Mission impossible for Di Matteo's men

Roberto Di Matteo has cautioned against branding Juventus a "one-man team" as Chelsea begin their Champions League defence.

The Blues face a tough Group E opener against the Italian champions, who have spent the last two seasons outside Europe's premier club competition but return on the back of an incredible 42-game unbeaten run in Serie A. That sequence has coincided with the arrival of veteran playmaker Andrea Pirlo, who also inspired Italy to this summer's European Championship final. Insisting Juve were not a "one-man team", Di Matteo said: "Obviously, he's a very important player for them and dictates a little bit of their game, so we will certainly have to make sure we control him, that's for sure. He had a fantastic tournament for Italy. "He's a talented player and, since his switch to Juventus, he's shown again he's an extremely great player." Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, who will go head to head with Pirlo, added: "Playing against a legend like Pirlo is going to be great. But, once we step onto the pitch, it's a different story. He wants to win, I want to win. I respect him as a player and, hopefully, I can learn something from him."