Steaua Bucharest 3-1

Independent:
Chelsea 3 Steaua Bucharest 1
Fernando Torres ends his drought to clear Chelsea's Europa path
Jack Pitt-Brooke

Rafael Benitez's hopes of finishing his Stamford Bridge tenure with a trophy were improved tonight as a Fernando Torres winner sent Chelsea through to the Europa League quarter-finals. On a notably positive night at the Bridge, Chelsea beat Steaua Bucharest 3-1, winning the tie 3-2, thanks to Torres' goal with 19 minutes left, although the struggling striker missed a penalty in the final minutes.
While Chelsea's early play was more patient than penetrative, Steaua pushed forward looking for a crucial away goal. Petr Cech had to make a sharp save from Raul Rusescu after John Terry had been dragged out of place and turned. Alexandru Bourceanu went close from distance and Chelsea were at risk of slipping behind before they started.
But the quality of their players paid off when Chelsea went 1-0 with a delightful goal after 33 minutes. Juan Mata had the ball in the middle of the pitch and drove forward, shuffling past tackles and passing to Ramires on the edge of the box. Mata continued his run, took the return pass, turned another defender and his shot was deflected through the goalkeeper's legs, onto the post and in.
When Chelsea are confident they can still play very well and six minutes later they nearly scored another excellent goal. Eden Hazard came in from the left, exchanged passes with Mata and – with little space – let off a shot which Ciprian Tatarusanu saved. It was slip-up they regretted in first-half added time when Steaua scored their crucial away goal. A corner fell to Cristian Tanase, whose shot was blocked by Petr Cech's legs, but it fell straight to Vlad Chiriches who fired it into the roof of the net, sending the Steaua players to half-time in celebration.
So Chelsea needed two second-half goals to progress, with no prospect of extra time. But as in the first half they struggled to find their rhythm early, despite the best efforts of Mata, who received a nasty kick to the ankle. Yet it was another Steaua foul which gave Chelsea the breakthrough.
Cornel Rapa lunged at Hazard, running down the left wing, and was deservedly booked. Mata swung in the free-kick and Terry rose highest – utterly unmarked – at the near post and headed powerfully past Tatarusanu. Steaua knew they might need a second away goal and so they attacked too, Tanase testing Cech from the edge of the box after a swift counter-attack.
But Steaua's pursuits made space for Chelsea and, with 19 minutes left, their quality told again. Mata cut in from the right and passed to Hazard, who flicked the ball to Torres behind him. The Spanish striker shuffled inside Lukasz Szukala and shot into the bottom corner.
This was a rare pleasure for Torres – he had not scored since January – but disappointment was to follow when he was denied a penalty after being tripped by Szukala in the box and then kicked in the face. Chelsea were eventually awarded a penalty for a foul on Hazard but Torres, still searching for unambiguous success, hit the bar.

Man of the match Mata.
Match rating 5/10.
Referee S Lannoy (Fr).
Attendance 28,817.

============

Guardian:

Fernando Torres strikes as Chelsea fight back to beat Steaua Bucharest
Paul Doyle at Stamford Bridge

