Ahead of tonight’s final Group E games, forward Andre Schurrle has stressed the need for a top-of-the-table finish for Chelsea as they prepare to entertain Steaua Bucharest at Stamford Bridge.
The ‘Blues’ are already through to the knockout stage of the competition but requires a win to secure the group’s top spot, while a draw and disappointments for Basel against Schalke in Gelsenkirchen could also help the West London outfit retain its position.
“It’s an important game today that we need to win to be top of the table,” the £18m signing from Bayern Leverkusen told Chelsea website.
Portuguese tactician, Jose Mourinho, in his pre-game spin on Tuesday also highlighted the importance of finishing top of the group ahead of next Monday’s draw. He suggested that the group winners are likely to receive a more favourable draw than runners-ups.
Schurrle, sharing the same school of thought as his boss, wants the 2012 Champions to justify their status.
“A club like Chelsea always needs to be at the top of the table in the group stage of the Champions League because almost all the other big teams are first in the group, like Bayern and Barcelona,” he opined.
The side other teams want to avoid in the second round draw is the possible runners-up of Group F, with last season’s losing-finalists, Borussia Dortmund, presently occupying that spot.
The Germany international, who grabbed a brace in his first return to the squad at Stoke City over the weekend, is aware that even emerging the best in the group would not guarantee an advantageous pairing in the last 16.
“Borussia Dortmund are a great team and no team will want to have them in the next round,” the 23-year-old added.
“But first we must come top of the table and then we will accept everything that comes our way because we are a good team too. However the draw goes, we want to go far as far as we can.”
