Steaua Bucharest 0-1

Independent:

Steaua Bucharest 1 Chelsea 0
Gloom for Rafa Benitez as Blues warm up for FA Cup quarter-final with European defeat
Matt Mcgeehan

Rafael Benitez's Chelsea suffered a lacklustre defeat to Steaua Bucharest in their Europa League last-16 first-leg clash at the National Arena.
In the first of two games in four days and the Blues' 50th game of a turbulent season, last season's Champions League winners went behind after 34 minutes when Ryan Bertrand was penalised for pulling back Raul Rusescu, who converted the spot-kick.
Just like Sunday's opponents Manchester United, Chelsea warmed up for the FA Cup quarter-final with a European defeat, but at least their rivals were defeated by Real Madrid. The result in the Romanian capital will only serve to increase the pressure on interim manager Benitez.
Chelsea began the season in contention for seven trophies and the Europa League is the unexpected eighth after their embarrassing Champions League group stage exit which prompted Benitez's unpopular appointment.
Two chances of silverware remain, but chief executive Ron Gourlay this week insisted a top-four place in the Barclays Premier League and Champions League football next term is the priority.
It is just as well as now they must beat United and overturn a deficit to Steaua in next week's return to keep their trophy hopes alive.
John Terry would not have expected to be playing a key role in the second-tier continental competition this term, but in Bucharest the captain was brought in as one of five changes to the side which beat West Brom.
Due to his recent fitness travails, it must be questionable if the skipper will start at Old Trafford, when the Blues bid to continue their FA Cup defence.
Terry was an unused substitute in Prague in the last round, something which sparked stories of dissatisfaction which were swiftly quashed before dressing room tensions resurfaced.
Steaua, 12 points clear domestically, had shown their ability by overcoming a first-leg deficit to beat Ajax on penalties and Chelsea needed to start better than in the previous round.
An expectant partisan crowd made Benitez feel at home, jeering every time Chelsea had possession as the hosts refused to be intimidated.
Scarcely did they have reason to boo as the hosts enjoyed far superior territory and possession, including three corners in the first 15 minutes and a tame shot wide from the impressive Alexandru Chipciu.
The Blues sat deep and were attempting to play on the counter-attack, with Oscar through the middle, Hazard on the left and Yossi Benayoun on the right behind lone front man Fernando Torres. However, they struggled to string three passes together on a bumpy pitch.
At one point Torres - targeted by a laser pen in the first half - latched on to Petr Cech's long clearance on the right flank, skipped by his marker on the byline, before tackling himself as he prepared to cross to his arriving team-mates.
Chelsea's first corner came after 24 minutes - with Branislav Ivanovic heading Frank Lampard's set-piece wide - and they threatened little in the 10 minutes that followed before going behind.
Left-back Iasmin Latovlevici, earmarked as a dangerman by Benitez on the eve of the match, crossed with the outside of his right foot towards Rusescu, whose attempts to reach the ball were thwarted by a pull from Bertrand.
Referee Sergey Karasev booked the left-back, playing in place of Ashley Cole, and Rusescu sent the resulting spot-kick under Cech.
The Blues were roused into action and had a chance for an equaliser within five minutes following neat interplay between Benayoun and Hazard, but the Israeli's shot was turned around the post by Ciprian Tatarusanu.
The goalkeeper saved a Torres effort on the turn and John Obi Mikel had to be alert to stop Chipciu on the counter, with the Blues exposed.
Time and again the hosts troubled the Blues early in the second period, with David Luiz and Terry forced into some last-ditch interceptions.
A lofted Lampard pass would not drop for Torres in the area, before Juan Mata replaced Benayoun with Chelsea in desperate need of a spark.
Hazard volleyed over after a hopeful Lampard cross fell to him at the back post before the ineffective Belgian was replaced by Marko Marin, the only forward option remaining on the Blues bench.
Tatarusanu saved from Marin after he cut inside on to his right foot and Luiz fired a 30-yard free-kick over soon after.
Terry's brief role as an auxiliary striker ended when he committed a foul challenging the goalkeeper - and he finished the contest on the defensive.

