CFR Cluj may like to portray themselves as the plucky underdogs from Transylvania but, make no mistake, when Chelsea visit on Wednesday, they will be facing a side just as reliant on new money as they are.

The only difference is that, unlike Roman Abramovich, Arpad Paszkany has invested in his local team, if not in local players. The 18-man squad named by Cluj for their 2-1 victory over Roma a fortnight ago included four Portuguese, four Argentines, three Brazilians, a Uruguayan, a Burkinabé and just five Romanians. Scratch any romance in modern football and, inevitably, finance lies not too far below the surface.

Still, fairy tale or not, CFR's is a remarkable story. They were a third division side when, in January 2002, they were bought by Paszkany, a dealer in used cars. Like so many new owners before him, he promised the Liga 1 title within four years, which seemed so outlandish few even bothered to smirk. This, after all, was a side that lived in the shadow of Universitatea Cluj, who were no giants themselves, and who, despite a history stretching back to 1907, had managed only one spell in the top flight, and that a quarter of a century in the past.

Paszkany was wrong, but only by two years, and last season they held off the challenge of Steaua Bucharest to win the Romanian title, and so lift their first silverware since winning the Translyvanian Championship in 1911. It was not, though – for nothing in Romanian football ever is – without controversy, whipped up by anger in Bucharest at the title leaving the capital for the first time in 17 years, particularly as it went to a side owned by a member of Cluj-Napoca's sizable ethnic Hungarian community.

There were, naturally enough, those who accused CFR of having bought their success, but there were also allegations that inducements had been offered to referees. "It's obvious," said the Politehnica Timisoara owner Marian Iancu. "In future my side won't play against them unless we can have a foreign referee." The Steaua Bucharest owner Gigi Becali, meanwhile, insisted that there had been "four or five times" in the first half of the season when "referees helped CFR."

By Christmas, CFR were eight points clear, at which point Becali, a right-wing Christian Nationalist who was once named Homophobe of the Year by the Romanian Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Community, made a statement that became notorious. "I will do everything in my power to knock CFR off the top of the table," he said. "CFR are a Hungarian team and they can never represent Romania. It would bring shame on the Romanian people if the Hungarians won the title."

Steaua, aided by some helpful refereeing, won 10 games in a row, beating CFR 3-1 in Bucharest in a game in which the away side could easily have had two penalties. Trailing 1-0 to Rapid with 17 minutes to go, Steaua's challenge looked doomed, only for a lighter handily thrown from the crowd to hit referee Alexandru Deaconu conveniently on the head. Escorted swiftly from the field by Steaua players, he abandoned the game from the safety of the dressing-room, at which it was awarded as a 3-0 win for Steaua. Coincidentally, Deaconu had once been a youth team player at Steaua, before going on to become a sergeant in the Romanian Army, the organisation that ran Steaua in Communist times and with which it still retains strong links. As if that wasn't suspicious enough, a newspaper then published photographs of Deaconu and his assistants meeting in secret at a petrol station three days before the game.

As CFR wobbled – thanks, it was alleged, to the exertions of opponents offered inducements by Becali – Steaua took the lead, only to be undone by defeat to their arch-rivals Dinamo in the penultimate game of the season. Becali was one of five men subsequently arrested on suspicion of football-related corruption, while CFR went on to add the Cup.

Not that that was enough for Paszkany. He had promised a £60m outlay ahead of his side's first Champions League campaign and, although he fell some way short of that, he still brought in six more signings, including the Argentine forward Juan Culio, who scored both goals in the 2-1 victory over Roma. The sense of perpetual revolution was augmented as four games without a win last month brought an end to Ioan Andone's reign as coach. He has been replaced by the Italian Maurizio Trombetta, who won his first three games in charge – including the victory in Rome – before Friday's 1-1 draw at home to Steaua.

Given Trombetta's previous experience as a head coach comprises nothing more than a season in the sixth level of Italian football, that adds an element of the surreal, but the image of the inexperienced supremo with his mismatched squad from the sticks shouldn't disguise the ruthless ambition behind a very modern fairy-tale.


