Levi Colwill has warned his side is braced for a bruising battle and says they’re ready to fight fire with fire when they travel to the City Ground this weekend to face Nottingham Forest.
The defender didn’t mince his words ahead of the crunch clash, saying:
It is effectively a final.
Colwill knows what’s coming, a fierce scrap in a hostile atmosphere but insists the boys are up for it.
He told a group of journalists including one from Telecom Asia ahead of the game this weekend:
It will be a tough game, a tough atmosphere, but we know what we need to do. They are going to be a tough team to play against. We are going to have to work really hard to break them down.
One of the questions to him was what is the biggest worry and what should Chelsea be doing to ensure that they win it all and book their spot in next season's Champions League.
We have to score when we get chances, and not give them any chance to counter-attack.
Colwill reckons the opposition will throw everything at them and says the key will be picking the right moments to strike.
The Chelsea defender concluded:
They are going to push harder than they might normally because they have to win too. We have to be smart, pick our moments to exploit that, and times when to sit off and let them give us what they've got. We just have to find the balance to make sure we win the game.
The message is clear: it’s all on the line and Colwill’s ready for war.
The Blues have not been in the Champions League for the last two seasons but they have had a much improved campaign where they could finish fifth and go on to win the Europa League as well as sealing a return to Europe’s big boys.
