MSK Zilina v Chelsea: Roman Abramovich still captivated by Chelsea train set

If you listen to the Blues' manager, Carlo Ancelotti, his boss is still helplessly afflicted. By a seven-year itch.

"I think he's still as excited about Chelsea today as he's always been," reflected Ancelotti as his team arrived at one of the Champions League's more unlikely outposts to start their eighth campaign of the Abramovich era.

Did Chelsea beat MSK Zilina that night, Ancelotti wondered aloud in surprise when told that the 2003 match here in the neat little 11,000-seater Pod Dubnom Stadium, in a qualifying round, was the first to be played by Chelsea following the Russian's takeover at Stamford Bridge. "Two-nil? Good," he said, hoping for something similarly businesslike.

Not that Abramovich was there that evening – it is now written in Chelsea lore that he watched the goals from Eidur Gudjohnsen and his new boy, Joe Cole, on his yacht moored off the coast of Alaska – and nobody is holding their breath for him to come roaring in over the Tatras Mountains either.

Yet Ancelotti is adamant that, despite the fact that those high-profile Roman spend, spend, spend orgies are a thing of the past, Abramovich's quiet commitment has never dwindled. He debunked the idea that the Champions League is Abramovich's obsession, after their four semi-final appearances and one stroke of agony in the final – "Obviously he wants to win it but winning the Premier League is the same to him" – but admitted that this year offered him the most tantalising vision yet of the grail.

"Maybe this year is the year it happens," shrugged Ancelotti. "This year is very important because the final is at Wembley and no London team has won. Maybe that can be a good motivation. He feels this is his club, 100 per cent. Every time, every game, he always shows a lot of passion, and enthusiasm. To put this club at the top he needed to spend a lot of money. Now this club is at the top and to maintain this, it's not always necessary to spend money to buy a lot of players.

"We have fantastic players – some players have to improve, some young players have to develop their quality." Which brings us to Ancelotti's faith in one such lad. On Wednesday, in a vastly changed line-up and with Didier Drogba suspended, he will give his lightning 21-year-old Daniel Sturridge his head with a Champions League debut, while offering the glowing verdict that he could play for England one day.

You can hardly say Ancelotti is not feeling confident after the outrageous start to the champions' season. He even sounded a little Mourinho-like, while reeling off his team at the eve-of-match news conference. Frank Lampard's injury allows Yossi Benayoun to have a run while Ancelotti has rested Ashley Cole and expects the unsettled Yuri Zhirkov to fill in.

Chelsea fans had better get used to rotation, rotation, rotation. "It is not a risk. We've a lot of matches coming up and want to keep all the players motivated."

There is palpable excitement here about Chelsea's visit, with much ado around town about the massive hiking of ticket prices for the game.

Zilina's hard-core fans made their own walkout protest during their last match, leaving just a banner asking the players if they liked the silence. Mind, everyone here will be dumbstruck if the 12-1 outsiders win.

For there is a sense that Chelsea's time is nigh. "I am sure these players will have their revenge [after all the near misses]. I don't know if I will be here for it, but these players will win the Champions League. I am sure of it," reckoned Ancelotti.

"They could win the Champions League with the penalty kick of John Terry. That would be good …"

Good? It would be unreal.