valencia 3-0

Independent:

Chelsea win group with canny demolition of Valencia

Chelsea 3 Valencia 0
SAM WALLACE STAMFORD BRIDGE

There are some occasions upon which only a vintage performance from Didier Drogba will do, and fortunately for Andre Villas-Boas last night, in his hour of direst need, Chelsea's young manager got one from his battle-scarred centre-forward.
This was, in the end, a return to the sledgehammer Drogba of his golden years, the sledgehammer with the gossamer touch, who can take defences on single-handedly and make opponents shrink with self-doubt. His first goal after three minutes calmed Stamford Bridge's mood, his second – Chelsea's third – put the game beyond doubt, and in between he led the line alone as only he can.
At times we were back in the golden Drogba years, from 2005 onwards, when defenders bounced off him and goals came easy, so much so that it was easy to forget that this is a player who is out of contract at the end of the season and, seemingly, heading towards the exit after more than seven years at the club.
From a night that began fraught with tension, Bayer Leverkusen's unexpected draw with Genk in Belgium meant Chelsea eventually finished Group E as winners and so avoid some of the more daunting opponents in the first knockout round in February. The club's young manager has survived his first serious crisis, although there will be more, you feel, before this white-knuckle ride of a season is over.
Villas-Boas then embarked on a post-match spleen venting at what he referred to as the "persecution" of his team and various other claims against critical newspapers and Gary Neville in particular that Chelsea were the victims of a conspiracy. "We've given everyone, those critics, a slap in the face," he said. Later he went for it again: "It's unfortunate for you guys because you'll have to write about Chelsea finishing first [in the group]."
Actually, there were many present who have chronicled the spectacular achievements of Chelsea over the last seven years and lauded them just as much as they will do with Drogba today. The emotions were running high for Villas-Boas last night and this is fresh territory for him but he should bear in mind that at Chelsea the tone is set by the regular sacking of the manager by the owner. That is what makes the club such a highly charged place to work.
For now, Villas-Boas can relax in the knowledge that he will not become the first Chelsea manager in the Roman Abramovich era who fails to navigate the group stages of the competition and can put that challenge aside until the knockout round begins. Among the teams who have already finished second in their groups are Marseilles, Zenit St Petersburg and Milan, all of whom Chelsea could be drawn against a week on Friday.
In an ideal world for Villas-Boas and Abramovich, it would have been Fernando Torres who scored the goals for Chelsea last night, not the 33-year-old striker who is almost out of contract. In moments of crisis, Chelsea can never quite leave behind the legacy of Jose Mourinho and the striker he brought to the club back in 2004.
Nevertheless, Villas-Boas did abandon one old rule of Chelsea last night when he left Frank Lampard out of the side and did not even summon the midfielder from the bench, a big call that worked out in the end. Not since the early days of the Abramovich regime, when Lampard was left out of the team for a Champions League game against Sparta Prague in 2003, has he been omitted from such a big game.
That Torres was also left out barely merits a mention these days. As for Lampard's omission, Villas-Boas would have preferred to focus on the tactical switch he masterminded last night where Chelsea sat back – farewell to the "high line" – and let Valencia have much of the possession. The away team came away with 66 per cent of the ball but could find no way through a Chelsea defence that was reassuringly solid.
All the statistics pointed to Valencia's dominance including their 612 passes completed to Chelsea's 258 but the home team were lethal on the counter-attack and no one was more crucial than Drogba. There were also impressive performances from the midfield three of Raul Meireles, Oriol Romeu and Ramires, who scored Chelsea's second goal.
Drogba was on his game from the start and scored the first of his two goals, both made by Juan Mata, within three minutes. The Spanish winger pulled down Daniel Sturridge's cross from the right wing and cut the ball back to Drogba who switched it from his right foot to his left and struck it low past Diego Alves.
"We made changes to the way we played," Villas-Boas said. "We tried it at Newcastle. We kept our block further down the pitch, a 'medium-low compact block' with not a lot of space between the lines. We gave Valencia a lot of possession. That was tremendous [for them], but nobody has given us credit for keeping possession [and not winning games]."
Although they never broke through, Valencia were superb at times. They hit the post two minutes after Drogba's first goal with a shot from the left-back Jordi Alba. The midfielder David Albelda, crucial in the middle for his team, forced a fine save out of Petr Cech on 10 minutes.
It was on the counter-attack once more that Chelsea scored their second. Drogba slipped the ball through to Ramires who made a run angled from right to left and forced his way past Victor Ruiz who, unforgivably, allowed himself to be out-muscled, and the Brazilian midfielder squeezed the ball in at the near post.
It fell to Drogba to see out the game. First he bounced the centre-half Adil Rami out the way and ran on goal but put his shot wide. Then he scored Chelsea's third from Mata's through ball.
Only then did Torres enter the game, waiting on the touchline while the home support applauded Drogba off. The old soldier had come through again. Villas-Boas had his say. It had been quite a night.

