Let's get physical, Berg tells Rovers

Henning Berg claims Blackburn can use a physical approach to upset CSKA Sofia’s cultured football in the UEFA Cup first-round clash at Ewood Park tonight.

Berg believes the Bulgarians will not be used to the 100 mile-an-hour pace of English football – and that will work in Blackburn’s favour.

“We expect them to be very skilful and good on the ball,” he said.

“The English game has more pace and is more physical and we have to make that count, play at a high tempo and be physical because I don’t think that’s what they will be used to.

“We have been playing well this season although we have not been getting the results we feel we should have done.”

Berg is anxious to give the Blackburn faithful a European night to remember at last – he took part in several disappointing games in the UEFA Cup and Champions League, with the nadir being a defeat by Swedish part-timers Trelleborgs in 1994.

He added: “We have not been too good in Europe. We had a bad couple of games against Trelleborgs, and didn’t do too well in the Champions League either.

“It would be nice to do a bit better now. It would be great for the club and for the fans if we could progress, and it will be a good test for us as well in a different type of game to the one we play every week in England.”

Italian striker Corrado Grabbi should be given a first start of the season after Andy Cole was ruled out with a hamstring problem, while Damien Duff (thigh) is also missing.

Cole is in contention for Leeds’ visit to Ewood Park on Sunday, however, while David Thompson has shaken off a knock to take his place in the squad to play the Bulgarian side.

CSKA Sofia, now managed by former Bulgaria national team coach Stoicho Mladenov, were once the dominant force in Bulgarian football and have won their domestic championship 28 times, but it is five years since they last won the title.

CSKA spokesman Vladimir Roupov said: “We are optimistic against Blackburn.

“We know quite a bit about them because we watch English matches every week here, we know their players and we also know they have a poor record in Europe which is something we are hoping to exploit.”