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Guardian:

Lacklustre Chelsea succumb to Steaua Bucharest's first-half penalty
Dominic Fifield at the Arena Nationala

Europe was supposed to set Rafael Benítez apart but at present it is merely adding to his angst. Chelsea were beaten again here and must now turn over a deficit in next week's return leg in London if they are to force passage beyond Steaua Bucharest into the quarter-finals of the Europa League. Recovery is not beyond them in the tie but, with a wounded Manchester United to come on Sunday and their own confidence bruised, a pervading sense of anxiety persists.
Nothing has been simple about this traumatic season, so perhaps this latest setback was partly to be expected. The reigning European champions rarely imposed themselves on an occasion that cried out for dynamism, their urgency reserved for the period just after they had conceded the game's only goal and then, later, as Steaua retreated in on themselves. Benítez pointed to the excellence of the home goalkeeper, Ciprian Tatarusanu, as evidence of dominance but, in truth, this was never impressive.
Rather Chelsea can appear jaded when games are drifting and the onus is on them to inject pace and creativity into a contest. They looked sluggish for periods, perhaps grateful that Steaua had not torn into them from the outset, but their own head of steam was belated and rather fitful. Tatarusanu denied the substitute Marko Marin at his near post, the German having been found wonderfully by John Terry's raking pass to the far side. But that, seven minutes from time, was as close as they came as they chased an equaliser late on. This was the 50th game of a slog of a season that has been accompanied by too many disappointments already. It felt too mundane, too nondescript, too familiar.
Even the sense of injustice at the award of the decisive penalty was half-hearted. The visitors had appeared relatively content in a mishmash of a goalless opening until the moment Iasmin Latovlevici found rare space down the left to fling over a fine cross towards Raul Rusescu, looming above Ryan Bertrand at the far post. The full-back, one of a quintet of changes from Saturday's victory over West Bromwich Albion, was panicked by the striker's presence and tugged him down as he sprang to connect, with the Russian official acknowledging the offence.
"It was a soft penalty to give with so many officials around the goal, but, if it was, why no red card? Strange," said Benítez. His opinion was echoed by his opposite number, Laurentiu Reghecampf. Steaua had prevailed against Ajax in the previous round on penalties, so there was no surprise that Rusescu thumped the spot-kick emphatically through Petr Cech's attempt to save, and the visitors were breached. Somewhere amid the vociferous home support, around 500 travelling supporters high up in the gods offered a collective snarl of frustration.
What chances the visitors created thereafter were battered away by Tatarusanu. Arguably the clearest came in the immediate aftermath of Rusescu's reward, Eden Hazard competing for a bouncing ball and, once he had controlled possession and with Steaua defenders complaining about his high boot, exchanging passes expertly with Yossi Benayoun. The Belgian's return liberated his team-mate with a clear sight of goal, only for Benayoun to scuff his shot from the edge of the area, allowing Tatarusanu to save at full stretch. The goalkeeper was not quite as irked by Fernando Torres' volley just before the break, even if the striker chiselled out the opportunity impressively to force a save at the near post. One of these days such an opportunity might actually fly in for him.
Yet this was more of the same for the Spaniard (pictured), all the huff and puff going unrewarded until it gave way to exasperation, his endeavour forever undermined by a heavy touch, an anxious delivery or, quite simply, a poor decision. The game had drifted past the hour when Frank Lampard's deliciously arced diagonal pass fell to him as he edged unopposed into the area. Yet where once he would have cushioned, spun and snapped off a shot at goal, he chose instead to lay the ball off into space at his back. Steaua gratefully scrambled it clear.
The forward's industry remains but his bite is blunt to the tune of one goal in 18 matches. He had been targeted by a fan with a laser during the first half – how he must have wished the local could have used it to direct him towards goal – and his body language had taken on a familiar defeatist look by the end. Chelsea must hope it does not rub off on others.
What positives that could be gleaned centred on Terry's strong performance – the captain will hope he has proved he can feature at Manchester United on Sunday, even if the recent trend is to deny him two outings within a few days – as well as the reality that Steaua did not add further to their lead."We know these ties can be more difficult if you do not score in the away game, so we have to do everything in the home match," added Benítez. "We are disappointed but we still have the belief we can go through. As for Sunday [in the FA Cup], that is another challenge." That will be game 51 of a season that remains trying.