Man of the match Drogba.
Match rating 7/10.
Referee G Rocchi (Italy).
Attendance 41,109.


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Guardian:
Chelsea see off Valencia to advance comfortably in Champions League
Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge

This may be the night that constituted the true start of André Villas-Boas's reign as manager. By the close, there was surely no Chelsea fan could who could even recall the unease they had felt before kick-off. The jubilation is all the more intense since the side have vaulted over Bayer Leverkusen to enter the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners.
That status, valuable as it is, will not be recalled for many seasons to come, unlike the forward who did so much to deliver it. Age, on this showing, is simply honing Didier Drogba. If he is conserving energy it makes him all the more lethal in the penalty area and here the Ivorian claimed two of the three goals against Valencia.
There were other aspects of the occasion that speak of the manager's impact. Villas-Boas put Frank Lampard on the bench and left him there. Perhaps one outfield player in Drogba's age group was all that could be afforded. Lampard himself had seemed disgruntled when taken off against Newcastle United at the weekend but the manager saw cause to reassure only a single 33-year-old, Drogba.
This is how people in Villas-Boas's line of work establish themselves. Necessary cruelty to loyal servants is unavoidable in the long-run when the needs of the club as a whole take precedence. There was balance to the manager's conception of the game since Chelsea attacked sufficiently but also had the numbers to check a good Valencia line-up.
That conservatism might induce the odd bout of nostalgia. José Mourinho, after all, was the epitome of the manager prepared to do whatever is required. Villas-Boas does not bear all that great a resemblance to him, but there were overtones of his predecessor's gift for setting out a strategy and schooling his squad to implement it.
Defending and, in particular, fine goalkeeping by Petr Cech were crucial, but the whole team had tenacity whenever technique wobbled. The match may have looked as if it could be overcome by anxiety, but each side behaved initially as if they would relieve the tension by launching themselves into attacks.
Chelsea were ahead after three minutes but even that goal felt delayed since Diego Alves had made a save from Raul Meireles shortly before. Drogba struck as he converted a cut-back from Juan Mata with a left-footed finish after eluding the right-back Antonio Barragan.
There had been vivacious attacks by both sides, but Chelsea were the more precise. With 22 minutes gone, Drogba assumed the role of orchestrator as he released Ramires on the left to go clear of the centre-half Victor Ruiz and extend the advantage with a low shot.
The score spoke more of ruthlessness than overwhelming superiority. There was no lack of verve in Unai Emery's line-up. Cech, for instance, needed to stretch to divert a long-range attempt by David Albelda in the 10th minute that could easily have tied the score at 1-1. Emery has an appealing side and it seemed in their nature to mount attacks, even if Chelsea's early impact had left them with scant choice in the matter.
There had even been a prospect of Daniel Sturridge adding a third goal, but the attempt was turned away by the goalkeeper Alves in the 28th minute. Chelsea had impact in the first half that is not demanded regularly of the Premier League's representatives. The group phase of the tournament has often been akin to a waiting room for the English teams.
They fidget and get a little bored but know virtually for certain that their journey will begin in earnest soon enough as they stride into the last 16. This season has been different for everyone other than Arsenal. Given Chelsea's expectations, there was almost an indignity in hearing people discuss the arithmetical calculations that could have been called for if the sides went on being so difficult to disentangle from one another.
It would have been foolish of Chelsea to assume that they would defeat team from La Liga when Villas-Boas's side had lost three times at home in all competitions since late October. Valencia must have sensed an opportunity but Chelsea altered the mood with that impact before the interval.
The contest did not retain its full intensity since the hosts then began to be more studied. Chelsea may have been told to take care, but it was also true that Valencia had shed inhibitions by then. There was nothing left to fear when they were already in such a plight.
The vibrancy of the contest dimmed, with Chelsea priding themselves on discipline and concentration. Valencia therefore had more of the action and there was animation among the visiting supporters. They would have been conscious, too, of the difference one goal could have made.
The Stamford Bridge side does not resemble the impregnable line-up of days gone by and it was no mystery that Villas-Boas should resort to conservatism when replacing Ramires with the specialist holding midfielder Mikel John Obi
Chelsea were in a strong position, but they do not have the aura of invincibility that once cloaked them. Drogba would have been adored all the sooner if he had lifted the tension as he thundered away from Adil Rami in the 73rd minute but the ensuing drive was miscued. Even so, the striker, set up by Mata, was not to be denied three minutes later as he slipped home a neat shot that epitomised Chelsea's control of events.

