Sunday afternoon sees one of the biggest games of the season at Stamford Bridge, but Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson knows Panathinaikos must be dealt with before he can turn his attention to Chelsea.
Tonight's Champions League encounter could see United qualify for the knock-out stage of the competition, while Sunday's clash could have a significant bearing on the title race.
"It's difficult to say which is the most important of the two games, so the best way to deal with it is to concentrate on the first one and let the Chelsea match look after itself," said the United boss.
"We have played Panathinaikos before, and it would be silly if we were complacent or relaxed against them. Three years ago they gave us a very difficult time in Athens - and we certainly don't want a repeat of what happened in Stuttgart earlier on this season. We need a point to get through, and the players are well aware of how important it is to get it.
"We know there will be powerful teams from Italy and Spain involved - and no matter how we want the draw to go, we will have a very difficult game," said Ferguson. "One can't afford to start thinking about who you want to avoid. The best thing we can do is win the group and see where that takes us."
Chelsea's win over Lazio in their last match in the Champions League was a sign of how dangerous they have become since Roman Abramovich financed a summer spending spree the like of which had never been seen in England. Ferguson acknowledges the new-look Stamford Bridge side are serious challengers for his club's domestic crown but he is not totally convinced of their credentials to be considered genuine contenders for the greatest European prize.
"Chelsea are potential winners - but you also have to look at the teams who are successful all the time in Europe," he said. "Chelsea have to cross that barrier yet, and it is something we have found very difficult. You only have to look at the previous winners of the Champions League to know that winning it is not a particularly easy task."
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