Duff confident of success in Nou Camp

Damien Duff is adamant Chelsea can salvage their Champions League dream by beating Barcelona in the Nou Camp.

Trailing 2-1 from a highly-charged first leg of their last-16 clash with the La Liga champions at Stamford Bridge, boss Jose Mourinho’s side face an uphill task to reach the quarter finals.

Chelsea did achieve such a feat at the same stage of the competition last season, but on that occasion the return leg was at home after a 2-1 defeat in Spain.

This time, not many are backing the Blues to pull off what would be an astonishing result, especially as Mourinho’s away record in the Champions League with Chelsea is poor – five defeats in nine games.

In contrast, Barca have not been beaten at home in the tournament for three years, while under coach Frank Rijkaard they have won six and drawn one of seven Champions League matches at the Nou Camp.

Yet defiant winger Duff insists it is not ’mission impossible’ as the Republic of Ireland international said: “We know we need to win, as simple as that.

“But we definitely can win. I don’t see why we can’t. We can beat anyone on our day.

“We’ve faced tasks like this before at Chelsea and come through them, and if there is any squad in the world that can do this, it’s us.”

Duff believes Atletico Madrid showed the way to glory when they beat Barcelona 3-1 at the Nou Camp four weeks ago.

“They are beatable,” added Duff. “I watched them the other week when they lost 3-1 to Atletico, so if they can do it, why can’t we.

“Looking at them from last yar they have virtually the same team, and we know what their weaknesses are.

“Obviously, we didn’t exploit them as much as we would have liked at home, but then we were down 10 men after half an hour.

“This time it will be 11 versus 11 in Barcelona, so let’s see what happens.”

Chelsea are without Asier del Horno following his controversial red card in the first game after his collision with Lionel Messi.

That left the Blues down to 10 men for 53 minutes of the game, and although they took the lead early in the second half courtesy of an own goal from Thiago Motta, Barca hit back as John Terry also put through his own net before Samuel Eto’o grabbed the winner.

Duff, who watched the first leg from the bench but is expected to start, could only admire the skills of talented Argentina midfielder Messi, even if Mourinho accused him of ’play-acting’.

“Even though he was playing against us, he was awesome,” remarked Duff.

“For a player who has just turned 18, the talent he has is ridiculous! He was great to watch, a fabulous player.”