marseille 2-0

Independent:

Anelka turns on style after Terry hands Chelsea the perfect start
Chelsea 2 Marseilles 0

By Sam Wallace at Stamford Bridge

It was with the cool detachment of a great centre-forward that Nicolas Anelka dispatched Chelsea's second goal from the penalty spot last night; a reminder that in the early stages of this competition the champions of England can make it look blissfully simple.
Anelka's most infamous Champions League penalty for Chelsea will always be that one in the final in Moscow two years ago that was saved by Edwin van der Sar which meant that the trophy went to Manchester United. As easy as Chelsea make the Champions League look in the autumn, everyone at Stamford Bridge knows that it is in May that the crunch comes.
Last night, Carlo Ancelotti's team flicked Marseilles aside with the ease of a team who are veterans of the group stages. From the moment that John Terry's opening goal crept inside Marseilles' near post in the seventh minute, Chelsea looked safe. They might be the champions of France but Stamford Bridge can be a humbling place on nights such as these.
Anelka's penalty was the night's stand-out moment, an insouciant shuffle towards the ball before it was prodded into the corner without Steve Mandanda in the Marseilles goal even diving. To say that Anelka got a frosty reception from the away fans would be putting it mildly but, in their part of the world, once a Paris St-Germain man, always a Paris St-Germain man.
Chelsea's French striker was excellent last night leading the line in the absence of Didier Drogba, serving the second game of a two-match suspension from last season. At half-time Chelsea's striker came onto the pitch to greet the Marseilles fans who received him rapturously. Substituted against Manchester City on Saturday, Drogba will surely come back into the team against Arsenal on Sunday. Last night he was not missed.
Ancelotti acknowledged that Marseilles turned the game around to a degree in the second half but even this most courteous of managers could not really say that his team were ever in danger. "Marseilles were in the game to the end," he said. "They play good football. They wanted to score. We played very well in the first half though and we have a good defence.
"It's a little bit different [without Drogba]. We can use the power and ability of Drogba in the box and he has a different kind of movement in the final third. It is better that Drogba is in the game but we can play without him."
After two successive defeats in the Carling Cup to Newcastle United and Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday, this was a return to business as usual for Chelsea. The Marseilles manager Didier Deschamps, who as coach of Monaco in 2004 was responsible for eliminating Chelsea in the semi-finals, was left to reflect that even missing Drogba and Frank Lampard this is still a formidable team.
A former Chelsea player himself, Deschamps' best-laid plans were undone by the early goal. It was Terry's first for 26 games, a clever run to the near post for Gaël Kakuta's corner and a flick that took the ball between the post and Edouard Cissé who was supposed to be guarding it. It was an unforgivable bit of defending from the former West Ham man.
If you think Cissé has done well to reach the Champions League, bear in mind that Marseilles' centre-back Souleymane Diawara once played for Charlton Athletic. He struggled against Anelka who, inspired by the stick from the away end, was a real threat in the first half.
The penalty against Marseilles on 27 minutes was harsh. Michael Essien's shot from the right struck the hand of Stephane Mbia as he jumped to block the shot and the Belgian referee gave a penalty. Deschamps said later that "it was a penalty because the referee gave it," which was his way of saying that he did not agree with the decision.
With much shouting, whistling and making of provocative gestures from the Marseilles fans in Anelka's sightline behind the goal he took it brilliantly. It was a stroll rather than a run-up which completely deceived Mandanda.
Asked later whether Anelka's penalty-taking was too much on the casual side to be comfortable for a manager, Ancelotti disagreed. "I don't have to say to Anelka how he has to take a penalty," he said. "He can do this. He scored two goals [from the penalty spot in two games including the Carling Cup tie]. I'm happy with that."
Anelka's penalty established for Chelsea a position of strength that they never looked like relinquishing. They were obliged to absorb some pressure from Marseilles at the start of the second half but this Chelsea side are the masters of Champions League group-stage football. They can slow play down, speed it up, attack or soak up pressure.
It may be a different story in November when Chelsea go to the Stade Velodrome for the last game of this group but by that time they will surely have qualified for the knockout stages. John Obi Mikel looked, as he has this season, much more assured in midfield. Terry and Alex da Costa were so dominant that the centre-forward Andre-Pierre Gignac, the France international, was substituted before the hour.
There was a booming free-kick from Alex on 66 minutes, struck from around 35 yards out, that hit the post with Mandanda unmoved. In the last 15 minutes Essien hit the post and struck another shot wide as Chelsea took total control.
Josh McEachran was given the last few minutes and looked assured again. Along with Kakuta he is being introduced gradually in games that matter to get a taste of playing for Chelsea at the very highest level. They are the future for Chelsea, although Ancelotti will be expected to win this competition long before his youngsters come of age.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Essien, Mikel (McEachran, 88), Zhirkov (Sturridge, 73); Kakuta (Ramires, 61), Anelka, Malouda. Substitutes not used Turnbull (gk), Ferreira,, Van Aanholt, Bruma.

