A Bridge Too Far for Ancelotti as Mourinho Returns To Haunt Chelsea

The curse of the UEFA Champions League continued at Stamford Bridge last night as Chelsea were sent crashing out of Europe's most prestigious competition by a Samuel Eto'o strike in the 79th minute.  Inter Milan head into the quarter finals following a 3-1 aggregate win and no doubt leave Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich scratching his head and wondering what he has to do to land the trophy he covets so much.

Unsurprisingly, the build-up to the game was dominated by the return of Chelsea's most successful ever manager and Jose Mourinho was once again the centre of media attention.  Hated by some, loved by others, there is no denying the box office appeal of the self-appointed "Special One." 

A master of the mind game, the cynical onlooker might have misconstrued his motives as he individually greeted the Chelsea players as they emerged from the tunnel just before kick off.  Whether or not his smiling face, outstretched hand or jovial pat on the back served to unsettle the Chelsea team or dent their focus I doubt we'll ever know.

Mourinho's entrance was relatively low-key and as he took his seat in the Away dug out for the first time his Inter side began brightly.  If Carlo Ancelotti was under the impression that Mourinho had come to park the bus in front of the Milan goal and protect the 2-1 lead earned at the San Siro, a quick look at the team sheet should have convinced him otherwise. 

This was a strong, attacking Inter side, one looking for the away goal that would make Chelsea's chance of overcoming the deficit all the more difficult.  Starting with Eto'o, Milito, and Pandev upfront Inter were clearly looking to kill the game.

Both sides had their chances during the opening 45 minutes, Michael Ballack dragging a shot just wide and Samuel Eto'o, with arguably the easiest chance of the half, failing to head the ball home after John Terry had misjudged a Maicon cross.  Chelsea fans must, however, have been getting a distinct feeling of Champions League déjà vu when German referee Wolfgang Stark, twice turned down what looked to be stone-wall penalties.

Branislav Ivanovic was clearly held back by Motta before being bundled to the floor and shortly after Drogba was on the end of what can only be described as a rugby tackle from Walter Samuel.  It was starting to bear some striking similarities to the Chelsea defeat to Barcelona last year and Stark was doing his best to outdo the hapless Tom Ovrebo in the incompetent referee stakes. 

Typically, just as Chelsea were getting a grip on the game, Malouda and Anelka only denied by some fine Inter defending, Stark signalled the end to the half.  Things were starting to look ominous for the Blues.

Inter dominated the second half with the irrepressible Wesley Sneijder pulling the strings in midfield.  Chelsea on the other hand looked flat, the drive that had been evident at the end of the first half a distant memory and desperately missing the power of the injured Michael Essien.

Lampard looked a shadow of the player that normally dominates the middle of the park and Michael Ballack, on this performance, is surely now coming to the end of his Chelsea career.

His replacement, Joe Cole, was unable to provide the much needed spark and when John Terry played Samuel Eto'o onside, following a wonderful pass from Sneijder, he could only watch as the former Barcelona hitman kept his cool and smashed the ball past Ross Turnbull leaving Chelsea an enormous mountain to climb.

The lively Salomon Kalou had only been on the pitch a few minutes when Stark, suddenly found his glasses and spotted Didier Drogba appearing to stamp on the leg of Motta following another scuffle in the box.

It could quite easily have been another penalty to Chelsea prior to this but with their luck in the Champions League there was only going to be one outcome.  A straight red card for Drogba.  This time fortunately we were spared the four letter outburst that followed the semi final defeat last year and Drogba departed the field in disbelief. 

Another year and another cruel European defeat for Chelsea ending, as it so often has, in controversy.  Carlo Ancelotti can have no complaints however.  Inter were the better side over the two legs and deserve their place in the in the quarter finals.  Whether Ancelotti will be around next season to try again remains to be seen. 

For Abramovich, the Champions League has become the holy grail, and even those who have come within the width of a post of delivering this most coveted prize have felt the price of failure.  If Chelsea slip up in the Premiership and lose to Aston Villa in the F.A. Cup then Ancelotti will surely be packing his bags.