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 Valencia 0:
By Henry Winter, Stamford Bridge

It’s time to call the dogs off. It’s time to give Andre Villas-Boas some credit. It’s time to forget the Special One and simply note that the new Portuguese in town is the Right One. Chelsea’s manager got his tactics right on Tuesday night, got his team-sheet right and suddenly the future looks bright.
Such is the fickle, high-stakes nature of modern football that a crisis is often only a corner-kick away. Two back-to-back 3-0 wins do not a season make, and Villas-Boas must plot the right ambush of Manchester City, but Chelsea have silenced the sirens. Winning at Newcastle United settled some domestic nerves. Tuesday night in Europe was even better, even more significant.
At 7.45pm, Chelsea flirted with the Europa League but shortly after 9.30, their unrequited love affair with the Champions League burned as intensely as ever. Playing with determination and discipline, Chelsea cruised through to the knock-out stages as group winners, so ensuring they avoid the likes of Barcelona.
For Villas-Boas, it must have felt like Chelsea flower show: everything he did came up smelling of roses. All his decisions on the team’s approach worked, from ordering the defence to play deep to having wide players drop back to help out to looking for quick incisive breaks. All his decisions on personnel were vindicated from omitting Frank Lampard to starting Didier Drogba, who scored twice and made the other for Ramires.
Drogba was immense, two thirds broadsword to one third rapier, cutting Valencia’s defence to shreds. He looked hungry, athletic, strong: a mobile battering ram that kept crashing against weak Spanish barricades. With Daniel Sturridge and particularly Juan Mata giving support from the flanks, Drogba was back to his unplayable best. He rolled back the years as easily as he rolled Valencia’s shell-shocked centre-halves.
Call after big call, Villas-Boas called it right. He kept faith in David Luiz, who was the model of defensive discipline and defiance, proving more Butcher than Barnum. Luiz made blocks and aerial interceptions, restricting himself to only one of his famous forays. Villas-Boas has to juggle the relentless demand for victory while rejuvenating Chelsea, triumphing while in transition. It’s a difficult balancing act but he’ll get there if he continues to coax accomplished performances from young and old alike.
The headlines will scream about Villas-Boas “Teaching An Old Drog New Tricks” but others deserve equal mention in the inky and digital despatches. Villas-Boas threw a Spaniard in the visitors’ works, Oriol Romeu disrupting the visitors’ usually smooth rhythm.
Two of Romeu’s first-half dispossessions, nicking the ball off Jonas and Sofiane Feghouli, were acts of pure pickpocketing that Fagin would have admired. Nobody can replace Claude Makelele, the master at breaking up attacks, but Romeu makes a hugely promising apprentice.
Mata was similarly good, creating Drogba’s brace, causing constant pain to his old club. It’s a measure of his popularity and character that Valencia fans applauded him when he took corners. Starting on the left, never forgetting his responsibilities to track back to cover Ashley Cole, Mata also roamed inside to real effect. Mata embodies the fluidity of movement Villas-Boas seeks to instil in Chelsea.
