This coming Wednesday, Chelsea
returns to the Champions League with a match meeting with Swiss champions Basel
after their abrupt, though not undeserved exit at the midway point last season.
An intriguing trip to Roberto Martinez’s readjusting Everton must be negotiated
first this Saturday. Once out of the way, the prospect of life in Europe’s
premier club competition can excitedly be anticipated once again. The story of
Chelsea over the last decade has been entwined with the Champions League.
2003-04—the first season of Roman Abramovich’s ownership—saw then manager
Claudio Ranieri lead his expensively assembled team to the semifinal stage.
Wayne Bridge’s late winner at Highbury saw them past Arsenal in the
quarterfinals. After that high, the subsequent defeat to Monaco played its part
in convincing Abramovich a change of management was needed. That was not to be
Chelsea’s last near-miss in the competition, more semifinal heartache and a
final loss to Manchester United in 2008 would follow. Their eventual success in
2012 was, altogether, a thoroughly modern phenomenon. Like with Liverpool in
2005, their run in the tournament was not replicated by strong form in their
league play (they would finish outside of the top four). What saw Chelsea
through was their spirit and experience. Though not the “best” team, they most
certainly earned their prize.
It came at a point in the team’s
life-cycle where it was a crowning glory for the players who had won the club
so many domestic honors—the likes of Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard. But it
was also a valuable recruiting tool in helping take the club into a brand new
era. (Whether the in-demand pair of Eden Hazard and Oscar would have still made
their way to Stamford Bridge is not entirely clear—though Abramovich’s millions
may have proved tempting). Last season’s group stage exit was tempered by the
subsequent march to Europa League glory. However it left Chelsea in a state of
flux in regards to their association with the Champions League. Their first
group round exit during Abramovich's years of ownership left them in the
unfamiliar position of being on the outside looking in. The reappointment of
Jose Mourinho harks back to his initial hiring following Ranieri’s departure. A
decision made in part to boost Chelsea’s chances battling Europe’s elite
(interim boss Rafael Benitez fared rather well here himself last season).
Mourinho’s tumultuous relationship with the competition was arguably at its
most raw during his previous stay in West London. As challenging as his
experiences were with Real Madrid, he had proved himself more than a one-hit
wonder by then—adding to his win with Porto in 2004 with Internazionale in
2010—something he had been unable to do in three otherwise successful seasons
with Chelsea. His intention will be to re-establish the Blues as a consistent
contender well into the knockout rounds. Their Group E opponents should not
cause them too much trouble (at least compared to last year’s difficulties with
Juventus and Shakhtar Donetsk). Last season’s Europa League run and last
month’s strong showing in the European Super Cup bodes well for Chelsea’s
chances this time around. Between their old guard and the clutch of exciting,
young attacking talents in their squad, they have the necessary players to
compete. Yet even since Mourinho took Real Madrid to the Champions League
semifinals last season, the landscape of European football has changed
dramatically. Real, Bayern Munich and Manchester United are among the heavyweights
with new managers. Others like Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal and Napoli have
retooled their playing staffs too (coincidentally, the latter trio share a
group). Finding out Chelsea's place among these disparate teams will be a
little while in the offing yet. Over the next few months we will begin to see
if Mourinho and his team will be reacquainting with the Champions League as
friends or foe
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