Fernando Torres sniffed out the goal that kept Chelsea in Europe but was still left with his nose out of joint. A topsy-turvy outing for the Spaniard was the main feature of a match that ended in a victory that his club clearly craved but which could yet prove costly.
These are intriguing times at Stamford Bridge. Rafael Benítez understandably accentuated the positive after a night on which his team came from behind to beat an impressive Steaua Bucharest side and Torres ended an epic barren spell but still took a battering to both his nose and his confidence. Torres scored a fine goal in the 71st minute but then missed a late penalty.
Chelsea's progress to the quarter-finals of the Europa League condemns them to frantic cramming for the end of the campaign, with the FA Cup replay against Manchester United on 1 April meaning Chelsea must contest six matches in 16 days after next week's international break. That is sure to test the resilience and depth of the team that currently sits fourth in the Premier League as they strive to avert the ignominy of missing out on Champions League qualification.
"Top teams want to be in all competitions until the end," said an undaunted Benítez. "Since I came here I think we are playing around nine games each month. We knew it would be difficult but we have confidence in the players and hopefully we can manage well and progress in all of them."
The manager was similarly upbeat about Torres's penalty miss, claiming that the fact that the beleaguered striker felt like taking it was more significant than that his shot bounced back off the crossbar.
Last season Torres eschewed a spot kick at Birmingham when he was enduring a fruitless spell but this time, having scored to claim only his second goal of 2013 – the other was against Brentford in the FA Cup – he stepped up. "I am pleased that he took the responsibility more than he missed the penalty," said Benítez. "That is good for his confidence and for the future." The miss came moments after Torres's nose had been bloodied in a collision with the boot of Steaua's Lukasz Szukala.
Torres's confidence was bolstered by a goal that was sweetly taken and decisive. It came 19 minutes from time, when Eden Hazard deftly helped a Juan Mata pass on to Torres, who showed admirable sharpness to sidestep Szukala and fire into the far corner of the net from 10 yards. That completed a turnaround that was far from simple for Chelsea.
Benítez, whose quest for some silverware to show from his interim reign meant he was determined not to sacrifice this competition for the sake of the league, named a much stronger line-up than the one that started last week's 1-0 defeat in Bucharest, but their hopes of making an early breakthrough were thwarted by the relentless pressing of the dynamic visitors.
Steaua should have opened the scoring from their first attack, when Mikel John Obi was dispossessed midway inside his own half and John Terry failed to cut out a through-ball to Raul Rusescu, who scampered through on goal, only to be denied by Petr Cech's agility.
Chelsea finally forced Steaua's goalkeeper into action in the 16th minute, when Ciprian Tatarusanu comfortably collected a Mata free-kick. Steaua, increasingly confident as Chelsea struggled to match their energy, broke straight down the other end and Alexandru Bourceanu curled a 25-yard shot just wide. This was not a side that had come solely to cling on to their first-leg lead.
Hazard was Chelsea's chief early threat, constantly wriggling and probing for openings. In the 22nd minute he dribbled down the right before setting up that rarest of phenomena, a shot on target from Mikel. Tatarusanu repelled the Nigerian's 20-yard drive.
When Chelsea eventually raised their intensity, they got a goal. Oscar won the ball on halfway and slipped it through to Mata, who evaded one tackle before offloading to Ramires and darting into the box to take the return pass and slot the ball under Tatarusanu from 15 yards.
Chelsea looked to take charge. Torres fired wide from 16 yards and then Tatarusanu batted away a bullet from Hazard following lovely interplay between the Belgian and Mata.
But Chelsea knocked off early for half-time and Steaua punished them. A 45th-minute corner was poorly dealt with by Chelsea, with Torres and Ramires failing to get decisive touches at the near post, leaving Cristian Tanase to shoot from close range. Cech scrambled that effort off the line but Vlad Chiriches reacted first to slam the ball into the roof of the net for a potentially damaging away goal.
Benítez looked agitated on the sideline but apparently was not sufficiently alarmed to make substitutions at the interval. Steaua also opted to carry on as before and that looked wise as they enjoyed the better of the second half. It took a set piece in the 58th minute for Chelsea to edge back in front, Terry heading into the net from seven yards after a Mata free-kick from the left. Then Torres took centre stage to settle the tie and leave his state-of-mind and Chelsea's season fascinatingly cluttered.


==================

Telegraph:

Chelsea 3 Steaua Bucharest 1 agg 3-2

Henry Winter

Fernando Torres guided Chelsea into the quarter-finals of the Europa League with the key third goal but then missed a penalty. Just when Torres looks a confident predator again, he slips back.
On a night of eventual celebrations for Chelsea, this was frustrating for Torres. The Spaniard so needs the sort of belief that a second goal might have given him but at least he can reflect that his earlier, cooler finish had proved so important for Chelsea, who go into today’s draw after a performance that was less than convincing.