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Telegraph:
Steaua Bucharest 1 Chelsea 0:
Paul Kelso

Chelsea’s season keeps getting harder. The European champions, whose defence ended earlier than any previous holders, are now in danger of dropping out of the booby prize early too.
A 1-0 first-leg defeat to Steaua Bucharest is not irreversible next week at Stamford Bridge, but to the players, manager and owner of a proud club it was another embarrassment in a chastening season.
It will also further test faith in Benitez, who rotated his squad ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup tie at Old Trafford, but against committed opponents backed by a fiercely partisan crowd found himself short of a cutting edge.
Benitez made five changes from the side that beat West Bromwich Albion last Saturday and saw two of them exposed. Steaua’s goal came courtesy of a penalty conceded by Ryan Bertrand, selected ahead of Ashley Cole, and Juan Mata’s replacement Yossi Benayoun failed to take Chelsea’s best chance of the game.
In a game of few clear chances on a poor pitch they were costly mistakes. Chelsea may not relish the Europa League but no one could accuse Steaua and their fans of not taking it seriously.
As Champions League winners, Chelsea have a target on their back, and by the end the 54,000 inside the National Arena were in raptures as their team did a lap of honour.
The exception was a knot of several hundred Chelsea fans who had no chance of making their displeasure heard above the din.
This result will not have changed their view of Benitez, but the other glaring flaw in this side, Fernando Torres, is not a problem of his making.
It is not news that Torres struggled to make an impact — he has now scored just once in 18 appearances - but it is barely credible that despite the millions at Chelsea’s disposal they have only two strikers, and only one eligible for this competition.
Benitez said that he had no regrets about making changes as his squad clocked up their 50th game of the season, and argued tenuously that the penalty award was harsh.
Bertrand was penalised after being caught on the wrong side of Raul Rusescu, and throwing his arm across the striker’s chest to block his attempt to get on the end of a cross.
Referee Sergey Karasev did not hesitate to award a penalty and a yellow-card, though there was a clear case for red, a point Steaua’s coach Laurentiu Reghecampf made after the game. Rusescu picked himself up and drilled the spot-kick confidently past Petr Cech’s right hand.
“I think it was a difficult game, a great atmosphere for them, and a soft penalty,” Benitez said. “Their goalkeeper made some good saves and, obviously, we have to do our best at Stamford Bridge.
"It will be difficult because they are well organised and are good on the counter-attack but we have to have confidence that we can do well at Stamford Bridge.”
He defended Bertrand, and said his side created the better of few chances: “Ryan was playing before, against Sparta Prague, and was doing really well.
“We didn’t create many chances ourselves, but they weren’t either. If you consider that Petr [Cech] wasn’t making any saves, it was their goalkeeper who was actually making the great saves.”
After narrowly overcoming Sparta Prague it was immediately obvious Chelsea faced a challenge of a different order here.
Tickets for the game sold out in five hours and the hostility was evident when Chelsea emerged for the warm-up with the stadium only a third full.
The atmosphere was revved up even more before kick-off as the giant screens showed highlights of Steaua’s win on penalties against Ajax in the last round, a warning of their quality.
Chelsea came under immediate pressure but gradually asserted themselves.
John Terry, restored to the team, and David Luiz were busy but effective in protecting Cech, and Chelsea had the home team at arm’s length when the first moment of genuine quality brought the goal. Benitez had identified full-back Iasmin Latovlevici as a threat before the game and his wonderful cross, fired in with the outside of his left foot, was enough to expose Bertrand.
Chelsea came close in the 38th minute when Ciprian Tatarusanu saved well from Benayoun whose rolled finish was accurate but lacked the pace to beat the goalkeeper.
With Chelsea struggling as an attacking force, Benitez inevitably called on Mata with 25 minutes to go, and then Marko Marin for Hazard.
It almost did the trick. Marin worked an opening in the 82nd minute, cutting inside Latovlevici. His shot from a narrow angle was firm but straight at Tatarusanu. David Luiz came close with a free-kick from 35 yards shortly afterwards but it dipped over the bar, on a similar trajectory to Chelsea’s season.

