Scolari's side face Romanian minnows CFR Cluj at Stamford Bridge tomorrow night knowing that only a victory will ensure them of a place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

The Brazilian will be the first Chelsea manager to fail to reach the next level of the competition if Cluj pull off one of the surprise results of the season and Bordeaux beat Roma.

Chelsea's home form is less than sparkling with Scolari's side having dropped 12 points in the Barclays Premier League but it remains untainted in Group A with victories over Bordeaux and group leaders Roma.

Despite the importance of tomorrow's game, Scolari was quick to denounce any suggestion that he was feeling the pace and claimed the pressure was nothing compared to managing Brazil.

"Do you know how many people live in Brazil?," said Scolari. "I was coach there and you think there is pressure here? It is zero pressure.

"The pressure was when I was coach in Brazil because all the people in that country are coaches.

"This is only one more game. It is important for our qualification for the next phase. It is the same as other games because we need three points. If we win, we are in the next phase.

"It is not the most important game of the season - it is one more game.

"If we lose, then maybe were are out. It is possible. If we lose tomorrow and we are out of the Champions League, I will not feel good. But no more than that. This is life, this is football."

Scolari may be trying to defuse the importance of the tie but the club's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich will certainly not want to see them slide into UEFA Cup.

But a Bordeaux victory over leaders Roma and a Chelsea disaster at home would provide Abramovich with the ultimate footballing financial nightmare.

Much will depend on Scolari's team formation and on whether he will consider changing his system to accommodate both Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba in attack.

He is already without injured Florent Malouda and suspended Frank Lampard, but his side will be compensated somewhat by a fit again Joe Cole.

Yet Scolari was clearly trying to give nothing away when quizzed about the possible use of both strikers or opting to switch from his normal 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 against the Romanians.

"When we have time to train more with these two players and I have confidence for my system with two strikers, I will use two strikers," said Scolari. "But tomorrow, I don't know."

Chelsea's shaky progress through Group A has also underlined the importance of defender Ricardo Carvalho.

The Portugal centre-half has featured in just one of their five European games so far because of a knee injury and it is clear they have missed him.

Carvalho is not due back until Christmas at the earliest because, unlike previous managers like Jose Mourinho, Scolari refuses to rush his players back for fear of crippling them in later life.

"Some players play 60 games a season for their club and national teams and sometimes they do so with little injuries that turn into big ones in later years," said Scolari.

"But if they are not in good condition, I don't want them to play because when they get older maybe they have a problem caused by me. The philosophy of other coaches is not important.

"When I was a player I sometimes played with a little injury because I wanted to help my coach and team and now I have a problem in my ankle at 60. I don't want this for my players."