Chelsea vs. Juventus: 3 Blues Who Are Key to Champions League Victory

Chelsea faces one of the toughest matchups on its schedule in what looks to be a fantastic game on paper.

Chelsea has yet to lose a game this year and will look to continue its success against another undefeated team in Juventus.

Chelsea poses a major challenge for Juventus, which is well aware of the ramifications if it's able to pull off the upset.

Here are three Blues who will be key to a Champions League victory.

Petr Cech

Petr Cech's ability to shut down opponents' striking has carried Chelsea through the early part of its schedule.  The superstar goalie will be relied on for dominance in big moments as well as his leadership.

Cech spoke about the target on Chelsea's back coming into this game, via the team's official website:

Anybody who plays against us will want to raise their game, we are the defending champions so its extra motivation for everybody.  We're playing Juventus, who have been missing from the Champions League for a few seasons, so they will definitely want to show they are back. Last time we played them we beat them in the knockout stages [in 2009], so this is a chance for them to get revenge for that defeat.

Juventus has undoubtedly been preparing for this game for a long time, so Chelsea must be ready for the team's best effort.

Fernando Torres

Chelsea's talented forward has struggled recently, and this game presents an ideal opportunity for the beleaguered Torres to turn his season around.  

There has been chatter about Torres' perceived lack of effort negatively affecting the team, but manager Roberto Di Matteo dismissed the notion.  He spoke to the Press Association (via ESPN.com) about the situation after being asked about the matter for the third time:

I think it's a team sport. I wouldn't individually go player by player. I thought, as a team, we played well, our center forward worked very hard, he had a chance in the first half to score as well, a half-decent chance in the second half."

Torres could win back the favor of his team's fans with a strong showing against Juventus.  He'll have a spotlight on him all game, and he'll have to face his critics yet again if he turns in another poor effort.

Frank Lampard

The star midfielder will be asked to help Chelsea control possession and set up the team's aggressive strikes when opportunities develop.  Lampard has been receiving criticism for his age recently, but the 34-year-old still plays a vital part in Chelsea's attack.

Lampard can silence those critics who seem to think age has caught up with him by setting up Chelsea's stars with crisp passing.  Chelsea's attackers will need as much help as they can get against a strong Juventus defense.