Chelsea will look to continue its run in the Europa league when the team takes on FC Basel in the first leg of the 2013 Europa League.
Chelsea is coming off a hard-fought 5-4 aggregate win against Rubin Kazan. After taking the opening leg 3-1, the English side fell 3-2 in the rematch. Aside from earning qualification, the rise of Fernando Torres in those two matches was the biggest story for the Blues. Torres scored three goals in those two matches and was the main reason his team qualified.
Now Chelsea must take down a hot FC Basel squad. Basel has only suffered two losses in the entire tournament. One came in the group stage while the second came during a round of 16 match against Zenit St. Petersburg. The team is coming off a tough battle against Tottenham Hotspur that ended in penalties.
Chelsea coach Rafa Benitez understands the danger that the Swiss side poses for his club.
"Basel is in the semi-final and deserve to be there," said Benitez. "They've worked very hard, have played well, and are well organized. They press well and launch good counter-attacks.
He added, "They have good players with pace and ability, so we will have to do really well if we want to win."
He pointed out one player in particular. "Philipp Degen was my player (at Liverpool) and is a good professional, a worker who enjoys playing football. They have some good young players and others with more experience," he concluded.
Prediction: Chelsea wins the opening leg 2-1.
Start Time: 3:05 PM EST
TV: Fox Soccer Channel
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