Antonio Conte believes Chelsea will be underdogs to "favourites" Barcelona when the two teams meet in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
Premier League champions Chelsea have had an inconsistent season so far, with their patchy form resulting in the Blues residing in fourth place in the top-flight standings.
Barcelona, meanwhile, lead the La Liga title race by seven points - with the team having matched their previous 31-game unbeaten streak set under Pep Guardiola with their win over Eibar at the weekend.
They have also reached the final of the Copa del Rey, which makes Conte think that Barcelona will be favourites to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League - although the Italian urged his players to prove to the world just how good they can be on Tuesday.
"I think we start this game as underdogs, for sure, because Barcelona - on paper - are favourites to go into the next round," Conte said.
"But, for this reason, I think we must be excited to play this challenge. These two games will be very important to understand which is our level in this competition. I think it's a work for us, and we've worked and prepared well. It won't be easy.
"We are playing against Barcelona. They are having a fantastic season, top of the league and final in the Copa del Rey, and they have the potential to win this cup.
"But, at the same time, we must be excited to face this type of game. To understand which is our level in the present, and what we have to do to improve in the future."
He added: "We are talking about Messi, Suarez and Iniesta... about the whole team.
"We must pay great attention but, at the same time, we must have ambition. We must have ambition to try and play our football.
"We know the characteristics Barcelona have: they like to have possession; they like to control the game.
"In every game they are able to create many chances to score, so we must be ready to suffer without the ball, to be compact, not to lose our heads during the game, and then to try with the ball to do what we know. What we try and do during training."
