Recalling the shambles of abject defeat by Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv last October was so awful that in Eidur Gudjohnsen’s memory it seems even worse than the reality.

Icelander Gudjohnsen was one of six frontline Chelsea players who declined to travel to war-torn Tel Aviv where the Blues were beaten by two last-gasp Hapoel goals, including a controversial penalty.

Chelsea also had full-back Mario Melchiot sent off with a straight red card for striking an opponent.

“We have to put the circumstances of that defeat behind us now,” said Gudjohnsen. who still will not talk about his own reasons for missing the game.

“But the main thing is that we went out in the first round and now we have to make up for that by going as far as we can.”

Chelsea’s exit came in the second round – even with all their stars back they could do no better than a 1-1 draw in the second leg at home – because they had already knocked out Levski Sofia on a 5-0 aggregate in round one.

Gudjohnsen should have remembered because he scored twice in the first leg against Sofia and one more in the return.

And on Saturday he notched his first two goals of the current Premiership campaign.

He said: “We’re going into this game with good results behind us and I think that gives you a boost.

“Like most Scandinavian teams Viking will be physically strong and good at set-pieces but we’ve just got to concentrate on our own game and set the problems for them.”

Manager Claudio Ranieri may pair Gudjohnsen with Dutchman Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink for the first time since they shared 52 goals last term.

The Italian has been reluctant to do that so far because Gudjohnsen’s pre-season work was interrupted by a groin injury while Hasselbaink had to recover from a hip operation.

Veteran Gianfranco Zola has capitalised by stepping in with five goals this season, becoming the only constant in the Chelsea attack, but Ranieri may decide it is time to give his 36-year-old compatriot a breather.

Ranieri frankly admits Chelsea are not good enough yet to win the Premiership title but he fancies a top-four finish to earn Champions League qualification for next season.

And he would love to see the UEFA Cup lifted as the Blues’ first piece of silverware since the FA Cup in 2000.

Midfielder Mario Stanic, who looks certain to retain his role of emergency left-back tonight after Melchiot’s continuing European ban has ruled out another defender.

Injured Graeme Le Saux, John Terry, Celestine Babayaro and Albert Ferrer are also unavailable and Ranieri admitted: “We are still sick at losing the FA Cup final last season to Arsenal.

“We know it hurts our supporters that Chelsea haven’t won anything for two, nearly three years.

“They were getting used to success but that defeat still hurts us as much as them and we need to make up for it – maybe in Europe.

“It’s important to have motivation like that. For me every match is important and I hope it is for the fans as well.”