AaB Aalborg v Man Utd

Dimitar Berbatov scored against Aalborg last season for Spurs. United's draw with Villarreal ended their12-game winning streak but they're unbeaten in six away matches and shouldn't stumble.

ITV4, 7.45pm

Villarreal v Celtic

Celtic's last away point gained was in Spain, four years ago in the Nou Camp. Earlier that year, they lost to Villarreal in the UEFA Cup. They could do with a result but their opponents also seek that first win.

STV, 7.45pm

Fiorentina v Steaua Bucharest

Fiorentina were 2-0 up in Lyon but the French fought back for a draw. Steaua, who were beaten at home by Bayern Munich, have faced Italian teams nine times before and have not found the net yet.

Sky Interactive, 7.45pm Bayern Munich v Lyon

Bayern are in a strong position already but Lyon have a super record against German clubs, having triumphed in their past four visits to Germany. Lyon captain Juninho though is a serious doubt for this one.

Sky Sports Xtra, 7.45pm Arsenal v Porto

Porto have lost on their past four trips to England but lead this group after their impressive 3-1 win over Fenerbahce. Arsenal came back for the draw in Kiev and are unbeaten in 22 home Champions League games.

ITV HD (Freesat), 7.45pm Fenerbahce v Dynamo Kiev

You have to go back to November 2004 for Dynamo's last three points. The onus is on pointless Fenerbahce to get something on the board and the Ukrainians might be happy with a point.

Sky Interactive, 7.45pm Zenit St Petersburg v Real Madrid

Zenit almost matched Juventus but lost in Turin to a Del Piero free-kick. Real are winless in six away group matches. Victory will be the only thing Zenit are aiming for.

Sky Sports 2, 5.30pm BATE Borisov v Juventus

Can the Belarussians get their first Champions League points? You'd have to think not. BATE have faced Italian clubs four times in the past and they've never beaten one yet.

Sky Interactive, 7.45pm CFR Cluj v Chelsea

Cluj were too much for Roma. It was the surprise result of Match Day One. Chelsea need to keep an eye on Cluj's Argentine midfielder Juan Culio but will win this encounter. Surely.

Sky Sports Xtra, 7.45pm Bordeaux v Roma

Did Roma make a false start or a fatal start against Cluj? Three points are of the utmost importance for both these teams. Roma would seem the more capable but they're away from home. And Cluj beat them.

Sky Interactive, 7.45pm Anorthosis v Panathinaikos

Anorthosis scored a more-than-creditable goalless draw in Bremen and must be brimming with confidence. Panathinaikos have had a poor start, losing to Inter. The Greeks' last away win was 2003.

Sky Interactive, 7.45pm Inter Milan v Werder Bremen

Jose Mourinho's off to a flier with Inter after their win in Greece. Inter won all their home games last season and Bremen lost all their away games. So that's an Inter win then? Bremen's overall away record is dire.

Sky Interactive, 7.45pm Sporting Lisbon v Basel

Sporting knocked Basel out of the UEFA Cup in February. Sporting lost to Barca two weeks ago. Basel lost to Shakhtar. Basel's Portuguese winger Carlitos was born in Lisbon. Will Carlitos get his way then?

Sky Interactive, 7.45pm Shakhtar Donetsk v Barcelona

Shakhtar have beaten Barcelona before with a 2-0 win several years ago. Barcelona's overall record in Ukraine is one win in six. Both these teams enter this match with confidence.

Sky Interactive, 7.45pm Liverpool v PSV Eindhoven

Liverpool eliminated PSV from this competition two years ago. After crashing 3-0 at home to Atletico Madrid the Dutch have it all to do. And Liverpool have a great record against Dutch teams.

Sky Sports 2 Atletico Madrid v Olympique Marseille

Atletico's Vicente Calderon stadium hosts its first Champions League match in 11 years. Simao is ruled out of this one with a knee injury but Atletico will still approach this game with relish.

Sky Interactive, 7.45pm