Marseilles (4-3-3) Mandanda: Kabore, Diawara, Mbia, Heinze; Gonzalez, Cisse, Cheyrou (Ayew, 59); Remy, Gignac (Valbuen, 59), Brandao. Substitutes not used Andrade (gk), Azpilicueta, Taiwo, Hilton, Abriel.

Man of the match Anelka

Referee F De Bleeckere (Neth)
Attendance 40,675.
Match rating 6.

Group F
Results so far MSK Zilina 1 Chelsea 4, Marseilles 0 Spartak 1; Chelsea 2 Marseilles 0, Spartak 3 MSK Zilina 0.

Chelsea's remaining fixtures 19 Oct Spartak (a); 3 Nov Spartak (h); 23 Nov MSK Zilina (a); 8 Dec Marseilles (a).
Spartak Moscow 3-0 MSK Zilina

Spartak followed up their opening day victory at Marseilles with a convincing win on a rain-soaked artificial pitch in Moscow. The Russians' early domination was rewarded with goals from two of their Brazilian contingent. Ari scored the first with a looping header from Alex's corner after 34 minutes and added a second with a tap in of Kombarov's cross on the hour. Ibson converted a Maidana cross late on to seal the win.

Benji Inwood

Man-for-man marking
Chelsea
Petr Cech
Few, if any, direct saves to make from a weak Marseilles attack. Handled and kicked well enough when required. 7
Branislav Ivanovic
Strong in defence with one or two shuddering tackles, the right-back was keen as ever to push forward and also join set-pieces. 6
John Terry
Left limping a couple of times early on, Chelsea's captain remained as strong as usual when Marseilles came forward more after half-time. 7
Alex
First-choice alongside Terry now that Carvalho has gone, he stood up well in physical battle. Smashed 35-yard free-kick against post. 7
Ashley Cole
Enjoyed his sorties down the left, hitting one fierce right-footed drive over the bar. Solid in keeping highly rated Loïc Rémy quiet. 7
Michael Essien
Won the penalty from out on the right wing. Otherwise busy without getting forward until hitting the post in the second half. 7
John Obi Mikel
Sat deepest of the midfield trio. Mishit one shot that could have brought only his third goal in 174 games. 6
Yuri Zhirkov
Preferred to the Brazilian Ramires, and justified selection. Uefa stats confirmed he covered more ground than anyone. 7
Gael Kakuta
On his second European start, the French teenager showed considerable confidence and some nice touches in the hour he was allowed. 7
Nicolas Anelka
Leading the line in Didier Drogba's absence, made little headway on either side of stroking in the coolest of penalty kicks. 5
Florent Malouda
After an off-day at the weekend, Chelsea's third Frenchman had his moments without recovering scintillating early-season form. 6
Substitutes
Ramires (for Kakuta, 61) Dropped after a poor game at Man City, the midfielder was given half an hour in the second half. 5
D Sturridge (for Zhirkov, 72) Laid off a neat pass or two but missed good chance laid on by Cole. 6
J McEachran (for Mikel, 88) The 17-year-old gained a bit more experience, adding to a career that should blossom given the chance n/a

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Mail:

Chelsea 2 Marseille 0: John Terry and Nicolas Anelka on target as Blues ease to Champions League win

