Chelsea have appealed against the punishments handed out by UEFA following the club’s Champions League semi-final defeat to Barcelona, the governing body confirmed today.

Chelsea have told UEFA they intend to lodge an appeal against the lengthy European bans handed out to striker Didier Drogba and defender Jose Bosingwa.

Chelsea are ready to lodge an appeal with UEFA today in a bid to reduce the lengthy European bans handed out to striker Didier Drogba and defender Jose Bosingwa.

CHELSEA were last night considering their response to UEFA’s decision to hand lengthy European bans to Didier Drogba and Jose Bosingwa and fine the club £85,000 (€100,000) following their controversial Champions League exit to Barcelona.

Didier Drogba has offered to apologise once again for his foul-mouthed behaviour after Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final exit to Barcelona.

Chelsea’s interim coach Guus Hiddink has turned his back on TV work at the Champions League final next week and claimed UEFA are “happy” their European showpiece is not another all-English affair.

CHELSEA’S interim coach Guus Hiddink believes UEFA are “happy” this season’s Champions League final is not another all-English contest.

Guus Hiddink made himself “unapproachable” at Chelsea for two days because he was so angry at the “injustice” of their Champions League exit to Barcelona.

MONAGHAN’s Pat McEnaney, by general acclaim the best football referee in the country, was the man in the middle for the stormy Meath/Mayo All-Ireland football final replay, recalling it as a game in which he definitely made mistakes but ‘couldn’t say’ his overall performance was poor.

ASHLEY COLE insists Chelsea’s 4-1 drubbing of Arsenal proved once again they have the character to bounce back from footballing adversity.

THIS morning I really wanted to reflect on Champions League semi finals that offered up great games and great individual performances.

GUUS HIDDINK has hinted he will drop Didier Drogba for Chelsea’s meeting with Arsenal tomorrow, although the Dutch manager believes the striker should not face club sanctions for his foul-mouthed televised outburst after Wednesday’s acrimonious Champions League exit to Barcelona.

THE end is in sight for Guus Hiddink and Chelsea, but there is no sense that the Dutchman has already emotionally checked out of Stamford Bridge.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter believes referees in charge of major matches should come from fully professional leagues in the wake of Chelsea’s controversial UEFA Champions League defeat against Barcelona on Wednesday evening.

UEFA have confirmed they will make a decision on possible action against Chelsea players for their actions both during and after their Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona “in the course of next week”.

Chelsea will learn today the extent of the disciplinary charges they will face as a result of the fall-out of their Champions League clash with Barcelona.

BARCELONA winger Lionel Messi yesterday said the Catalan giants never gave up hope of reaching the Champions League final even though Chelsea looked to have ruined their dreams at Stamford Bridge.

THE head of Norway’s refereeing union, Rune Pedersen, is confident Tom Henning Ovrebo, the referee blamed for Chelsea’s Champions League exit, will ride out the storm of criticism and not cave in to demands that he quit his job.

GRAHAM POLL has insisted the Chelsea conspiracy theory over their controversial Champions League exit “just couldn’t happen”.

Chelsea full-back Jose Bosingwa says he now regrets calling referee Tom Henning Ovrebo “a thief” and has retracted his comments.

Graham Poll has insisted the Chelsea conspiracy theory regarding their controversial Champions League exit “just couldn’t happen”.

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique is relishing the prospect of a Champions League final against his former club after playing his part in dramatically knocking out Chelsea last night.

Chelsea captain John Terry has launched a scathing attack on Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo by claiming he was not good enough to take charge of their Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.

Guus Hiddink will support Didier Drogba if UEFA decide to punish the Ivorian striker over his post-match confrontation with referee Tom Henning Ovrebo and a foul-mouthed TV rant following yesterday’s Champions League semi-final exit.

IT WAS billed as beauty against the beast and although Barcelona’s beautiful football was rewarded in the end it will be remembered as much for the ugly side of Didier Drogba.

Chelsea 1 Barcelona 1 (Barcelona win on away goals)

Lyon captain Juninho will escape punishment by UEFA for his blatant dive in last Tuesday’s Champions League defeat by Rangers because it did not materially affect the result.