Villas-Boas is certainly confident, breaking up the old squad, clearing out some of the players, and also taking on his media critics. It seemed an unnecessary fight to pick. He’d already won the argument. Villas-Boas highly entertaining post-match pyrotechnics probably betrayed the anxiety coursing through him before kick-off.
He had known how the critics were watching closely, some of them debating his future. Villas-Boas needed a strong start. He certainly got it. Scarcely had the home fans finished debating Lampard’s omission when his replacement, Raul Meireles, darted on to Drogba’s lay-off and forced a save from Diego Alves. Scarcely had Fernando Torres settled into the dug-out in front of Lampard then Drogba struck.
The goal was superbly created by Mata who dribbled down the inside-left channel, turned and found Drogba. There was still much to do, still a lock to be unpicked. Calmness personified, Drogba employed the minimum of back-lift in transferring the ball past Alves. The clock showed three minutes. Villas-Boas’ face showed relief.
Valencia showed intent. In good form recently, the Spaniards began demonstrating the class in their midst but struggled to break through. Jordi Alba advanced from the left and almost snapped a post in two. David Albelda tested Cech from range.
Valencia were enjoying plenty of possession but Chelsea weathered the storm, dispelling any doubts by doubling their advantage after 22 minutes. Drogba took control of the situation, poacher turning goalmaker. His pass down the inside-left channel should have been simple for Victor Ruiz to cut out. Valencia’s centre-back froze, allowing the quick-thinking Ramires to nip in and slip the ball past poor Alves. Victor Ruiz? Victor Meldrew would have moved quicker.
Valencia fans couldn’t believe it. Nor, probably, could some of Chelsea’s supporters. Luiz looked solidity personified at the back. Daniel Sturridge still has much to learn. Released by Mata, Sturridge decided to shoot rather than square to the unmarked Meireles. Sturridge went for glory at the near-post. Alves saved. Wasted opportunity. Villas-Boas threw up his hands in frustration.
Chelsea had still to be beware Valencia’s threat. Cech again impressed, diving to push away Feghouli’s shot. Yet for all Valencia’s 66 per cent possession, Chelsea were on the right route. Just after the 70-minute mark, Drogba embarked on a storming run, all muscular endeavour, and he almost scored but dragged his shot wide.
He soon scored a deserved second, Chelsea’s third, from a terrific counter-attack. Romeu began it, heading a loose ball accurately to Mata. The rest was a blur of blue, Mata sending Drogba through with a neat left-footed pass. Drogba finished with a flick of his right boot. He soon departed to a standing ovation, having some warm words with Torres, his replacement. Drogba then gave Lampard a hug. Class.
For all his delight at Chelsea’s victory, Lampard must have been deeply frustrated by playing no part in this. Florent Malouda arrived, replacing the superb Mata. Sadly, there were some unscheduled arrivals on to the pitch, two idiotic fans who held up play. One took the ball off a Valencia player. Everyone thought that was Romeu’s job.
The life went out of Valencia. At the final whistle, Villas-Boas permitted himself a small smile at a big victory. Chelsea march on. The baying hounds are called off.

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Mail:

Chelsea 3 Valencia 0:
Top Drog fires Blues through and AVB can breathe a little easier
By MATT LAWTON

