Blues keep home flag flying
Chelsea’s comfortable victory against a hugely disappointing Galatasaray thanks to goals from Samuel Eto’o and Gary Cahill not only preserves their own European hopes, along with Mourinho’s dream of becoming the first manager to win the Champions League with three different clubs, but it also helps protect the precious coefficient which guarantees English football three teams in the group stages and another in the qualifying round each season.
So maybe Arsenal, who visit Stamford Bridge on Saturday, Liverpool, Man City, Tottenham and United should be cheering this victory as loudly as Chelsea fans did in the Matthew Harding Stand.
It is, of course, not the first time the London side has carried Premier League hopes alone; because their famous victory in Munich in 2012 went a long way to preserving the heady reputation of English football which has been so threatened by the under-achievement of other clubs in recent years.
This was a day to remember Munich, too, thanks to the return of Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, the man who ended his illustrious Blues career by scoring the winning penalty against Bayern that handed Roman Abramovich the trophy he had coveted for so long.
The Ivorian was given a rousing reception by Chelsea supporters as he was presented with a silver boot before kick-off in recognition of his services at Stamford Bridge; but this was a rare day when Drogba was unable to set up the kind of fairytale that had been his trademark during so many years in west London.
Comfortably kept at bay by the excellent John Terry he dropped deeper and wider in a bid to make an impact and in truth spent most of the match as nothing more than a glamorous bystander.
The most crucial moment of the game arrived after only four minutes when Chelsea’s nerves were settled instantly, and Gala’s left on edge, following a clever turn by Eden Hazard. The Belgian threaded a ball out to Oscar, who passed sweetly inside for Eto’o to finish across the keeper, although Fernando Muslera really should have kept it out as it bobbled underneath his left hand.
From that moment on there never seemed any real doubt that Chelsea would control the tie.
Captain Terry volleying narrowly over the bar from a clever Frank Lampard free-kick before inevitably playing a major part in Chelsea’s second goal shortly before half-time.
The centre-half did well to lose his marker from a 42nd minute corner and when his firm header was saved, Cahill pounced to drill home the rebound and leave Chelsea with one foot already in the last eight.
The second half was equally straightforward for the home side with Petr Cech rarely called into action and Galatasaray, whose miserable away form this season has seen them win only four times in 20 matches on the road, looking more likely to concede than to score.
Hazard, by some margin Chelsea’s most creative influence, and substitute Fernando Torres were both denied by a good saves from Muslera in the final five minutes; but this was a performance that not only sent Chelsea into the quarter-finals in Europe but one that could also reinvigorate their title challenge following a shock defeat at Aston Villa last weekend.
Mourinho learned before kick-off that he is unlikely to face action from the FA for his comments about referee Chris Foy at Villa Park; and his mood going into Saturday’s derby against Arsenal is significantly improved.
He said: “We are there (in the last eight) — but it’s different from last season because last season was the Europa League at a different level.
“To come from the Europa League to the quarter-finals of the Champions League is important for the club, important for the players.
“We are a Champions League club and now we are among the best eight, the best clubs in the world, and we are there.
“The players deserve to be there.”
No wonder, then, that he was able to smile and applaud as Drogba acknowledged the cheers of the Chelsea crowd at the final whistle; because this was a job very well done indeed.
And if, as looks likely, Chelsea are to bear the heavy burden of being the Premier League’s only representative in Friday’s Champions League quarter-final draw, they look very well equipped indeed to deal with it.
CHELSEA: Cech 6, Ivanovic 7, Cahill 7, Terry 8, Azpilicueta 7, Ramires 7, Lampard 7, Oscar 7 (Schurrle 82), Hazard 8, Willian 7 (Kalas 90), Eto’o 7 (Torres 86).
GALATASARAY: Muslera 6, Alex 6, Chedjou 7, Kaya 6, Eboue 6 (Harjrovic 77; 5), Felipe Melo 7, Inan 6, Sneijder 7, Kurtulus 6 (Balta 67; 5), Drogba 6, Burak Yilmaz 6 (Bulut 54; 5).
Referee: Felix Brych (Germany).
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