From the start, this had been a tense, nervy night. Trailing by a goal from the first leg, Chelsea had immediately launched themselves into the Romanians. Their creative trident of Oscar, Juan Mata and Eden Hazard was soon jabbing away at the Steaua defence, making shooting chances for Ramires and John Obi Mikel, both blocked.
Pushing for a goal which arrived after 34 minutes, Chelsea were occasionally exposed on the counter. Steaua felt some vulnerability in the hosts. Mikel was caught in possession, allowing the visitors’ striker Raul Rusescu to get ahead of the slow-reacting John Terry.
As so often down the years, Petr Cech rescued Chelsea. Terry made amends for his mistake with a strong clearing header from Alexandru Bourceanu’s corner.
Until just before the break, Chelsea seemed in control. Hazard’s dribbling kept carrying the ball deep into the final third, his change of pace and direction bemusing the Romanians; one of them was left sliding across the turf as Hazard headed down a different route.
He twisted in again, laying the ball back to Mikel, whose shot was pushed away by the diving Ciprian Tatarusanu, however Steaua’s goalkeeper was beaten after 34 minutes. David Luiz won the ball in midfield and Mata ghosted forward, soon finding Ramires and continuing into the box. The Brazilian completed the exchange, and Mata scored with a shot that clipped Tatarusanu and crept in off the post. The finish did not capture the elegance of the build-up but Chelsea did not care; they were level on aggregate. Chelsea stayed in control. Oscar and Mata created an opportunity for the labouring Torres, who had replaced the ineligible Demba Ba.
The Spaniard shot wide, his profligacy a contrast to his second-half expertise. Chelsea attacked again, this time down the left where Cesar Azpilicueta was momentarily filling in for Ashley Cole.
Azpilicueta and Hazard combined, again forcing Steaua into some emergency repairs. Hazard was looking to add a second and tested Tatarusanu.
Yet there was such belief to this Romanian team. Their fans were loud, very loud, twirling their scarves above their heads, a contrast to the Chelsea supporters who seemed underwhelmed by the Europa League. As the half drew to a close, Steaua built for that equaliser.
Adrian Popa made a dangerous run, racing towards the line until Cole did superbly to clear. Still the danger stalked those in blue shirts. Maybe Chelsea became distracted and complacent by the imminent whistle for half-time.
They were so disorganised at a Steaua corner in the 45th minute. When Iasmin Latovevici swung across the ball, Chelsea froze. Cech saved Cristian Tanase’s shot. Vlad Chiriches was quickest to the loose ball, slamming it into the roof of the net.
The Romanians celebrated their away goal wildly, knowing that Chelsea needed two. Chelsea scored one of them 13 minutes into the second half. Mata’s free-kick was aimed perfectly for the run of Terry, who was unmarked and headed unerringly past Tatarusanu. Chelsea fans made it abundantly clear the depth of their admiration for their captain.
Steaua’s captain, Bourceanu, was living dangerously, seemingly on a mission to clatter Mata. Steaua’s No 55 first caught Mata with a cynical challenge from behind, clearly designed to stop the Spaniard’s progress. Bourceanu was cautioned and was then fortunate that the referee, Stephane Lannoy, failed to notice a subsequent hack at Mata.
Chelsea still required a goal. Their fans tried to lift them but there were still scares.
Alexandru Chipciu’s shot suddenly came flying at Cech when Luiz ducked. Chelsea’s keeper still pushed the ball away, albeit less than gracefully.
Chelsea then got the goal they craved. Mata played the creator, teasing the ball to Hazard on the edge of the area, who tricked Steaua’s defence. The ball continued to Torres, who struck his 17th of the season with a low shot from left to right past Tatarusanu.
Moments later, Torres appealed for a penalty when turning away from Lukasz Skukala. Steaua were convinced he dived. Torres just shook his head in disbelief, even acquiring an accidental kick on the nose from Skukala as he ran past. Torres had a bloody nose and needed a shirt without his name on the back. Lannoy then told him to go and have the bleeding staunched.
The man with no name in his shirt returned with a proper top and seemed transformed. He was now a creature of confidence, turning defenders, shooting fractionally wide. The game remained a testy affair. Cole caught Popa. Steaua had lost their rhythm and vigour. Their fans kept jumping up and down, singing endlessly. The ball disappeared down the other end, Ramires running forward and then letting Torres take up the running. He was just a different player now. He really troubled Steaua’s defenders who gathered in numbers to close him down. This was what Roman Abramovich had wanted when investing £50 million in bringing Torres from Liverpool.
Torres now has to show such form game in, game out.
Chelsea should have prevented any enduring nerves four minutes left. Hazard was clearly fouled by Bourceanu, who somehow stayed on. Torres demanded the ball as Lannoy pointed to the spot.
He took a long run-up to the penalty, looking confident but his penalty hit the bar and whistled over into the Matthew Harding Stand.

