Hiddink faces first big judgement call

Hiddink has led his new side to five straight wins to put their season back on track, yet the real test of his abilities comes now as, ironically, he has virtually a fully fit squad to choose from.

Out of all the players who are regarded as genuine contenders for the first team, only Joe Cole is missing due to a long-term knee problem.

The sight of previously-injured trio Michael Essien, Ricardo Carvalho and Nicolas Anelka running with great enthusiasm during training at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin last night has provided the 62-year-old with both a boost and a selection headache at the same time.

Usually managers don't like to make changes to a winning side but a failure to do so here could cost the club their Champions League hopes.

The narrow 1-0 victory in the first leg of their last-16 tie at Stamford Bridge leaves little margin for error against the Italians and it is Carvalho's possible recall in favour of Alex which will have given Hiddink most room for thought.

Under normal circumstances Carvalho's place next to John Terry in Chelsea's central defence would be a certainty but he has only just returned to fitness after another seven weeks out with a recurring hamstring injury. In his absence, Alex has risen to the challenge and Chelsea have conceded only four goals in nine games.

Two of those came in the defeat against Liverpool last month, where the Brazilian international was Chelsea's most impressive player.

He is certainly not willing to stand aside and said: "All the games are very difficult at this stage and when you are up against a striker you have to fight the fight. I have done well in all the games and as for my fitness I am feeling very good. This next game is all we have been thinking about and we have to win."

Still, the partnership of Cavalho (below) with Terry has been one of the best combinations in Europe in recent years and he, along with Paulo Ferreira, are the only defenders in the Chelsea squad to have a Champions League winners' medal.

One would think Chelsea can't really afford to have that kind of experience sitting on the substitutes' bench and the Portuguese international has been doing his utmost to prove that to Hiddink in training.

It has been a season of utter frustration for the 30-year-old so far having made just 13 starts in all competitions and means no one will be more determined to avoid sitting on the sidelines against Juventus.

Reflecting on his injury problems this term, he said: "I think it's perhaps more difficult for me than for some other players as I get very angry. Ask the physios - they'll tell you. I go a little bit mad when I don't play.

"It didn't help that I'd got to a point where I was almost fit and had just started training but then broke down again, which put another two or three weeks on to my time out.

"And that just made me even more frustrated and mad. It's not easy when you see your team-mates preparing for games and you are just coming in for treatment every day."

However, Carvalho is fully aware of the tough choice Hiddink has to make tonight and added: "There is plenty of competition in central defence. With me, JT, Alex and Branislav Ivanovic all playing centre-back, it must be very difficult for the manager to choose as there isn't a big difference between us all. Everyone at this club has a lot of quality."

That certainly applies to Essien and Anelka, who have provided Hiddink with another selection dilemma. In Anelka's case, it doesn't offer so much of a gamble as he has only missed two games with a toe injury, although it is still troubling him. But Essien only made his first appearance after six months out with a serious knee injury in the win over Coventry on Saturday and that was a gentle run-out as a substitute.

The Ghana international has been as sorely missed as Carvalho and could make all the difference in the latter part of Chelsea's season but it could still be a gamble.

Hiddink has made a massive impact on the dressing room since he took over four weeks ago and has their full support but the same applied to Scolari at the start of the campaign and he was quickly removed when his decisions went wrong. It is not a challenge Hiddink is shying away from and is looking forward to the tie with confidence.

He said: "I think it's very important from now until the end of the season to have a big squad in terms of numbers and quality.

"At this level, it's tight. Our game at Stamford Bridge was tight. This will be too. When you are in this period in Europe, I don't want to talk about luck but you have to force luck a little bit.

"It's always nice to have a clean sheet, that's very important. But if you just wait in the second leg and hope not to concede, willing not to concede a goal and not have any initiative in the game, you will have a lot of problems.

"So, whenever we can, the team must attack. It's in their character. We've not come here just to defend. That would be asking for trouble."

Juventus striker Carvalha Amauri believes stopping Didier Drogba and running at Chelsea's defence is the key to knocking them out of the Champions League tonight.

The Italian side struggled to cope with Drogba, who scored the only goal, in the first leg, but were able to create numerous chances when they applied pressure to Chelsea's backline as the game went on.

Amauri said: "Chelsea's defence is very strong but you can run at them and I think that is their weak point.

"Myself, Alessandro Del Piero and Vincenzo Iaquinta are all capable of taking on defenders and we just need to play fast football.

"It's just important that we are careful and ensure that we don't concede at home. Drogba is a threat.

"He scored in the first game and it goes without saying that we have to pay close attention to him."