Chelsea
defender Branislav Ivanovic is ready for the ‘special’ challenge of the
Champions League ahead of Wednesday’s Sky Live game with Schalke.
Chelsea won the trophy in 2012 and made it to the semi-finals of last
season’s competition before being knocked out by Atletico Madrid.
Ivanovic is keen to taste European glory again and insists the rest of the
squad are also fired up.
“I think the Champions League is a competition that everyone wants to win,
all the players and all of the football people,’ he told Chelsea’s official
website.
“It’s special for all of us, we are ready and we are excited the Champions
League is starting again.
“Motivation remains the same whether it’s the group stage or knockout
rounds, it’s different to any other competition but all I can say is that
the motivation is always high.
“The games are different every year, you can’t compare them. Last year we
were very close to the final.
“At the moment we are playing with a lot of confidence so we can do better
(than reaching the semi-final), but the season is long, this is just the
first game, it’s a very difficult match for us.”
Chelsea’s 2013/14 Champions League campaign began with a 2-1 home defeat to
Basel and Ivanovic is adamant they will not be complacent again, despite
facing a Schalke team they defeated 3-0 home and away at the same stage of
last season’s competition.
“We have a good example from last year and we know every game is difficult
in the Champions League,” added the Serbia international.
“We have to be focused from the first minute, we know Schalke are a good
side, we played against them last year and this season they are even better
and stronger. The first game is at home and it’s very important for us to
start well.
“We know they have problems in defence, we will try to expose that, but they
are a good side and stay very compact.
“It’s the first game and you always look far ahead but we have to be focused
on Schalke, it’s the most important game right now.”
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