Teams in the quarter-final draw:
Basle (Switzerland)
Benfica (Portugal)
Chelsea (England)
Fanerbahce (Turkey)
Lazio (Italy)
Newcastle (England)
Rubin Kazan (Russia)
Tottenham (England)

==============

Mail:

Chelsea 3 Steaua Bucharest 1 (agg 3-2):
Torres finds his nose for goal as Blues survive scare to progress into last eight

By MATT BARLOW

Fernando Torres emerged as Chelsea’s bloody hero on a frantic night when the beleaguered striker finally found the net and got a nosebleed.
For 20 minutes, fuelled by the rage of a boot in the face by Steaua Bucharest’s Lukasz Szukala as he lay on the turf, Torres was brilliant, like a £50million man possessed.
It was as if someone had turned back his body clock but there remained a hint of comedy about it all as fans celebrated his second goal in 1,325 minutes since Christmas with chants of, ‘Fernando Torres, he scores when he wants’.
His other goal in that time was an important late equaliser in the FA Cup at Brentford and this was the winner which transformed another sobering cup exit into a place in Friday’s draw for the quarter-finals.
Chelsea were far from impressive but they forced their way past the Romanian league leaders with  John Terry and Juan Mata also on target. There were 19 minutes left when Torres struck, collecting a flick from Eden Hazard, manoeuvring the ball on to his left foot and sliding it low across the keeper. It gave his team the edge and, moments later, he thought he had earned a penalty when he twisted past Szukala and hit the ground.
Torres was searching for the  penalty, no doubt, dangling his leg for contact. Slight contact was made and it was right under the nose of the one of the additional assistant referees.
As the Chelsea striker lay on his belly in disbelief, the same Steaua defender lumbered past and kicked him, cutting his face with his studs. Blood poured on to his shirt and Torres spent quite some time on the touchline trying to plug the flow.
He reappeared briefly wearing a shirt with no name or number but the officials ordered him back off to wipe up more blood and find another shirt with the right letters and number on the back.
Upon his return, Torres appeared energised by his anger, sprinting and chasing with pace and energy rarely seen from him this season.
When Hazard won a penalty, he grabbed the ball, planted it on the spot and smashed it against the bar. When he burrowed down the right and produced a chance in added time for Yossi Benayoun, the Israeli missed his kick.
It proved a frenetic end to a fascinating tie. Steaua were still fighting until the end in a strange atmosphere in front of fewer than 29,000 at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had suspended ticket sales on Wednesday afternoon after becoming aware many home tickets were finding their way into the possession of Romanian fans.
When Vlad Chiriches slammed in what looked set to be a vital away goal, seconds before half-time, pockets of Steaua support erupted in all corners of the stadium.
It as an untidy goal. Torres blocked a corner but it dropped to Cristian Tanase who stabbed a shot at goal. Petr Cech, who found himself busier than he would have hoped during the first half, saved but the rebound fell for Chiriches to lash it high into the net.
It cancelled out Mata’s opener, squeezed beneath Ciprian Tatarusanu after a quick counter-attack.
Terry stepped forward in the second half.  On the day Rio Ferdinand returned to the England squad the Chelsea skipper was never likely to lurk quietly in the background.
It was his powerful header from a Mata free-kick, 13 minutes after the break, which breathed belief into the European champions.
From this point, Chelsea seized the initiative. They remain in the hunt for two trophies and on course to play more than 70 games in a long and winding campaign.

Chelsea: Cech, Azpilicueta, Terry, Luiz, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Hazard, Mata, Oscar, Torres.

Subs not used: Turnbull, Lampard, Moses, Ferreira, Cahill, Benayoun, Bertrand.
Booked: Cole, Mikel.
Goals: Mata 33, Terry 58, Torres 71.

Steaua Bucharest: Tatarusanu, Rapa, Szukala, Chiriches, Latovlevici, Bourceanu, Pintilii, Popa, Chipciu, Tanase, Rusescu.