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Mail:

Steaua Bucharest 1 Chelsea 0: Rusescu's penalty ensures defeat No 13 to leave Blues facing Europa League exit

By MATT BARLOW

Rafa Benitez can cling to the idea Chelsea might win this competition, but here was defeat No 13 of the season to enhance the feeling that this is a campaign drifting towards an inevitable end under its interim manager.
On they go to Manchester United on Sunday in their favourite competition, but the FA Cup holders could be out of everything by this time next week — and at least that would put them out of their misery.
Here they were beaten by a spirited if limited Steaua Bucharest team who celebrated wildly after securing the first-leg lead with a first-half penalty from Raul  Rusescu following a foul by Ryan Bertrand, and might have won by more.
Benitez made his customary five changes to the team but showed no hint of regret about it and, in fairness, it was ultimately a strikeforce worth more than £100million which failed to score an away goal in Romania.
‘We are disappointed but we still have the belief we can do it at home,’ said Benitez.
This is true. This time last year, Chelsea were reversing a 3-1 defeat in Napoli in the Champions League but they are not the same team. They look deflated and mentally tired after the 50th game of another intense, emotional and complicated season. Steaua in contrast are on an upward curve, back on top of Romanian football after a barren spell.
Twelve points clear at the top of the league, closing in on their first domestic title since 2006 and flying the flag abroad, as they did when they won the European Cup in 1986, they performed a full lap of honour at the end.
Having beaten Ajax in the last round, there was a sense of giddiness about Chelsea coming to town, typified by the club’s eccentric owner Gigi Becali, who said he was hoping to see Roman Abramovich and compare suits.
Becali did indeed look very smart as he beamed down from the posh seats.
But Abramovich was not in Bucharest. The Stamford Bridge board members have become a little less visible in recent weeks, although technical director Michael Emenalo did make the trip.  Perhaps it was as well the majority missed this one,
Steaua were hungry and energetic, quick to each ball and roared on by a noisy crowd firmly up for the occasion.
The home team coped better than Chelsea with a heavy surface, controlling the game for long periods, without really troubling Petr Cech too often.
Cech was well protected by central defenders John Terry and David Luiz — the best players in blue shirts.
Unusually, Terry played on the right, not his preferred left, another clue that his influence may be fading. The captain produced a strong display, but it was Ashley Cole’s absence which was keenly felt in the 34th minute.
Bertrand has been very dependable when he has been asked to step in, never more than when he started in the Champions League final in Munich, but there was a hint of inexperience about the penalty the 23-year-old conceded.
Rusescu managed to wriggle past  Bertrand and was goal-side of the left back as Steaua’s Iasmin Latovlevici teased in a splendid cross from the right with the outside of his left foot.
Bertrand tried to recover, dropping an arm across Rusescu’s shoulder and this was all the encouragement needed for the striker to collapse.  As Russian referee Sergei Karasev awarded the penalty it was hard to escape the feeling Cole would not have fallen into the same trap.
It was ‘harsh’ according to Benitez but, having been judged to have hauled down Rusescu as he was about to nod the ball into the net, Bertrand was  fortunate not to be sent off. Rusescu  converted his spot-kick for his 23rd goal of the season and Chelsea responded well, forcing goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu into action for the first time as half-time loomed.
Tatarusanu saved to his right from Yossi Benayoun’s low drive and to his left from Fernando Torres, but the  danger was evident. As Chelsea started to search for an away goal Steaua were more dangerous on the counter-attack.
John Mikel Obi made a timely tackle in his own penalty area to end one such break and Cristian Tanase smashed a volley wide after the interval when he ought to have hit the target.
Torres, as is his way these days, toiled hard. Signs of strength and admirable industry were blended in with poor  control and heavy-legged dashes.
One moment summed it up, when a ball landed at his feet, in a central  position, just inside the penalty area.
With keeper Tatarusanu exposed, it begged to be hit at goal, but Torres cushioned it back towards his own goal in the hope someone might be there to shoot. No-one was.
Benitez threw on Juan Mata and Marko Marin. An away goal would have transformed the mood but a Marin effort was saved and Luiz’s 25-yard  free-kick went wide.
It is a seventh defeat in 29 games for Benitez, but at least it was so noisy it was impossible to hear the Chelsea fans making their feelings known.
Steaua: Tatarusanu, Rapa, Szukala, Chiriches, Latovlevici, Bourceanu, Pintilii (Prepelita 58), Popa, Chipciu, Tanase (Tatu 82), Rusescu(Gardos 90).

Subs not used: Stanca, Filip, Iancu, Adi.
Booked: Pintili.
Goals: Rusesco (pen) 34.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry, Bertrand, Lampard, Mikel, Benayoun (Mata 64), Oscar, Hazard (Marin 75), Torres.

