Veterans of 2000 rate Chelsea's chances

Chelsea's encounter with Barcelona tonight will revive painful memories for those who were present the last time the teams met in the second leg of a Champions League tie.

With Chelsea leading 3-1 from the first leg of the quarter-final in April 2000, the tie was level at 4-4 on aggregate after 90 minutes. Chelsea were then reduced to 10 men and Barcelona scored two more in extra-time.

Three of Chelsea's players from that night still wince at the memory. "We were confident after our 3-1 victory in the first leg," said the retired midfielder Roberto Di Matteo, "but it was our first experience of the Champions League and we knew it would be difficult at the Camp Nou. Before the game the crowd were holding up cards saying 2-0 [the score Barcelona needed to go through] but we didn't feel intimidated.

"Barcelona used three strikers with Rivaldo playing behind them. Barcelona are always an attacking team - it is part of the club's mentality.

"They were 2-0 up by half-time but at 2-1 we felt that we had a chance. We even felt the same when we went 3-1 behind."

In extra-time Celestine Babayaro was sent off when he conceded a penalty, from which the home team scored. "It is very hard to play against players with Barcelona's technical quality when they have an extra man, as Chelsea found in this season's first leg," Di Matteo added.

Chelsea's right-back Albert Ferrer limped out of the game at half-time after injuring an ankle. "I felt terrible because we were losing and I wanted to try to help turn things around," he said. "It was a little frustrating but these things happen in football."

Ferrer, a Catalan himself, thinks Stamford Bridge can rouse the team to avoid a similar disappointment. "Playing the second leg at home is definitely an advantage and it will be easier for Chelsea. I think they'll put Barcelona under pressure from the start to get the goal they need, but of course Barcelona are such a good team that they can score at any time."

Tore Andre Flo, who played for Chelsea for four years, scored the goal at Camp Nou to make it 2-1, a scoreline which would have put them into the semi- finals. "It was just fantastic to play at Chelsea when I did but maybe now it's even better. They have a squad full of great champions and one of the best coaches in the world. I think they can win loads of trophies this season and in the future.

"Barcelona and Chelsea are probably the two best teams in Europe at the moment and in the first leg Chelsea did very well while they were 11 against 11.

"The tie's now very open and difficult to predict but Chelsea can do it at home. Everything is much easier when you play in front of those wonderful fans. I think they will win 2-0."