This felt like more than a result; more than Chelsea’s progression to the next stage of the Champions League; more even than something that buys Andre Villas-Boas a bit more time.
It felt like a pivotal moment. A glimpse into a future that might just involve a man who must have shock absorbers in his knees and the smallest waist in football management.
Beneath that ludicrously tight Dolce & Gabbana rain mac, however, is a resolve big enough to drop Frank Lampard on what, let’s face it, was the most crucial encounter of his time at Stamford Bridge.
It was, Villas-Boas admitted, a ‘life and death’ clash with the third best team in Spain who came here on the back of a fine run of results.
To respond as he did to that kind of pressure was to the considerable credit of this 34-year-old Portuguese, his selection of a new team and new tactics securing a fine victory thanks to goals from Didier Drogba and Ramires.
It saw them finish, ‘against all the odds’, as Villas-Boas put it, as group winners, which should enable them to avoid the best teams in the last 16 while also leaving the club with a renewed sense of optimism.
Villas-Boas called it a victory for solidarity and these new players do seem to be getting behind their manager. But it was more than that. It was a victory for strong management and for courage.
In axing Lampard and so ending the era of Jose Mourinho’s ‘untouchables’, he might have just made himself untouchable. For a while, at least.
Drogba aside, it is a new front six that has emerged. A three-man midfield that has been built around Oriol Romeu, the young Spaniard whose class and composure in the holding role would have left John Mikel Obi feeling as uncomfortable as Lampard on the bench.
Confident in the knowledge that the boy from Barcelona had matters very much in hand, Ramires and Raul Meireles were able to provide support for Drogba, Juan Mata and Daniel Sturridge.
But it was also hugely successful in containing the classy Spaniards, and the dangerous Roberto Soldado managed only one effort on target.
It must have made the evening all the more satisfying for Drogba at a time when his future is shrouded in uncertainty. Not for the first time, a forward who has seen off all-comers over the years has proved himself indispensable; Chelsea’s man for the big occasion, even at 33.
Lampard used to be that man. This was the first time since 2003 that he had not started an important fixture for Chelsea when available. But if he paid, in part, for his insolence at St James’ Park on Saturday, he might also have been the victim of the team’s urgent need to evolve.
Even Villas-Boas seemed to evolve a bit on Tuesday night, the switch to a more cautious, continental counter-attacking style revealing a level of maturity we had not seen from him before.
The strategy worked beautifully, and the fact that this comes after that victory at Newcastle left Villas-Boas feeling justified in hitting back at those who suspected his days might be numbered if he did not turn things around quickly. It was fair enough, even if words like ‘persecution’ were a bit strong. But he does need to remember he works for a man who sacked a guy for finishing second in the Barclays Premier League a year after winning the Double.
For now he should focus instead on the positives, on the fact that a goal arrived after only three minutes, from the player who led the calls for the dressing room to get behind their beleaguered boss.
Villas-Boas jumped for joy when Drogba struck, the goal coming thanks to a marvellous finish that exploited the space created by a neat transfer of the ball from one foot to the other. In suddenly switching on to his left, Drogba wrong-footed the defence, making the most of what was a fine cross from Sturridge and a super touch by Mata.
At that stage Valencia were bruised but far from beaten, the Spaniards knowing full well that a goal would still put them through to the last 16. They almost equalised little more than a minute after the restart when Jordi Alba collected a long ball from David Albelda before driving a shot against Petr Cech’s right-hand post. Albelda then forced a fine save from Cech with a long-range effort.
It proved all the more important when Chelsea scored their second as Ramires pounced in the 22nd minute thanks to a combination of fine attacking football and some truly awful defending.
It started with Drogba picking the ball up in midfield and skipping past one opponent with a trademark surge of strength and pace before inviting Ramires to have a race with Victor Ruiz.
That the Brazilian won it as easily as he did, having started half a yard down, was something the Valencia defender should be ashamed of. It was pathetic. But Ramires still did well not only to get himself between the ball and the man but also to slot his finish past Diego Alves.
That Chelsea increased their lead after the break was also impressive, Drogba accelerating on to a pass from Mata in the 76th minute before finishing in some style with the outside of his right boot.
While Villas-Boas considered it ‘a slap in the face’ for some, there were only hugs for Drogba.


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Mirror:

Chelsea 3-0 Valencia: Drogba rolls back the years to blast Blues through
By Martin Lipton

