Copenhagen welcome Chelsea to the Parken Stadium having not played since December 7 due to the winter break, meaning they will be fresher than their glamorous opponents.
However, this can backfire as it always takes time to get up to match speed and with Chelsea having played two matches in the last eight days, match fitness could play a key role in the first leg.
The Danes have been in unstoppable form all season, they are undefeated in 19 games and have a 19 point lead at the top of the table.
Domestic domination, which has seen them take the title seven of the last nine years, has not always shown in European competition, but this year the Parken side look a different proposition.
They were undefeated at home in the group stages, which included a 1-1 draw with Barcelona on their way to finishing second behind the Spanish giants with 10 points.
Carlo's Opportunity
Chelsea have had a terrible season by their standards, with the pressure ever increasing on boss Carlo Ancelotti. Saturdays FA Cup defeat means the Champions League is the Blues' only real hope of silverware and may be the manager's only hope of keeping his job.
But Chelsea look a side on a slippery slope, with players off form and ageing, while the teams around them are constantly investing in youth.
Ancelotti can work knowing that Roman Abramovich backed him with £70 million in January. But the Italian is still waiting for Fernando Torres to find his form and the boss will have his fingers crossed that the Spaniard is not another Andrei Shevchenko.
Ancelotti’s men have shown good form in the Champions League so far with five wins from six games and if they can find that form again, the Stamford Bridge outfit may turn one of their worst seasons into one of their best.
TEAM NEWS
FC Copenhagen
Copenhagen manager Stale Solbakken has a fully fit squad to choose from, meaning his only selection headache will be who to leave out from his squad.
The Danes prefer a 4-4-2 system but may opt for five in midfield, with ex-Chelsea man Jesper Gronkjaer expected to start behind Dame N’Doye. Cesar Santin, who is joint top scorer with N’Doye in the Danish Superliga, is expected to start on the bench.
William Kvist is should play in defensive midfield, while Christian Bolanos is expected to play out wide.
Goalkeeper Johan Wiland will be a key figure in goal after conceding just 15 goals in 19 matches.
Possible starting XI: Wiland; Jorgensen, Antonsson, Wendt, Pospech; Claudemir, Bolanos, Kvist, Vingaard; Gronkjaer; N’Doye.
Chelsea
The Blues will hand striker Fernando Torres his Champions League debut with the club after being cup-tied for Saturdays FA Cup defeat to Everton.
This means Didier Drogba will again start on the bench with Nicolas Anelka replacing Salomon Kalou in another attacking change.
Fellow new man David Luiz is cup-tied after playing for Benfica in the competition, which means Branislav Ivanovic will continue at centre-back in the absence of Alex.
Jose Bosingwa is expected to replace Paulo Ferreira at right-back while Yuri Zhirkov and Yossi Benayoun miss out through injury.
Possible starting XI: Cech; Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole; Essien, Mikel, Lampard; Anelka, Torres, Malouda.
Prediction
Despite their poor form Chelsea are still the favourites, but you simply cannot ignore Copenhagen’s record this season. The Danes will attack a vulnerable Chelsea backline but expect the Blues to make chances on the counter-attack and to be more ruthless than their hosts.
Copenhagen 1-2 Chelsea 