By Matt Lawton

Before Nicolas Anelka stepped up to take the penalty that secured victory in this European encounter, there was much that could have troubled his complicated mind.
The fact that this game was being shown live on national French television; the fact that, in this competition anyway, the subject of spot-kicks is something he would probably rather avoid.
But where there was an overwhelming sense of anxiety in Moscow two years ago, and with it crushing failure in that Champions League final against Manchester United, there was something altogether different here.
Anelka struck with a shot that was so outrageously casual in it's execution it was probably closer to arrogance than confidence.
It was incredible even if he did score in much the same fashion against Newcastle in the Carling Cup last week.
Having become the fall guy in France for those astonishing events at the World Cup, much was being made across The Channel of how Anelka would cope in the knowledge that France was watching their enfant terrible.
At Carlo Ancelotti’s pre-match press conference on Monday the issue was raised by members of the French media, no doubt in the belief that there would be a desire to see the French champions inflict further punishment after his 18-match international ban.
Ancelotti being Ancelotti, he just shrugged his shoulders and suggested it would not be a problem. Even on a night when he would become Chelsea’s principal striker in the absence of the suspended Didier Drogba.
And Chelsea’s manager was right. After a two or three step run-up, Anelka sent the Marseille goalkeeper one way and the ball the other with a shot as weak as an Alex free-kick later in the game was powerful.
Had Steve Mandanda remained still, he probably could have trapped the ball with his left foot. As it was, he was well beaten, Anelka’s wild celebration suggesting he particularly enjoyed it and understandably so.
Just as Ancelotti said he had no fears about Anelka, he said he had no concerns about a team weakened by the loss of Drogba to suspension and Frank Lampard, Salomon Kalou and Yossi Benayoun to injury and, again, he was right.
This was a comfortable win for the English champions, with Didier Deschamps the first to recognise the gulf in quality between his team and his former club.
If Chelsea were bruised by their first defeat of the season at Manchester City last weekend, they proved quick healers. They were not as impressive as Ancelotti would have hoped.
Having responded to the suggestion that his bench was not as strong as City’s by claiming Gael Kakuta was every bit as gifted as Adam Johnson, he appeared to grow so frustrated with the French teenager he hooked him after 61 minutes.
Of the three Frenchmen who made up the Chelsea attack, he was the weakest link. But from the moment John Terry put Chelsea ahead in the seventh minute — the first goal in 26 games for club and country for Chelsea’s captain and the wearer of the 26 shirt — they were in control, and when Anelka scored the second 21 minutes later it was pretty much game over.
And Chelsea almost added further goals, with both Alex and Michael Essien coming close.
Marseille are left to reflect on a second defeat after losing at home to Spartak Moscow in their opening group game, while Chelsea already have one foot in the first knock-out stage after matching the Russians they meet next in taking six points.
It supported Ancelotti’s argument that Chelsea do possess the necessary strength in depth to cope with the absence of so many key players. Last night he even started without £18million Ramires, who lost his place to Yuri Zhirkov despite his manager’s claim the previous day that, statistically, he was Chelsea’s best player at Eastlands.
Kakuta’s selection ahead of Daniel Sturridge was also a surprise but the 19-year-old was quick to make an impression even if he did eventually incur Ancelotti’s wrath for too often losing possession.
He delivered the corner that enabled Terry to open the scoring, and what a fine corner it was. That said, it remained a goal that owed much to the incompetence of Marseille’s defence. Terry did well to divert Kakuta’s ball goalwards with a flick of his left boot, but it really should have been blocked given the positioning of keeper Mandanda and the player assigned to defend the near post.
As it was, Benoit Cheyrou allowed the ball to squeeze between him and the post and Chelsea had their advantage. With Florent Malouda terrorising the visitors with his direct running, the pressure on Marseille was enormous. But they were probably a little unfortunate to concede the 28th-minute goal.
Stephane Mbia blocked a cross from Essien with his arms but there did not appear to be much, if any, intent. More a case of ball to hand than hand to ball.
Anelka blocked out the heated protests as well as any other outside influences, converting from the spot and so ending this game as a contest. Even after less than half an hour, Deschamps’ men seemed incapable of mustering a response.
Only Chelsea seriously threatened after the break. Alex unleashed a rocket of a free-kick that struck a post, while Essien then hit the woodwork with a right-foot effort while on the run. Easy penalty. Easy win.

MATCH STATS

CHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech 6; Ivanovic 6, Alex 6, Terry 7, Cole 7; Essien 7, Mikel 7(McEachran 88min), Zhirkov 6 (Sturridge73, 6); Kakuta 6 (Ramires 61, 6), Anelka 8, Malouda 7. Subs not used: Turnbull,Ferreira, Van Aanholt, Bruma.Booked: Mikel.