Just like the old days, with one notable exception.
Solid and deep at the back, with John Terry a bulwark in front of Petr Cech.
Determined in the middle, where Oriol Romeu looked the most natural holding fit since Claude Makelele packed his boots away.
Above all, where it really mattered, a one-man African tornado rolling back the years to blow apart the Valencia back division, a simply unstoppable force of nature.
And while Frank Lampard, unwanted and probably disconsolate, was forced to watch it all from the bench, vindication and justification for Andre Villas-Boas.
In the final analysis, too, normal service resumed. A clean sheet, the customary qualification as group winners, heading into the last 16 with glory back in their sights.
Crisis? What Chelsea crisis? Not in SW6 last night.
Villas-Boas, the apostle of attacking football, took a large page out of the Special One's tactics book, sitting deep and hitting with pace and numbers, backing his own judgement at the moment of greatest need.
The initial spotlight, of course, fell on the man who was missing, Lampard omitted as Villas-Boas turned to deadline day signing Raul Meireles to bring the energy and midfield thrust he required.
Yet, in truth, this was a night determined by another of the remaining towers of the Jose Mourinho era.
Didier Drogba's Chelsea future may be in doubt with the club refusing to commit to offering the Ivorian a further two-year extension when his contract runs out in the summer.
Drogba, though, remains everything £50million flop Fernando Torres has not been for the Blues - physically remorseless, a bully in the finest sense, resilient and deadly.
As on so many occasions since he arrived from Marseilles in 2004 - but maybe not for much of the past nine months - Drogba was simply unplayable, from setting up Meireles right at the start to the sublime finish that finally killed off Valencia 14 minutes from time.
Villas-Boas' tactical line-up, more a Fabio Capello-style "9-1" than 4-3-3, meant Drogba ploughed a lonely furrow, the isolated blue shirt against a sea of white.
But there was not a battle he did not win, dominate, destroy, making mincemeat of Adil Rami and Victor Ruiz, a standard the whole Chelsea team could rally towards.
With a killer instinct, too, his 30th and 31st Champions League goals for the club in 63 appearances - setting up Ramires' vital goal in between for good measure - making this, emphatically, Drogba's day as much as it was the combative, feisty Villas-Boas'.
Long ball, at times, it might have been, more of the blueprint that Mourinho's Inter Milan utilised to conquer Europe in 2009.
Yet this was all about the result, the outcome, the end-game - and in every department that counted, Chelsea got it right.
Admittedly, it helped that they scored almost before the game had started, the quickest Champions League goal in the club's history, in fact.
Only three minutes had elapsed when Daniel Sturridge crossed from the right and while Drogba collided into Juan Mata he regained his feet as the Spaniard recovered to pull back.
A twist one way, a decisive move the other were followed by a left-footer that squirmed through Valencia gloveman Diego Alves and Drogba was already celebrating before the ball hit the net.
Time for Villas-Boas' Zebedee act as he jumped into the technical area, although Valencia responded, Jordi Alba smashing against the outside of the post before Petr Cech saved superbly from veteran David Albelda.
But when Drogba brought down on his chest, turned and left Albelda for dead as he surged 50 yards before sliding through to Ramires, what followed was pivotal.
It should have been easy for Ruiz. Instead, he halted, letting Ramires to accept the offered gift for his fifth - and by far most important - goal of the season.
The die was cast. Sturridge squandered chances either side of the break and while Valencia had most of the ball before Romeu's many interventions, the only threat saw Cech diving to deny Sofiane Feghouli's left-footer.
Valencia had punched themselves out. Drogba shrugged aside Rama but missed before delivering the knock-out blow as he poked Mata's slide-rule pass beyond Alves.
There was time for a cameo from Torres, although not Lampard. That issue will rumble. Last night, though, Villas-Boas' players delivered. He lives on, they live on.


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Sun:

Chelsea 3 Valencia 0
By SHAUN CUSTIS

THERE'S life in the old Drog yet — and he has resuscitated the managerial career of Andre Villas-Boas.
Didier Drogba, the veteran striker who keeps getting written off, powered the Blues into the knockout stages of the Champions League by scoring twice and setting up another goal for Ramires.
The hitman's magic helped produce a result which lifted a huge amount of pressure off Villas-Boas as Chelsea amazingly ended up topping Group E, when there were fears they might not even qualify.
It is said that Drogba might be sold in January after he rejected a one-year contract offer because he thought he was worth two years.
But can boss Villas-Boas really afford to be without him, especially with £50million Fernando Torres having lost his way completely?
When fully fit, which 33-year-old Drogba has not always been over the last couple of seasons, he remains one of the most fearsome strikers in Europe.
Here the Drog reminded us that he still possesses a ferocious bite and, in doing so, he gave the poodle Torres a lesson in desire and determination.
This game, last weekend's Premier League clash at Newcastle and next Monday's showdown against Manchester City were seen as three defining matches for Villas-Boas.
The dangers of coming up short were obvious with the possibility that owner Roman Abramovich might wield the axe.
But the young Portuguese boss is coming through with flying colours, winning two with one to go.
Villas-Boas made the big decision to dump Frank Lampard on to the bench last night and it paid off as Raul Meireles ran his socks off in midfield, supported by 20-year-old Spaniard Oriol Romeu, who is quickly making his mark.
There were other towering performances from oldies like John Terry, 31 today, keeper Petr Cech and Ashley Cole, while another youngster, 22-year-old Daniel Sturridge, also caught the eye.
This was a comprehensive demolition job on a Valencia team which arrived as slight favourites.
Chelsea had to win to be absolutely certain of going through and both Villas-Boas and Terry had called on the home fans to lift the roof off Stamford Bridge.
But any tension around the place dissipated within three minutes.
Meireles had already tested keeper Diego Alves from the edge of the box before Drogba struck.
Sturridge, a real handful on the right of the attack, launched a long ball towards the far post where Juan Mata controlled and laid it back for Drogba.
The Ivorian switched the ball from his right foot to his left before hooking a shot towards the far corner.
Alves should have got it really but he was slow getting down and managed only to parry it in off the post.
Villas-Boas went into his usual manic celebration and the home side were off and running.
The Spaniards were not ready to curl up and die just yet, however.
Jordi Alaba's shot from a tight angle came back off the outside of the post and then David Albelda's crisp right-footer from 30 yards was tipped away by the flying Cech.
But Chelsea's chances of going through improved greatly when they grabbed a second on 22 minutes.
Drogba's strong run and pass down the left seemed just a little too strong for Ramires, with Victor Ruiz shepherding it back towards his keeper.
But Ramires did not give up and, as Ruiz hesitated, the Brazilian nipped past him and tucked the ball home.
The Bridge was bouncing. This was more like it and it was more than the fist-pumping Villas-Boas could have dreamed of.
Valencia were on the floor and they never seriously threatened to barge Chelsea off course from that point on.
Sturridge nearly made it three before and after the break but was twice thwarted by Alves.
Chelsea were in control but could not afford to let their concentration slip and Cech was alert again to save well from the left boot of Sofiane Feghouli, ensuring there would be no late concerns.
Then Drogba, after first shooting wide when one-on-one with the keeper, wrapped it up 14 minutes from time, collecting a through ball from Mata and coolly tucking it in the corner.
Drogba was subbed to a standing ovation and slapped hands with Torres, who came on to general indifference.
The Spaniard must hope some of that Drogba magic rubbed off in the process.
Now the baton passes to the two Manchester clubs, City and United this evening while the Blues — and especially AVB — can relax knowing they have got the job done.
And with Leverkusen held in Genk, Chelsea even finished top of the group.
Simple... in the end.
With Arsenal successfully through to the last 16 as well, the pressure is all on the northern boys now.

DREAM TEAM STAR MAN - DIDIER DROGBA

CHELSEA: Cech 8, Ivanovic 8, Luiz 6, Terry 7, Cole 6, Meireles 6, Romeu 7, Ramires 8, Sturridge 7, Drogba 9, Mata 7. Subs: Mikel (Ramires 65) 5, Torres (Drogba 77) 5, Malouda (Mata 83) 5. Not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Lampard, Kalou. Booked: Romeu.

VALENCIA: Alves 6, Barragan 6, Rami 6, Ruiz 5, Alba 6 (Aduriz 5), Albelda 8, Costa 7 (Parejo 5), Feghouli 5 (Hernandez 5), Mathieu 6, Jonas 6, Soldado 5. Subs not used: Guaita, Topal, Piatti, Dealbert. Booked: Costa.
REF: G Rocchi (Italy) 7.