Subs not used: Stanca, Gardos, Filip, Prepelita, Tatu, Iancu, Adi.
Booked: Rapa, Bourceanu.
Goal: Chiriches 45.

Referee: Stephane Lannoy (France)
Attendance: 28,817.

=============

Mirror:

Chelsea 3-1 Steaua Bucharest (3-2 agg):
Fernando Torres the hero as Blues reach Europa League's quarter-finals
By Martin Lipton

He's become more used to boos than cheers, been transformed from the most-feared striker in Europe to something of a laughing stock.
One goal will not change that as far as Fernando Torres is concerned, not when it was only his second in almost 22 hours of football.
But at least on Thursday, bloodied but unbowed, Torres scored a goal that REALLY mattered, for Chelsea and for Rafa Benitez - even if it leaves them with the mother of all fixture pile-ups.
It was the sort of goal that became his trademark at Liverpool, a ruthless, unerring finish, making the vital half-yard, picking his spot, burying it in the corner.
The sort of goal that persuaded Chelsea to spend £50million on him.
And a goal that completed another Chelsea comeback, their second in five days, and which this time brought victory and not just a replay.
Of course, nothing in Torresland is ever that easy, that simple.
Fresh from his moment of glory - the perfect end to a terrific move begun by the mesmeric, majestic, Juan Mata, carried on by Eden Hazard's sublime dummy - it seemed that Torres was revitalised.
It was a goal that crowned a comeback which, while not as important, carried echoes of Napoli 12 months ago, although Benitez will never receive the acclaim that greeted Roberto Di Matteo.
 Chelsea had been staring into the Euro abyss at half-time, shoddy defending presenting a chance to defender Vlad Chiriches, seemingly set to be the latest Romanian to be named Vlad the Impaler.
That more than cancelled out Mata's terrific opener, receiving from David Luiz, driving on, exchanging with Ramires and forcing his 18th of the season off the inside of keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu's right thigh.
Even when Mata's free-kick just before the hour was met by the forehead of skipper John Terry, powered down and in off the near post, Chelsea were going out on the away goals rule.
Suddenly, though, the mood inside the Bridge was transformed, the attitude too and nobody more than Torres.
Where he had been hapless in the first half, his cause not helped when his near-post block teed up Cristian Tanase for the shot which was pushed only as far as Chiriches, now he was lithe and alert, popping up where a world-class striker is supposed to be.
That was the position, pulling off the defender's shoulder, finding the target when Hazard's slight of foot let the ball run through, from which he scored his 15th of the season.
Maybe, too late perhaps, it will be a turning point for Torres at Chelsea.
Stamford Bridge sensed it too, bellowing its collective support every time he saw the ball, demanding a penalty when he fell in the box, braying for revenge when the Spaniard was kicked in the face by defender Lukasz Szukala as he lay on the ground.
And when Hazard was downed by Steaua skipper Alexandru Bourceanu, the French referee pointing to the spot, Torres accepted responsibility.
The keeper was sent the wrong way, Torres aimed for the top corner and was left cursing his disbelief as the ball pinged off the bar and into the Matthew Harding Stand.
Had Steaua's late assualt brought another away goal, dumping Chelsea out, you suspect Torres would never have been able to live it down.
Thankfully for the Spaniard, the Romanians were repelled, Chelsea's name will be in today's last eight draw in Nyon, Benitez and his Blues may yet share a trophy before the decree nisi becomes permanent.
The reward? Four games in nine days, including an FA Cup quarter-final replay.
Only at Chelsea!
The Spaniard netted for only the second time this year as the Blues survived a scare from Steaua Bucharest to reach the last eight of the Champions League on aggregate.
Not even missing a late penalty or a bloodied nose could spoil Torres' night.
"It was important for him but the main thing is that it was important for the team," Benitez said. "We knew he was working very hard, he was training really well and scoring a lot of goals in training so we knew he was close. Hopefully it will be the first of a lot."
Torres has now scored 16 goals in seven different competitions this season but had scored only once in his previous 19 before Thursday night.
When the former Liverpool striker went through a goal drought last season, he declined the chance to take a spot kick in the FA Cup replay at Birmingham.
With Chelsea winning 3-1 against Steaua, Torres took a penalty after 86 minutes but hit the bar.
But Benitez said: "He has confidence now. He can take the responsibility and that was good. We are very pleased because he was taking the responsibility rather than he missed the penalty."
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Juan Mata scored before Vlad Chiriches netted an away goal in first-half injury-time to leave Chelsea needing two to go through. But John Terry and Torres completed the second Blues comeback in five days following their 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.
"Obviously we had more confidence after the game because in the comeback against United," said the interim coach. "We showed character, passion, commitment and quality and today was exactly the same. When you have all of those things together, it makes a good team."
Chelsea now face six games in 16 days after the international break, including a possible Europa League quarter-final against Newcastle or Tottenham when the draw is made on Friday.
"The next game is most important, just the one," Benitez continued. "Premier League, then, after, think about FA Cup. Wwe have to manage this way. I prefer to have this problem because it means we are still in competitions."
Chelsea keeper Petr Cech added: "We are at the stage where every game is a final for us because we are chasing the third spot in the league and ob now the Europa League and the FA Cup. We are playing a lot of games and we go step by step. It is not easy at times but we still keep fighting."


