Rafael Benitez is confident Demba Ba will be unfazed by the hostile reception he is likely to receive on his return to St James’ Park.
Chelsea face Newcastle this weekend in Ba’s first match against the Magpies since his £7m move to west London.
And Benitez believes the striker is more than ready to take on his former club.
“He’s quite confident that he can do well if he plays,” said the Blues’ interim manager.
“He knows that some fans will not be happy, but some fans will understand the situation and he’s ready to do his best for the team.”
Juan Mata and goalkeeper Petr Cech have shaken off injuries and are available for Saturday’s game.
But David Luiz remains sidelined after recently suffering a recurrence of an ankle problem.
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This post was last modified on 02/02/2013