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Express:

CHELSEA 3 VALENCIA 0: DAZZLER DIDIER DROGBA DOES THE TRICK

By Tony Banks

THEY said he was too old, too slow. They said his future lay in the backwaters of the Major League Soccer, the Middle East or Russia. But last night Didier Drogba proved that there is life in the old dog yet.
Two priceless goals saved Chelsea’s Chelsea’sChampions League campaign last night, as 33-year-old Drogba made it a personal crusade to turn their season around.
Knowing they face the humiliation of elimination if they lost, the unstoppable Drogba crashed Chelsea ahead in only the third minute, set up Ramires for the crucial second goal – and near the end grabbed his second and his 31st goal in a remarkable 63 Champions Leaguegames to wrap victory up.
It meant that manager Andre Villas-Boas’s huge gamble in leaving out Frank Lampard and playing a defensive, careful game had paid off.
Villas-Boas’s decision to leave Lampard out of his starting line-up was a massive call by the young Chelsea coach in such a huge game.
He has sidelined 33-year-old Lampard several times this season since taking over, but in a match as critical as this one, it was unprecedented, certainly in recent times.
The last time Lampard was fit and absent from a key European game was when Claudio Ranieri left him on the bench for their opening group encounter at Sparta Prague in 2003.
Clearly in opting to play Raul Meireles, Villas-Boas was going for more pace and tackling power in midfield. But he was sacrificing the finishing power and calm passing of Lampard and that was a huge gamble.
It was though once again a sign that young Portuguese Villas-Boas, raw though he may be, is determined to do things his way. The old guard are under threat at Chelsea.
Chelsea went into the game with the less than convincing record of having won four of their last 10 games. Valencia by stark contrast had won seven out of their last eight and had walloped Genk 7-0 in their last Champions League outing.
No Chelsea manager had failed to make the knockout stages in eight previous seasons in the competition. Villas-Boas in the build up had refused to even contemplate failure. Because although he insisted that his job was safe even if the unthinkable happened, he could not be sure with Roman Abramovich.
But he got off to the best possible start. Just three minutes in Daniel Sturridge crossed from the right. Ex-Valencia hero Juan Mata was inexplicably given acres of space to bring the ball down and feed Drogba, who jinked past his man and buried his low left-foot shot, although goalkeeper Diego Alves did get a hand to it. It was Drogba’s third goal in four games – and exactly what Villas-Boas needed. Valencia almost hit back straight away as David Albelda found Jordi Alba sneaking behind Branislav Ivanovic, and Stamford Bridge breathed a huge sigh of relief as his shot hit the outside of the post. Then Albelda let fly from 30 yards – and Petr Cech pulled off a brilliant save to tip the ball around the post.
But then Drogba took a hand again. Taking the ball on his chest, the Ivorian burst past his man and fed Ramires. Astonishingly, Victor Ruiz let the Brazilian run round him, to slot the ball inside the post.
The sigh of relief could be heard all across West London. Chelsea, belying Villas-Boas’s claim before the game that they were going to take the initiative and would not change their philosophy, instead played a cagey, deep-lying counter-attacking game.
Drogba was on his own up front for long periods – but it was working. The Spaniards had plenty of the ball, but kept meeting an impenetrable wall of blue every time they got near the penalty area. It was almost Mourinho-esque – but more Jose when he was in charge at Inter Milan rather than Chelsea.
The idea was to hit Valencia on the break with the pace he had in the team – and it worked. Another attack faltered, and Oriol Romeu sent Sturridge racing away to force another save out of Alves.
But Drogba was simply unstoppable. Holding the ball, brushing off defenders, linking up play. It was the Drog of old.
Then Sturridge put Drogba away with another superb ball. The big man shrugged off Victor Ruiz, but then curled his shot an inch past the far post. No matter. Five minutes later Mata slipped Drogba through with a lovely little ball and the big man slid his second goal of the night past Alves with consummate ease.
The Drog had saved the day. The old guard are not quite ready to be pensioned off just yet.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Ramires (Mikel 65), Romeu, Meireles; Sturridge, Drogba (Torres 77), Mata (Malouda 83). Booked: Romeu. Goals: Drogba 3, 76, Ramires 22.

Valencia (4-2-3-1): Alves; Barragan, Rami, Ruiz, Mathieu; Alba (Aduriz 54), Feghouli (Pablo 64); Albelda, Tino Costa (Parejo 76), Oliveira; Soldado. Booked: Tino Costa.
Referee: G Rocchi