Luiz lifts Blues as Torres fails to find spark

DAVID LUIZ, the forgotten man of Chelsea’s January transfer spree, ensured it wasn’t all about Fernando Torres as Chelsea scraped past Bayer Leverkusen in their opening fixture of the Champions League; but the Spaniard did at least set up both goals to provide a glimmer of hope that his own luck is about to change.

Luiz, signed for €25m in the same week that Torres arrived for more than twice as much, has been injured since July but underlined his return with a 67th minute goal at Stamford Bridge that gave his team a rather nervous but welcome victory – sealed in the very last minute by Juan Mata.

With a crucial trip to Old Trafford next on the agenda on Sunday in the Premier League, however, the questions over Chelsea’s attack remain top of the agenda.

Torres, who has scored just one goal since arriving as a record signing from Liverpool, was handed a chance to start alongside Daniel Sturridge and Juan Mata having been dropped at Sunderland last weekend – and once again his performance was patchy.

The Spaniard provided a neat lay-off to help Luiz open the scoring and then squared the ball to Mata in injury time having – for once – been spared the ignominy of being substituted.

But the prospect of Didier Drogba returning from injury to join the squad on Sunday gives manager Andre Villas-Boas further food for thought and he will certainly need to add attacking impetus to a team that lacked inspiration against a German team who will feel unlucky to come away from London empty-handed.

As usual Torres was sharp in the early stages of this game, showing glimpses of the pace and trickery that made him such a terrace hero at Anfield; but, as usual, there was a visible difference in the Spanish striker’s body language within 20 minutes as confidence drained and the same old problems returned.

One long-distance effort in the 33rd minute was more of a threat to the corner flag than the Leverkusen goal while a stumbling effort to convert an excellent Mata pass ended in a block by the visiting goalkeeper.

In contrast, his rival Sturridge was sharpness personified. His long-range effort just before half-time fizzed narrowly past the post and every time he picked up the ball the Stamford Bridge crowd awoke from their slumbers.

Leverkusken proved tough opponents, however, and having had a goal controversially ruled offside in the opening minutes continued to create problems for their hosts for the rest of the night.

They had the first real chance of the second half too, with Michael Ballack – returning to his former club – racing into the Chelsea area only to be denied by a brave save from Petr Cech

Chelsea’s response was an effort from Strurridge that keeper Rene Adler pushed onto a post and then a double substation as Villas-Boas brought on Nicolas Anelka – for Sturridge not Torres – and Frank Lampard, who had been controversially left on the bench to keep him fresh for United on Sunday.

In fairness to Villas-Boas the decision reaped dividends because within two minutes Luiz raced onto a Torres lay-off and side-footed an exquisite opener that calmed the nerves both on and off the pitch at Stamford Bridge.

By the final whistle Torres had warmed to his task too – rounding his marker on the right to cross for Mata to complete victory; and almost to a man Chelsea players headed for Torres to celebrate, acclaiming his contribution. They clearly felt he had made a point. But was it enough? By Sunday at 4pm we should know for certain.

Villas-Boas afterwards denied his decision to leave captain John Terry out of the squad and name Frank Lampard as a substitute was a gamble.

“I don’t see things like that, ” he said. “I think you are trying to look at the negative when there are so many positives. We have a very competitive squad.”

Villas-Boas claimed that Chelsea deserved the victory.

He said: “We created so many opportunities to win the game by more. It was a game for us to win.

“It is a shame it took the time for the second to arrive.

“There was tremendous work-rate, tremendous possession and a tremendous amount of shots and good attacking fluency.

“I am very happy and pleased with the result.”

CHELSEA: Cech 7, Bosingwa 7, Ivanovic 6, Luiz 7 (Alex 75; 6), Cole 7, Mikel 5, Sturridge 7 (Anelka 65; 6), Malouda 6, Meireles 6 (Lampard 65; 6), Mata 7, Torres 6.

BAYER LEVERKUSEN: Leno 8, Castro 7, Reinartz 6, Toprak 6, Kadlec 6, Rolfes 7, Bender 7 (Balitsch 79; 6), Ballack 7 (Augusto 66; 6), Sam 6 (Derdiyok 73; 6), Kiessling 6, Schurrle 7.

Referee: Stephane Lannoy (France)

Attendance: 33,820.