Chelsea take on premier league leaders Arsenal and a battalion of statisticians in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday.
Arsenal have won all three of the meetings between the two clubs this season and it is 16 games and more than five years since Chelsea managed to better their London rivals.
If that was not inauspicious enough, Arsenal would also seem to have the edge in terms of the morale in two camps.
Spurred by continued rumours of his impending departure, Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri asked for a vote of confidence this week, only for the club's chief executive to respond with something short of a ringing endorsement.
Arsene Wenger could not be more secure. His team are unbeaten in 29 league games and aiming for a record 30th against Manchester United on Sunday, with the chance to reach a record fourth straight FA Cup final the following week.
But the prospect of a first Champions League semi-final for the north Londoners -- against Real Madrid or Monaco -- means the records will be far from the Frenchman's thoughts on Wednesday.
"That will be a big game, a different game and big enough for us to forget everything else for now," Wenger told the Arsenal website.
Wenger can pick from almost a full squad with the non-flying Dutchman Dennis Bergkamp able to travel the eight miles between Highbury and Stamford Bridge to make a rare appearance in an away Champions League tie.
Bergkamp is unlikely to start, but could come on to help out Thierry Henry and the dazzling Arsenal attack at some stage of the match.
One team's fine record will have to give on Wednesday.
Arsenal have won their last five Champions League games, while Chelsea have kept a clean sheet in their last five European matches.
A sixth straight shutout by Chelsea would equal the competition record set by Ajax Amsterdam and Panathinaikos.
Unfortunately for Chelsea, goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini, who has kept the Chelsea goal secure for 502 minutes of Champions League action, is unavailable because of a hand injury.
Ranieri may overlook Neil Sullivan, who had a rocky game against Arsenal in February, in favour of third-string Italian Marco Ambrosio.
Adrian Mutu was rested against Fulham on Saturday with Eidur Gudjohnsen preferred up front, but Ranieri could revert to the Romanian on Wednesday. Ranieri also took winger Damien Duff off early to rest him but the Irishman is almost certain to start.
Media leaks suggest that it may be Ranieri's team rotation that could end up costing him his job and the Italian said on Tuesday he hoped the turmoil at the club does not distract his players.
Probable teams:
Arsenal: 1-Jens Lehmann, 12-Lauren, 28-Kolo Toure, 23-Sol Campbell, 3-Ashley Cole, 8-Fredrik Ljungberg, 4-Patrick Vieira, 17-Edu, 7-Robert Pires, 9-Jose
Antonio Reyes, 14-Thierry Henry.
Chelsea: 31-Marco Ambrosio, 13-William Gallas, 6-Marcel Desailly (29-Robert Huth), 26-John Terry, 18-Wayne Bridge, 14-
Geremi, 4-
Claude Makelele, 8-Frank Lampard, 11-Damien Duff, 7-Adrian Mutu, 21-Hernan Crespo.
Referee: Manuel Enrique Mejuto
Gonzalez (Spain).