Chelsea, Inter Milan seek Champions League upswing

Playing todayCSKA vs Real Madrid 18:55 SS3Napoli vs Chelsea 21:45 SS3Playing on WednesdayMarseille vs Inter 21:45Basel vs Bayern 21:45CHELSEA boss Andre Villas-Boas and Inter Milan coach Claudio Ranieri, himself a former Stamford Bridge manager, will be looking to the UEFA Champions League this week to boost their chances of keeping their jobs.Villas-Boas has been described as a ‘dead man walking’ by Ranieri and he should know - he was one of several high-profile managers to fall victim to the whims of Chelsea’s billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.Ranieri is probably even under more threat at Inter as his side have lost five of their last six games, including being knocked out of the Italian Cup of which they were the holders, and face a testing trip to French side Marseille on Wednesday.Villas-Boas arguably faces the tougher midweek challenge as Chelsea travel to Serie A outfit Napoli - who ousted Inter from the Italian Cup - on Tuesday on the back of a dire 1-1 home draw with Championship side Birmingham in the FA Cup.However, the indefatigable Portuguese handler, faced with an increasing band of critics as well as a split dressing room, insists his job is safe. Asked after the Birmingham clash if the outcome of the Napoli tie would have any bearing on his future he said: “No. No, not at all. It’s not up to me to decide that, you have to ask that question to the right person.”Villas-Boas accepts that the Napoli game is a tough task, coming so soon after the Birmingham draw and a Premier League defeat by Everton the preceding weekend which leaves them battling to assure Champions League football next season.Napoli, who saw off the challenge of big-spending Manchester City in their group, go into the match in great spirits having beaten Fiorentina 3-0 away on Friday to move above Inter in the table.Inter’s rough patchRanieri, whose side have conceded 15 goals and scored just four in their last six matches, admits that Inter have hit another rough patch just when the business end of the season was approaching.

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Chelsea, Inter Milan seek Champions League upswing