===============

Sun:
by Rob Beasley

FERNANDO TORRES went through heaven and El as Chelsea booked their place in the next round of the Europa League.
The £50million Spanish misfit scored a rare winner with only his second goal of the year to help Blues into the quarter-finals...exactly 300 days after being crowned European champions in Munich.
But he also blazed a late penalty against the bar when given the chance to double his tally late on.
The former Liverpool striker certainly had an eventful night, also denied a clear second half penalty when felled in the box by Lukasz Szukala.
And just for good measure the centre back kicked Torres in the face as he lay on the deck leaving him with a bloodied nose.
At least Chelsea escaped without any hurt, overcoming a 1-0 first leg deficit to edge through in the end.
But they made heavy weather of it.
In fact Chelsea’s task was almost doubled after just 13 minutes when Steaua striker Raul Rusescu romped clear.
The man who got the winner in Bucharest looked set to again make the Blues pay the price for slack defending.
But “keeper Petr Cech, at fault for two goals at Manchester United at the weekend, pulled off a fine, full length finger-tip save to turn the ball around the post.
A goal then would have been a hammer blow, especially in front of a subdued home crowd with plenty of empty seats on show.
That’s a clear sign of the disenchantment among many fans at the ticketing prices and the way the club is being run.
So it was the packed ranks of Romanian fans who created the atmosphere with a non-stop barrage of noise.
Nevertheless Chelsea just about edged it.
But make no mistake this is a pale shadow of the team that was crowned Champions of Europe in Munich last May.
How the mighty have fallen – and how quickly!
For this is a side shorn of confidence and belief, a side struggling to gel together, a side still hanging in there only out of sheer bloody mindedness.
The Blues did have their moments.
In the 23rd minutes John Obi Mikel crashed in a shot that was pushed away for a corner and from the flak kick the Nigerian skewed a left foot shot high and wide.
And ten minutes later, the Blues went ahead on the night and level in the tie.
Inevitably it was that man Juan Mata who made the difference.
Chelsea’s outstanding player this season played a neat one-two with Ramires and then fired off a low, right foot shot.
It cannoned through the keeper’s legs, bobbled a couple of times and kissed the inside of the post on its way in.
Not his greastest of goals but a vital one.
All square with almost an hour to go and surely Chelsea in the driving seat now.
Even Fernando Torres suddenly emerged to flash a shot wide.
Then Eden Hazard and Mata combined cleverly to tee up the Belgian for a shot that was again beaten out by the busy Ciprian Tatarusana just five minutes before the break.
But then on the stroke of half-time Steaua stole a goal to put Chelsea back in real danger of going out.
Torres blocked a corner in front of the near post, the ball rolled out to Cristian Tanase and he had a crack.
Cech parried the effort but the rebound dropped to Vlad Chiriches who gleefully rifled it up into the net.
A precious away goal meant the Londoners had just 45 minutes to save their skins.
The early second half signs were not promising, the team as subdued as their support – just 28,817 in attendance, the lowest gate of the season.
But then close on the hour captain, leader, legend John Terry powered into the box to rise unmarked and plant a trademark header into the back of the net.
Chelsea still needed another or go out on away goals.
But it was Cech who kept them in it with a fine stop from a swirling, swerving drive from Alexandru Chipclu as Steaua countered dangerously.
Now it was getting tense.
Chelsea would not be denied, though – Mata fed Hazard, he back-heeled to Torres and cor blimey – he scored!