Subs not used: Turnbull, Cole, Ferreira, Cahill, Azpilicueta.
Booked: Bertrand, Mikel.

Referee: Sergei Karasev (Russia)

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Sun:

Mark Irwin

A WORD of warning for all our Romanian chums queuing up to come to Britain in the New Year — not everyone gets £180,000 a week for doing nothing.
Only Fernando Torres.

It is not difficult to understand why the good people of Bucharest think we are such a soft touch when they see an underachiever like Torres being so spectacularly rewarded.
So it worth pointing out the £50million Chelsea striker is not part of our benefits culture and does have a job.
He just does not do it very often.
In his two-and-a-bit years on the Chelsea payroll, Torres has ‘earned’ somewhere in the region of £19m for the square route of eff all.
In his defence, the tax he has paid on that fortune has probably bankrolled an NHS hospital or two.
But he has also contributed to the unemployment figures by bringing about the sacking of three Chelsea managers who were unable to squeeze a decent performance from Roman Abramovich’s pet project.
Now Rafa Benitez is heading for the dole queue after failing to rekindle the confidence of the player he turned into a superstar at Liverpool.
For, after an encouraging burst of form following Benitez’s appointment as interim manager in November, Torres has quickly reverted to type.
His only goal since Christmas came against League One Brentford and although he tried to claim the Ramires shot that brushed in off his back at Middlesbrough last week, even Benitez was not giving him that one.
He was only playing last night because Demba Ba is ineligible for the Europa League and Chelsea do not have any other strikers in their squad.
And it is a fair bet that when they head to Old Trafford for Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final, Torres will be back on the subs’ bench.
For if Chelsea had been carrying any kind of goal threat in Bucharest they would not now be facing elimination from their SEVENTH different competition of the season.
It was a year ago on Monday Andre Villas-Boas was sacked and a team seemingly in chaos engineered the most unexpected finale to a season in its history... it is very hard to see a similar turn-around this time.
In their 50th game of the season, it was all Chelsea could do to give themselves a fighting chance of salvaging this tie next Thursday at the Bridge. With a 54,000 sell-out crowd whistling every Chelsea touch, this was always going to be a real test of character for Benitez’s players.
So it was a good thing they had Euro veterans John Terry and Frank Lampard to steady their nerves.
For while Steaua were able to dominate in terms of possession, they could rarely find the final pass to seriously threaten Petr Cech’s goal.
The runaway Romanian league leaders overturned a two-goal first-leg deficit to beat Ajax on penalties in the previous round and were clearly no mugs. But there was a steely determination about much of Chelsea’s play which suggested that, maybe, they are treating the Europa League seriously.
Branislav Ivanovic had the chance to head them into a 24th-minute lead but nodded wide from Lampard’s corner.
Just when it was starting to look like Chelsea were taking control, they were caught out in the 34th minute.
Iasmin Latovlevici’s cross found Ryan Bertrand isolated on the wrong side of Raul Rusescu inside the six-yard box and as he tried to retrieve the situation he pulled the striker to the ground. Rusescu’s penalty was hard and low and even though Cech went the right way he could not get a strong enough touch to keep it out.
Chelsea could have been level within four minutes when Eden Hazard’s pass presented Yossi Benayoun with time and space in the area.
His precise shot was heading for the bottom corner but lacked the power to beat keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu.
They had another chance just before half-time when Torres’ shot on the turn was pushed behind.
Marko Marin was also denied by Tatarusanu late on but by then Chelsea were happy to get to the whistle with just a one-goal deficit to salvage.

DREAM TEAM STAR MAN - JOHN TERRY (Chelsea)

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Ivanovic 7, Luiz 7, Terry 8, Bertrand 5, Benayoun 5, Mikel 6, Oscar 6, Lampard 7, E Hazard 6, Torres 5. Subs: Mata (Benayoun 65) 6, Marin (Hazard 75) 6. Not used: Turnbull, Cole, Cahill, Ferreira, Azpilicueta. Booked: Bertrand, Mikel.

STEAUA: Tatarusanu, Rapa, Szukala, Chiriches, Latovlevici, Bourceanu, Pintilii (Prepelita 58), Popa, Chipciu, Tanase (Tatu 82), Rusescu (Gardos 90). Not used: Stanca, Filip, Iancu, Adi. Booked: Pintilii.
REF: S Karasev (Rus) 7.

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