MARSEILLE (4-3-3): Mandanda 6; Kabore 5, Diawara 6, Mbia 4, Heinze 5; Lucho 5, Cisse 6, Cheyrou 5 (Ayew 59, 6); Remy 5, Gignac 4 (Valbuena 59, 5), Brandao 6.
Subs not used: Andrade, Azpilicueta,Taiwo, Hilton, Abriel.
Booked: Heinze, Mbia.Man of the match: Nicolas Anelka.Referee: Frank de Bleeckere (Bel) 6.

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Guardian:

Chelsea shrug off weekend woes to dismiss Marseille

Chelsea 2 Terry 7, Anelka (pen) 28 Marseille 0
Kevin McCarra at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea are still to win the Champions League but they have enjoyed every other benefit it can offer. This win was permeated with knowhow as Carlo Ancelotti's side betrayed no signs of agitation even in the periods when Marseille attacked with fervour if not precision.
The margin of victory would have been misleadingly wide had shots from Alex and Michael Essien gone in instead of cracking against the post in the latter part of the game. Chelsea top Group F on goal difference from Spartak Moscow, but even though each club has a full six points this opening phase of the Champions League does not always seem as dull and simple as a chore.
While there are reasons for Marseille's lack of any points, they differ from the handicaps that lumber MSK Zilina with the same unhappy record. Didier Deschamps's players had enterprise but all their endeavour failed to force Petr Cech into a memorable save. Ancelotti himself adopted a low-key tone afterwards and, regardless of the score, had not been enraptured by his side's efforts.
By the time he spoke, of course, his mind was already edging towards Sunday's match with Arsenal at this stadium. The meeting with Marseille has served him rather well. Didier Drogba enjoyed a night off thanks to his suspension yet was not missed and the £18m acquisition Ramires, who is still to convince as a defensive midfielder, had some respite and did not come off the bench until the 61st minute, when Marseille's punchless play was beyond remedy.
Even so, it would be wrong to dismiss the intensity and enterprise Marseille brought to the occasion. They were undone mostly because calm and, in the goalmouth, finesse were so elusive. Deschamps was frank about the inferiority of his squad. Even so, his opponents have also had a glimpse of their own limitations.
A 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at the weekend was not so terrible a blow. Even so, the result might have hinted at the end of the carefree mood that has characterised Ancelotti's side. In practice, they were scarcely racked by insecurity here and there was vivid proof that the impetus of the side has not been brought to a halt.
The advance of Florent Malouda from worthwhile squad member to key presence was confirmed once more. If the result against City had people wondering if Frank Lampard is being missed as he recovers from a hernia operation, the England midfielder's name would not have come to mind for many in the crowd at this game.
While Ancelotti will surely appreciate his return, he may still be heartened by any hint that the club's future may not depend on a few ageing footballers. A capable showing when Lampard and Drogba were sidelined may help foster confidence in men hitherto viewed as members of the supporting cast. Perhaps others can prosper in a similar fashion to Malouda.
Marseille, despite a sprightly start, were behind as early as the seventh minute. Gaël Kakuta's low corner ran to John Terry, who turned the ball home at a near post where Benoît Cheyrou had failed to cover properly. That swift breakthrough was reassuring in view of the context.
Aside from dropping three points, Chelsea had been unable to score on Saturday after hitting 28 goals in the previous seven games. There was a trace of experimentation in Ancelotti's selection against Marseille, with the 19-year-old Kakuta involved from kick-off. Deschamps's men wanted to be bold, yet were short of the means or good fortune to do harm before Chelsea extended their lead.
The award of a penalty exasperated them as Michael Essien drove the ball hard from the right and so provoked severe doubts as to whether the contact made by Stéphane Mbia's arm had even a trace of intent. Bookings for the centre-half and the former Manchester United player Gabriel Heinze then added to the delay before Nicolas Anelka could take the penalty. The striker still left the goalkeeper, Steve Mandanda, rooted as he converted the kick in the 28th minute.
Marseille had improved, yet the execution was still flawed at the critical moment. Despite being content to resist at length, it was Chelsea who came closest to scoring in that period. The visitors lacked nothing in ambition and began the second half with a few minutes of sustained pressure, but the execution was flawed then and it was usually too simple for Cech to gather.
Circumstances invited Chelsea to be slightly more conservative and, with that two-goal advantage, they usually had an eye for the counterattack. This still did not look wholly like the line-up that has been liberated by Ancelotti, but Marseille called for more respect than some Premier League rivals have merited. None the less, Deschamps's men were beaten as authoritatively as most visitors to Stamford Bridge.


