hvit mann som pusher 50]

Heh...
When the group was prestened, everybody reckoned Rosenborg would finish last... And now Rosenborg - Chelsea is being mentioned as the "group final".

I wonder what the odds would have been for that before the group stage started?
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Du och vi, Alfred - du och vi

[Christian]

From a german bet-office (beofre the first match-day was played):

RBK to reach the KO-round --> 21.00
RBK to win the group --> 61.00
---
1. Chelsea 2. RBK --> 48.00
1. RBK 2. Chelsea --> 68.00
1. S04 2. RBK --> 89.00
1. RBK 2. S04 --> 101.00

Unfortunately I lost the Valencia ones.

Would be a fine money...
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Hilsen fra Tyskland

[Engelsk]

Chelsea leading 0-2 at the moment eh...
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thecomplexii.com - Founded 2005

[Christian]

My eyes were aching the whole match through

Bye, bye CL!
Jævla Schalke will obv. take the second place - man, it would be double delicious to beat them in Gelsenkirchen. First to go to the KO-stage and second that Schalke is out of the CL!

I had a dream last night that Lars Hirschfeld was injured and I was the goalkeeper (in fact I am keeper) for RBK - and RBK lost because of my faults. Weird dream, but it came so true in another cruel way!

But again: I will support RBK and hope they´ll do it!
How is the slogan: Impossible is nothing. Even Chelsea has made the surprise to beat RBK (surprise because of the statistic of november/december-matches at home)
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Hilsen fra Tyskland