Chelsea have been given an early insight into the intimidating atmosphere they can expect during their Champions League quarter-final, first-leg tie against Fenerbahçe tomorrow after a series of video messages were posted on the internet threatening that they will burn in hell.

Avram Grant's players appeared unperturbed as they landed here last night, but many Chelsea fans have taken heed of the warnings, with only 1,000 expected to travel despite the club being given a ticket allocation of 2,250. The “Welcome to Hell” greeting has been a staple of Anglo-Turkish footballing rivalry since an infamous banner was spotted on the terraces during a Champions League group match between Galatasaray and Manchester United in 1993, with Chelsea getting the full treatment from some of Fenerbahçe's fanatics yesterday. “This is Kadiköy [the area of Istanbul where the club play], there is no way out,” one message read, while another simply said: “You will burn in Hell.”

Nicolas Anelka has also warned his team-mates of the treatment that they can expect at the Sükrü Saracoglu Stadium, having spent one-and-a-half years with the Turkish champions.

Chelsea's chances were improved by the recovery from a virus of Frank Lampard, who will regain his place in midfield, while Claude Makelele, Ashley Cole and Paulo Ferreira are also likely to return after being rested at the weekend. However, Petr Cech, the injured first-choice goalkeeper, did not travel with the squad.

Fenerbahçe are making their first appearance at this stage of the competition, while Chelsea are hoping to reach the semi-finals for the fourth time in five years. “It's going to be crazy inside the stadium,” Anelka said. “We will have to be careful because they play good football, as well, and they have many good players. To be here, at this stage, they have to be good. I'm not surprised they got this far because when I was there two years ago, we were already strong and unlucky not to get through the group.”

Chelsea were fortunate to secure a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough on Sunday, with Joe Cole admitting that they must improve if they are to beat a Fenerbahçe side featuring Mateja Kezman, their former striker, as well as Roberto Carlos, the former Brazil left back. “We were lucky against Middlesbrough, and it was a game where we had to grind our teeth,” Cole said.

“We made a bit of a stuttering start to the week and we want to play much better in Turkey, because we know we have to do that. We need a better performance than we gave on Sunday from everybody, right through the team. It would be wrong to underestimate Fenerbahçe and think we'll get through easily and then it's Liverpool or Arsenal.

“They beat Sevilla, who are a top team in Spain, to get through, and will certainly be a force at home. We know they're a top side and won't take them lightly.”

Kezman is hoping to prove a point to his former club, for whom he scored only four goals in 25 appearances during the 2004-05 season. “If we don't go through nobody will complain, but if we win, they will write the history in gold letters,” Kezman said.