Eidur Gudjohnsen: Will get a new chance with Chelsea (IanWalton/Allsport)

Apart from goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, few people at Chelsea can have more reason to wonder what they have to do to win a place in Ranieri's team than Eidur Gudjohnsen.

But Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's suspension hands the Icelander a chance in London tonight and he will form part of the team that knows it cannot afford a repeat of last year's first-round exit at the hands of St Gallen.

'With Jimmy not available to play, I at last have a chance,' said Gudjohnsen. 'Every player wants his manager to recognise his strengths and capabilities and I am no different. I have been waiting for my chance and I must take it.'

Gudjohnsen is yet to start a game for Chelsea this season, despite a return of 13 goals from 18 starts in his debut year.

Hasselbaink will miss this leg and the return in Bulgaria next week and could sit out three Premiership games if his three-match ban for elbowing Arsenal's Martin Keown is not over-turned at an appeal on Friday.

FA sources suggest Hasselbaink may be treated with some leniency but Gudjohnsen is ready for an extended run. 'Jimmy could still get a five-game ban and I am ready to fill the gap,' he added. 'I have to make sure that the team wins and I get some goals.

'I can feel the pressure as this is my first real chance of the season. but I am looking forward to it. I don't have the power of Jimmy but I hold the ball up quite well and think that I link the play well.

'I know everybody is going on about last year's defeat to St Gallen. We have to make sure we don't make the same mistakes again. We have watched a video of them and they are quite strong.'

Gudjohnsen was signed from Bolton by Ranieri's predecessor, Gianluca Vialli, prompting suggestions his inactivity this season was indicative of the Italian's desire to sell him. There would be no shortage of takers for a player so naturally suited to the English game but Ranieri is adamant that Gudjohnsen will be staying at the club.

'Eidur is a big man and a big player for me,' said Ranieri. 'I believe in him. I am trying to balance the number of forwards I have. It's hard. It's the same in midfield. I can only play two up front and four in midfield.

'But when I play Eidur, I am very calm about it because I know what he can do. I am not sure about the statistics but his goal ratio is almost as good as Jimmy's.

'He will be staying here for a long time. It's difficult to keep players if they are not in the team but Eidur's a very intelligent man. He knows I like him. I will win nothing without three strikers. That's what I have. Ideally we need two people fighting for every place.'

Ranieri, who celebrated his first anniversary at the club at the weekend, has suggested his team is not yet ready to win the Premiership title so the UEFA Cup could provide a welcome diversion.

Another disaster on last year's scale would do Ranieri's long-term prospects no good but he feels his squad has progressed tangibly over the last year.

'The situation here has changed a lot,' he said. 'We have a good mentality, we are focused. We want to win this game. It will have a great effect on our season.

'The club is like a child who is growing. We want to keep improving. The UEFA Cup can help us do that.'