DREAM TEAM RATINGS
STAR MAN — JUAN MATA(Chelsea

CHELSEA: Cech 7, Azpilicueta 6, Terry 7, Luiz 6, Cole 7, Ramires 6, Mikel 6, Hazard 7, Mata, Oscar 6, Torres 5. Subs: Moses (Mata 90) 5, Benayoun (Hazard 90) 5. Not used: Turnbull, Ferreira, Bertrand, Lampard, Cahill.Booked: Cole, Mikel.

STEAUA BUCHAREST:Tatarusanu, Szukala, Mihai Pintilii, Latovlevici, Rapa (Filho 83), Chiriches, Popa, Chipciu, Tanase (Leandro 78), Bourceanu, Rusescu. Not used: Stanca, Gardos, Filip, Prepelita, Iancu.Booked: Rapa, Bourceanu.


================

Express:

Fernando Torres finally gets a goal that matters for Chelsea
EVEN when he is the leading man with blood streaming heroically from his nose, life is still very complicated for Fernando Torres.
By: John Dillon

Chelsea are in the last eight of the Europa League after Torres scored a rare, significant goal at Stamford Bridge last night, sealing their triumph over the Romanians of Steaua Bucharest when it had seemed that even a typically thunderous header from John Terry might not be enough to save them from an exit on away goals.
It was smartly finished, too, as the Spanish forward seized upon the energetic work of Juan Mata and a clever dummy by Eden Hazard to plant home a low, angled drive from just inside the penalty area in the 71st minute.
However, in true Torres style, he then went and missed a penalty – in a rather spectacular way in the 86th minute, crashing against the bar which wobbled at him as if in reproach as he raised his eyes and, presumably, wondered what he had done to deserve this latest painful twist in the awkward tale of his Chelsea career.
Torres later missed a penalty which just about sums up his awkward time at Chelsea

Torres, you guess, was grateful to score at all, seeing as this was only his second since the turn of the year
It condemned the Blues to seven more minutes of anxiety before they could be certain that their presence in Europe would be maintained, 10 months after they won the Champions League.
This was, though, in a turbulent season for Chelsea, a rare case of all’s well that ends well. Torres, you guess, was grateful to score at all, seeing as this was only his second since the turn of the year.
For once, too, after his 15th of the season, he could forget the accusation that he mostly scores goals that do not matter very much.
It would not have done for the European champions to be putting away their passports just yet, even if they are now in the secondary competition.
Rafa Benitez, the much-abused interim coach, had named a full-strength side so there was no suggestion that the club are not taking the Europa League seriously, even if the top four is the priority.
It is a fair guess he would rather enjoy sauntering out of this place in May, leaving behind a trophy as a reproach to all those who maligned him.
At the end, the crowd and the manager were united in their appreciation of the fact Chelsea had worked hard for a deserved victory.
Chelsea players celebrate as Torres fires the Blues into the next round of the Europa League
The stand-out moment was the goal scored with familiar combativeness by the Chelsea skipper Terry. Back in the side after the missing the FA Cup recovery at Manchester United, he was presented with the opportunity to repeat a familiar old script by Mata’s excellent free-kick in the 58th minute.
Terry escaped his marker and thumped home a header from around 15 yards out. The old bones may be creaking but he still knows how to seize the moment.
This was critical because Chelsea had fallen behind in the tie for a second time – they lost 1-0 in Bucharest – despite Mata’s typically energetic opener in the 33rd minute.
It had been a frustrating start for Chelsea and Steaua had shown some counter-attacking verve and an ability to prevent the hosts’ flair players from getting going.
It was not until the 23rd minute that Chelsea had any sight of goal, with John Obi Mikel hopeful with a 25-yard drive. But then 10 minutes afterwards Mata proved once again how important his tirelessness is to this side.
Seizing on an opening just inside Steaua’s half, he darted forward and then laid off to Ramires. The return found Mata skipping around his marker and he touched in from eight yards.
It was the signal for the trio of little engineers behind Torres – Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard – to begin finding their rhythm. But then the threat on the break from Bucharest was realised emphatically in the 45th minute.
Cornel Papa hurried down the left and although he was well-tackled by Ashley Cole, the resulting corner restored Steaua’s lead in the tie. Cristian Tanase’s first attempt was blocked by the legs of Petr Cech, but Vlad Chiriches scored from close range.
It ensured that Chelsea’s passage to the quarter-finals would remain uncertain for some time afterwards.
But in a season in which they are fighting against anti-climax following the heroics of Munich last May, this win was enough to keep some kind of flame alive in Europe.

CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Cech; Azpilicueta, Luiz, Terry, Cole; Mikel, Ramires; Mata (Moses 90), Oscar, Hazard (Benayoun 90); Torres. Booked: Mikel, Cole. Goals: Mata 33, Terry 58, Torres 71.
STEAUA (4-5-1): Tatarusanu; Latovlevici, Chiriches, Szukala, Rapa; Tanase (Leandro 78), Pintilii, Bourceanu, Chipciu, Popa; Rusescu. Booked: Bourceanu, Rapa (Filho 83). Goal: Chiriches 45.
Referee: S Lannoy (France).

==============

Star:

CHELSEA 3-STEAUA 1: JOHN TERRY MAKES BENITEZ'S NIGHT
Paul Brown

THEY don’t call him Captain, Leader, Legend for nothing.
John Terry did his bit for Chelsea last night on his return to the starting line-up for this Europa League clash.
Juan Mata put them ahead on the night with his 18th goal of the season – but Vlad Chiriches equalised to leave the Blues needing two more.
Terry scored from a 59thminute Mata free-kick to give them hope of another comeback to follow Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-fi nal stunner at Old Trafford, when they drew 2-2.
And when Fernando Torres added No.3 with a left-foot shot in the 71st minute, the rescue job was complete.
Chelsea had work to do after losing the first leg in Bucharest, when a penalty from Raul Rusescu was the difference between the teams.
Problems
So Blues boss Rafa Benitez resisted the urge to rest too many players – even though he knew winning the tie would cause his men all sorts of fixture problems.
He put out as strong a team as he could, with Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard all starting behind Torres.
Benitez had no real choice with Torres as Demba Ba is cuptied, but it’s rare to see all three of the others starting together these days.
Steaua have bad memories of playing in England. In 2006 they went to Middlesbrough with a 1-0 advantage in the UEFA Cup semi-finals, only to lose 4-3 on aggregate.
Chelsea proved they know a thing or two about comebacks when they fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at United on Sunday.
They almost made a nightmare start and again it was that man Rusescu who wriggled clear.
But Petr Cech made a vital fi ngertip save to deny Steaua a potentially crucial away goal.
The visitors were well organised, well-drilled and well up for it.
It took Chelsea 23 minutes to test keeper Ciprian Tatarusanu, with Oscar dummying the whole back four and picking out Mikel, who shot produced a diving save.
When the goal came it was a scrappy affair.
Mata played a one-two with Ramires and broke into the box.
Tatarusanu was out quickly to save but the ball struck his leg and dribbled slowly in off the post.
If they thought their opponents would buckle though, they were sadly mistaken, as Steaua got that away goal in first-half stoppage time.
Alexandru Bourceanu swung in a corner and Cech managed to save Cristian Tanase’s initial shot, but it came back off the post for Chiriches to smash home.
That left Chelsea needing two – and Terry and Torres obliged to fi re them into the last eight.
But there was still time for Torres to fi re an 86th-minute penalty against the bar.
Hazard had won the spot-kick after he was crudely hacked down by Bourceanu.

CHELSEA: Cech; Azpilicueta, Terry, Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Mikel; Hazard, Mata, Oscar; Torres. Subs: Turnbull, Lampard, Moses, Ferreira, Cahill, Benayoun, Bertrand.
STEAUA: Tatarusanu; Rapa, Szukala, Chiriches, Latovlevici; Bourceanu, Pintilii, Popa, Chipciu; Tanase, Rusescu.
Subs: Stanca, Gardos, Filip, Prepelita, Tatu, Iancu, Adi. Referee: Stephane Lannoy (France).