In the second round of group matches in this year’s UEFA Champions League, Group E rivals Steaua Bucharest host last year’s Europa League winners Chelsea at the National Arena in Bucharest on Tuesday night at 1945 hours GMT.
Both the home team and the visitors were soundly defeated in the first round of matches and will be looking for a win to kick-off their campaign.
Bucharest was beaten 3-0 by Schalke 04 courtesy of goals from Atsuto Uchida, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Julian Draxler. In London, Chelsea suffered a shock defeat when they were beaten 1-2 by FC Basel.
Oscar’s solitary goal was cancelled by goals from Mohamed Salah and Marco Streller.
Bucharest has started the domestic league on a bright note, where they are currently on the top of the league table after winning six of their seven games and drawing the other.
Chelsea, on the other hand are fourth in the league table after winning only three of their first six matches, drawing two and losing one.
The home side would enter this match confident after a comfortable 3-0 victory in the Romanian league against ACS Poli Timisoara over the weekend.
Chelsea on the other hand, could only earn one point in a hard fought encounter against Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has confirmed that fan favourite Juan Mata will start this match.
Spaniard Fernando Torres may also start this match after picking up a red card over the weekend in the league game and after talks of a much improved performance in the second half of that game, all eyes will be on him.
There are no major injury problems for the home side entering into this match.
These sides last met in the last 16 clash of the Europa League this year where Chelsea won 3-2 on aggregate after being beaten 1-0 in Bucharest in the first leg, and then went on to win the tournament.