Solbakken tips Torres to start

FC Copenhagen boss Stale Solbakken is "100 per cent sure" Fernando Torres will start for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

Last Updated: 15/03/11 at 17:45

Solbakken: Expects Torres to start

Solbakken: Expects Torres to start

Solbakken also suggested Torres' team-mates would go out of their way to ensure he finally finds the net for his new club and challenged his players to extend the striker's goal drought to six matches.

Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti raised eyebrows earlier on Tuesday when he revealed he was considering resting Torres for a game that looks tailor-made for the 26-year-old to start repaying his record-breaking £50million transfer fee.

If he was bluffing, he failed to fool his opposite number.

"I'm 100 per cent sure that Torres will play and I also think that they will try to pass to him a lot," said Solbakken, who expected Nicolas Anelka to partner the Spaniard.

"Anelka didn't play the last game so I don't think it's a bad guess to say they will start tomorrow together."

Anelka was Copenhagen's tormentor in the first leg three weeks ago, scoring twice in a 2-0 win that made Chelsea overwhelming favourites to reach the quarter-finals.

"If we should go out, it should be in a good way and that means probably stopping those two for most of the game," said Solbakken, who admitted his side "need a miracle or two" to turn the tie around.

Yet, he added: "We're going for it. If the goal comes when it's 10 minutes left, it's probably as good as it is to get it in the first minute."

Referring to Sunderland's shock 3-0 Premier League win at Stamford Bridge in November, Solbakken said: "If Sunderland can score three, we can score two."

Wednesday's game promises to be an emotional one for Copenhagen winger Jesper Gronkjaer, who will play at Stamford Bridge for the first time since leaving Chelsea in 2004.

The 33-year-old scored on his last two appearances at the stadium but is not banking on making it a hat-trick on Wednesday.

He added: "It's going to be funny. I just had a short walk around the stadium now and saw a few people I've seen before.

"It's going to be a fantastic atmosphere tomorrow.

"It's going to be a walk down memory lane.

"I've got great memories here but now I'm playing for FC Copenhagen and I want to win here and we're going to give it a good go tomorrow.

"We know we didn't play our best game in Copenhagen but we want to keep the dream alive."

Copenhagen are sweating on the fitness of centre-back Mikael Antonsson, who was struggling with a buttock injury.

Solbakken said of the Swede, who was once almost forced to quit football because of a heart condition: "He has been closer to death than he is now.

"His heart is at least good. His ass is not so good, so we will try to warm him up.

"We want to give him all the chance in the world to be ready."

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