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Telegraph:

Chelsea 2 Marseille 0
By Henry Winter, Stamford Bridge

After the blip, it’s business as usual. Chelsea returned to winning ways on Tuesday night, showing their resilience in defence and sufficient fluidity of attack and urgency of tempo to account for a Marseille side who failed to match the edge of their impassioned support.
This will hardly be remembered as one of the great Chelsea performances but it carries a real significance. Chelsea’s sensible summer strategy of trimming the wage bill, shedding well-paid stars like Michael Ballack and Deco, Joe Cole and Ricardo Carvalho, and relying more on the youth, had come under critical scrutiny following back-to-back defeats for an injury-depleted team.
So this victory will quell many doubts, soothe the racing pulses and take Chelsea closer to qualifying for the knock-out stage of the Champions League. Next up are two Group F tests against Spartak Moscow, who sit second to Chelsea on goal difference. Didier Drogba will return from suspension while Frank Lampard and Salomon Kalou should be fit for the Russian challenge.
On Tuesday night, the old guard sealed the points for Chelsea, John Terry scoring with a neat flick and Nicolas Anelka converting the calmest of penalties, but the next generation revealed glimpses of their promise.
Gael Kakuta, controversially plucked from the Lens academy, started and worked hard as the right attacking point of Carlo Ancelotti’s 4-3-3 formation. Josh McEachran again displayed a maturity beyond his 17 years when installed late on in the middle. More used to a left-sided role, McEachran patently enjoys the central duties.
On a night of positives for Chelsea, Michael Essien demonstrated why is one of the best box-to-box midfielders in Europe, almost capping an assertive display with a goal but the post denied him. John Obi Mikel anchored well, breaking up Marseille attacks and launching Chelsea ones.
Many of those breaks flowed down the left, carried on swiftly by Ashley Cole, Yuri Zhirkov and particularly Florent Malouda, an elegant mistral blowing through Marseille. It was this intensity of football that Marseille simply could not deal with, this quickness of pass and move that kept propelling the ball deep into enemy territory.
Malouda set the scene for Chelsea’s opener, running at the visitors’ defence in that sinewy, silky way of his, forcing a corner after seven minutes. Kakuta’s delivery wasn’t the best, failing to carry deep into the box but Terry had anticipated well. Redirecting his run, Terry met the ball with an outstretched left boot, flicking the ball past the sluggish Benoit Cheyrou on the near post.
Having called for "nothing less than a win in this battle of the champions’’, Terry celebrated noisily in front of the Shed. Nothing would silence Marseille’s 3,000 fans but his goal certainly lifted Chelsea spirits after those losses to Newcastle United in the Carling Cup and Manchester City in the Premier League.
With Spartak Moscow defeating Zilina earlier in the day, Terry had known that victory was vital. When Chelsea needed their captain most he delivered, leading by example, settling nerves and showing his enduring danger at set-pieces.
Cheyrou, brother of the former Liverpool player Bruno, sought to drag Marseille level, firing over when well-placed before Chelsea resumed their attacks. With the tie beamed live in France, French observers had predicted a bravura performance from Anelka. The striker was banned by France following his World Cup histrionics, and he reminded them what they were missing.
Anelka’s touch and bursts of acceleration caused Marseille’s defenders endless problems while his Paris St-Germain connections drew inevitable howls of derision from the away enclosure. His 29th-minute goal owed much to good fortune. Marseille were incensed when Stephane Mbia was adjudged to have deliberately handled Essien’s cross.
The way he jumped, though, pushing his arms slightly towards the ball, encouraged Frank de Bleeckere to point to the spot. Anelka was composure personified: he took four medium-paced steps in, watched Steve Mandanda commit himself right and placed the ball to the keeper’s left. In calmness of execution, it echoed Anelka’s spot-kick against Newcastle last week.
Defensive errors had contributed to Chelsea’s Carling Cup demise then but there was a determination and concentration to their first-half display that thwarted Marseille on their rare forays. Alex did make one mistake but responded well to recover.
Perhaps feeding on their fans’ adrenalin, Marseille emerged for the second half in far brighter mood and Gabby Heinze even attempted an overhead kick, although the ball dropped far too close to Petr Cech to trouble the keeper.
Now it was Chelsea’s turn to man the barricades. When Kakuta dawdled, Heinze seized the ball and Alex had to repel the danger. Brandao then unleashed a left-footed drive that Cech clutched out of the air.
Happy to sit deep, Chelsea were content to hit on the break. They almost made it 3-0 when Alex’s stunning long-range free-kick almost snapped a Marseille post. Chelsea struck woodwork again with 15 minutes remaining, Essien meeting Cole’s cross, beating Mandanda but not the upright.
Life was draining from Marseille and Chelsea were home and dry. Cech even dribbled the ball around Loic Remy. This was a painful return to the Bridge for Didier Deschamps, who spent a season here. Another French manager, Arsene Wenger, visits with Arsenal on Sunday. Chelsea have re-found their mojo just in time.


