Chelsea 0 Inter Milan 1: match report

By Henry Winter at Stamford Bridge 635AM GMT seventeen March 2010

Heartbroken Chelsea striker Didier Drogba reacts with abhorrence after Samuel Eto"o scores for Inter Milan. Drogba was after sent off Photo REUTERS

Still the Special One. Still the aristocrat of Stamford Bridge. Still the tactical grand master. Jose Mourinho last night sent his old group crashing out of the Champions League, the foe that his old ring partner, Carlo Ancelotti, was recruited to win. Still the Bridge reverberated to cries of "Mourinho - this time in Italian accents.

So the inapplicable designation Roman Abramovich done in descending out with Mourinho in 2007 came behind to show up him. The Portuguese had hinted previously that he would not applaud any Inter idea out of apply oneself for his former employers but he couldnt conflict it. When Samuel Etoo struck after 78 mins of this tense, nervous, constrained tie, Mourinho available himself a short lope of joy, his fists clenched, his lips combining a smile.

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Mourinho knew that Inter were higher in all departments their counterclaim was a mobile-resistance unit, their two-man executive midfield a winning brew of flitting and rebellious whilst their four-strong conflict never gave Chelseas back-line a moments peace.

This harm Chelsea. The see of rumble on John Terrys face as he left the Bridge pronounced it all. They knew they were well-beaten. Any beating at Wolfgang Starks disaster to mark transparent chastisement offences on Branislav Ivanovic and Didier Drogba had prolonged dissipated. They knew they were outclassed - and out-thought.

If Mourinhos players were improved than Ancelottis, Chelseas old earthy education instructor comprehensively outwitted the stream one. Mourinho sprang a surprise, promulgation out his strong, jaunty Inter side in 4-2-3-1 formation. His intentions were transparent going for the jugular, going for the torpedo idea with Etoo, the stately Wesley Sneijder and the left-sided Goran Pandev ancillary the front-running Diego Milito. Alarmingly, Ancelotti had no answer.

In contrariety to Mourinho, Ancelotti seemed incompetent to speak up the claim coercion in his team. His disaster to move present European happiness for Abramovich will fundamentally see a small barbs directed in his direction. Yet the Italian needs time. What Chelsea need is a player similar to Sneijder, a beautiful ventilation with defence-destroying flitting capabilities.

Florent Malouda has filled that purpose this deteriorate but is some-more a dribbler than a passer; Sneijder catches hostile defences out with his prophesy and celerity of pass over range. Ancelotti should have since thought to man-marking the fugitive Dutchman with Juliano Belletti.

The sour law for Chelsea is that as well most of their vaunted performers unsuccessful to deliver. Once again, Drogbas European deteriorate finished in beating and disgrace. He frequency transient the leg irons of the superb Lucio. He challenged Thiago Motta over-vigorously late on and was dismissed. Motta milked the impulse but small magnetism could be found for Drogba, a sequence delinquent in Europe.

Nicolas Anelka and quite Michael Ballack were mostly anonymous. Joe Cole was as well lightweight when he came on. At full-back, Ivanovic and Yuri Zhirkov were as undynamic as Maicon and Zanetti were buccaneering in receive and doggedly unaffected in defence.

How Chelsea longed for Ashley Coles appetite down the left, that at slightest would have kept the pretentious Maicon from meditative he was the complicated Brazils answer to Jairzinho. Michael Essiens impetus would have brought a improved tempo. If one Chelsea player extended his repute it was Ross Turnbull, the immature screw who had no possibility with the Etoo idea but skilfully denied the Cameroonian a second after on.

In a moving compare congested with constrained duels, Inter proposed at tip speed, looking to exam Turnbull. Home nerves jangled similar to warning bells. Chelsea, wanting to score, knew they were in a genuine scrap, both earthy and tactical. With the stakes so high, tempers rose high as well. Lucios feet was positively high on Malouda. Etoo afterwards pushed Ballack. Etoo was enraging Chelsea fans, partly with his indignant mosquito sense and partly with his play-acting. Such was the acrobatics Cameroonians zeal to check the Stamford Bridge grass closely that an call in to the Chelsea Flower Show certainly awaits.

Etoo was in the future requisitioned for gainsay and could have walked when, fluttering an hypothetical card, he attempted to get Alex cautioned. Inters apparatus of the dim humanities and sciences was prevalent at times, quite at fortifying corners. Motta hauled down Ivanovic. Then Walter Samuel wrestled Drogba over. So obvious, so outrageous, so ignored. It contingency have all been treacherous for Malouda as he ran in to broach his corners; informed faces kept disintegrating in the box.

Mourinho was vital each impulse with his team, peaceful them to have each tackle, each header, each clearance. Some of Starks decisions set the Special One off on the highway to meltdown, Inters manager remonstrating with the fourth central when Chelsea were ludicrously awarded a dilemma after the round had come off Drogba. Mourinho, tenderly greeted by the Bridge at first, warranted a short flurry of catcalls when comically refusing to give the round to Zhirkov, who was looking to take a discerning throw-in. Russians and Mourinho, Part 245.

Still Chelsea built. Still Inter blocked. Malouda teased the round by but was brilliantly loser by Samuel, the stubborn centre-half aptly nicknamed The Wall. When Drogba chipped a undiluted pass on to the chest of Anelka, Samuel and Julio Cesar total to impact close any window of opportunity. When Malouda did emanate a glance of goal, Julio Cesar dived to his right and saved.

Brimming with comprehension and flourishing counter-attacking class, Inter should have wrapped the tie up mid by the second half. Zhirkov discovered Chelsea as Pandev was about to shoot. Then Sneijder seized on bad carry out by Terry to thinly slice the round over Chelseas husky defence. Milito ran by but placed his shot wide.

Inter had the edge, Chelsea the edginess. Sensing the hosts apprehension, Mourinhos men pennyless time and again on the counter. Some of their flitting was immaculate, one pass from Esteban Cambiasso to Maicon was exquisite. Chelsea were knocked out by a shining counter-punch. When Sneijder carried a pass towards Etoo, his reply was majestic, the round drilled right-footed past Turnbull.

Sadly, shamefully, the diversion finished in even larger chagrin for Chelsea. Drogba tangled with Motta, who went down as if strike by a juggernaut, and was sent off, echoing his annoying exit last season. Suddenly it was England contra Argentina as Terry and Zanetti exchanged unpleasantries.

Suddenly, tempers flared all over the place. Dejan Stankovic could have followed Drogba for a heartless plea on Alex. Forgetting new history, a small Chelsea supporters around the cave referred to just where they felt Mourinho should go. He headed for the tunnel, receiving a famous, informed scalp with him.