Chelsea chasing European ray of light

It is apt that the venue where Chelsea will attempt to stave off the darkness that is threatening to envelope both their present and future is called The Stadium of Light.

For the old guard, the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba and Michael Essien, this could be either one last hurrah or the moment where they realise their time has come.

This is a Champions League quarter-final tie with a difference, as Chelsea struggle to deal with the perspective it brings. That they can beat a dangerous Benfica team, packed full of exciting South American talent, is not in question. Yet whether they can win the tournament is much less clear, particularly as that appears to be their best chance of qualifying for next season’s competition.