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Sun:

Chelsea 2 Marseille 0
From MARK IRWIN

IT has taken John Terry a long time to get his own back on Didier Deschamps.
But the Chelsea captain's patience finally paid off last night as normal service was restored at Stamford Bridge.
Terry was the only survivor of the class of 2004 who were infamously dumped out of the Champions League semi-final by Deschamps' Monaco. It was a bitter defeat which cost poor old Claudio Ranieri his job and ushered in the dawn of the Mourinho era.
And JT has never forgotten the night Ranieri committed career suicide after being totally outwitted by former Chelsea midfielder Deschamps.
Fortunately for Terry's current European ambitions, there was absolutely no danger of Carlo Ancelotti turning Tinkerman as Deschamps returned to the Bridge with Marseille.
The French champions came to London threatening to do a Manchester City and get up close and personal with the Premier League leaders.
But the closest they got was when Deschamps greeted Ancelotti with a kiss on both cheeks. Very Continental.
There certainly was not a defender in sight when Terry stuck out his left boot to turn Gael Kakuta's seventh-minute corner in at the near post. It was the perfect start for a team reeling from successive defeats by Newcastle and City.
And it was to get even better 21 minutes later when Stephane Mbia batted down Michael Essien's cross into the box with both arms.
Nicolas Anelka might have missed his last Champions League penalty in Moscow in 2008 but he clearly has not been scarred by that experience as he stepped forward to roll in the most casual of spot-kicks.
If you thought he was laid-back with his penalty against Newcastle in the Carling Cup last week, he was practically horizontal this time.
In the absence of the suspended Didier Drogba and the injured Frank Lampard, Anelka's willingness to step up to the plate was just what Chelsea needed.
But it was Florent Malouda who was to prove the real thorn in Marseille's side.
The visitors had no idea how to stop him other than use brute force.
It was Malouda's blistering shot which forced the corner for Terry's early opener.
He probably should have had a penalty when he was checked by Andre-Pierre Gignac after Souleymane Diawara had stopped for a phantom whistle from the crowd. But Malouda's finest moment came when he brushed off three muscular challenges before delivering a ferocious shot which flew just inches over.
Marseille, who lost their opening Group F game to Spartak Moscow, huffed and puffed.
Although they enjoyed their fair share of possession, they were restricted to a series of long-range efforts which were never going to seriously trouble Petr Cech. The best shot from distance, though, came midway through the second half when Chelsea centre-half Alex almost broke an upright with an astonishing 35-yard free-kick.
Anelka had the ball in the net again but the Chelsea striker had strayed offside before pouncing on a loose ball.
Essien also hit a post as Marseille started to wilt in the closing 15 minutes and Chelsea threatened to cut loose.
Another Essien piledriver from the edge of the area flew just wide as the French accepted their fate and settled for damage limitation.
But Ancelotti was more than happy to settle for just the two goals as his team strengthened their vice-like grip on the group.
It was an effective rather than expansive victory but one which leaves them with one foot in the last 16 already.
Having reached five Champions League semi-finals and one final in the last eight seasons, no one at Chelsea is going to get too excited at this early stage of the competition.
There will certainly be much sterner challenges ahead before they can live up to Roman Abramovich's expectations of ruling Europe.
But at least they can take comfort from the knowledge that Deschamps is unlikely to impede their progress this time.


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