Chelsea's renaissance under Roberto Di Matteo faces the ultimate test on Wednesday, a trip to fortress Eastlands to face a Manchester City side who must win to stay on the coat tails of leaders Manchester United.
The Chelsea old guard showed they are not ready to be consigned to the scrapheap after a thrilling win over Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Andre Villas-Boas could emulate Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal by remaining Chelsea's manager for 10 or 15 years, club chairman Bruce Buck said on Thursday.
Chelsea fans, fed up and disillusioned with a series of bewildering decisions by the sacked Andre Villas-Boas, cannot wait to find out the team his successor Roberto Di Matteo picks for his first game in charge.
"I have to be honest with myself so I have to appeal," he told a news conference on Friday, a day after calling the punishment "an absolute disgrace".
Didier Drogba became Chelsea's fourth highest all-time scorer when he bagged the second goal in their 3-0 victory over Bolton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday.
Frank Lampard said his relationship with Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has "not been ideal" during the young Portuguese coach's first season in charge at Stamford Bridge.
Trailing 1-0 from the semi-final first leg, Chelsea turned the tie on its head with goals by N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard in the first half but Fernando Llorente struck for Spurs in an enthralling Stamford Bridge duel.
Chelsea will look to stretch one of the longest unbeaten sequences in the top flight when the runaway leaders entertain arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
Manchester United fought back from three goals down to draw 3-3 with Chelsea in a thrilling Premier League match at Stamford Bridge Sunday.
Rediff.com gives you a glimpse of the best sporting action from the week gone by.
Chelsea came from behind to beat Manchester United 2-1 thanks to Frank Lampard's 79th-minute penalty at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday and put the brakes on the visitors' charge towards the Premier League title.
Chelsea blew the title race wide open when they came from behind to beat Premier league leaders Manchester United 2-1 thanks to Frank Lampard's controversial 79th-minute penalty at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.
Tottenham Hotspur gained a slender advantage in their League Cup semi-final against London rivals Chelsea as Harry Kane's penalty earned them a gritty 1-0 first-leg win.
Didier Drogba cemented his name in Chelsea folklore with his 150th goal for the club on Saturday but it was not enough to prevent a 3-1 home defeat by Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, restricted to a brief substitute appearance in the 1-1 home draw with neighbours Fulham in the Premier League on December 26, is looking to chalk up his 150th goal for the London club on Saturday.
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, restricted to a brief substitute appearance in the 1-1 home draw with neighbours Fulham in the Premier League on December 26, is looking to chalk up his 150th goal for the London club on Saturday.
Liverpool ruined Fernando Torres's much-heralded Chelsea debut on Sunday when they won 1-0 at Stamford Bridge to spoil the champions' hopes of taking advantage of Manchester United's first defeat of the season.
Chelsea's faltering title challenge suffered another blow when they were held to a 1-1 draw by neighbours Fulham in Monday's early kickoff at Stamford Bridge to register their third successive draw in the Premier League.
John Terry made an emotional address to his devoted Chelsea fans on the Stamford Bridge pitch on Sunday, telling them that he still wanted to stay at the club.
Chelsea striker Diego Costa has avoided disciplinary action after appearing to kick out at Liverpool's Martin Skrtel in Saturday's 3-1 defeat, according to English Football Association sources.
Tottenham Hotspur's hopes of a first victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in 26 years disappeared as a 2-2 draw left Leicester City celebrating the Premier League title on Monday.
Liverpool will play Chelsea at Stamford Bridge twice in just over a week after the two Premier League teams were drawn to face each other in the quarter-finals of the English League Cup on Saturday.
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti still has no idea whether he should be calling a removal van after the club stayed silent amid fervent speculation over his future.
Chelsea clinched their first Premier League title for five years with a 1-0 victory against Crystal Palace at a jubilant Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
Fortress Old Trafford, Chelsea's flat form and a welter of statistics point to Manchester United advancing to the semi-finals of the Champions League Tuesday -- yet one goal changes the whole tie.
After Tuesday's 11-goal fireworks the matches are likely to be tighter in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first legs as Chelsea entertain Manchester United and Barcelona host Shakhtar Donetsk.
Chelsea's Didier Drogba proved Arsenal's nemesis again as he inspired the champions to a 2-0 win over their London rivals and Blackpool pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory at Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson was given a five-match touchline ban by the Football Association on Wednesday for comments he made about referee Martin Atkinson after his side's defeat at Chelsea this month.
Czech Republic goalkeeper Petr Cech ended a highly successful 11-year spell at English champions Chelsea when he moved to Premier League rivals Arsenal on Monday.
Liverpool's 30-year English title drought ended on Thursday as they were confirmed as English Premier League champions courtesy of second-placed Manchester City's 2-1 loss at Chelsea. A superb solo goal by Christian Pulisic and a Willian penalty gave Chelsea a 2-1 win over Manchester City at Stamford Bridge, a result that handed Liverpool the Premier League title.
Chelsea long-serving captain John Terry has been ruled out for around 10 days with strained ligaments in his foot and will miss Friday's Premier League clash with Liverpool, the London club said on Tuesday.
Chelsea is now reportedly planning to make a 50 million pound summer swoop for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.
Champions Chelsea demolished West Bromwich Albion 6-0 on Saturday, shrugging off poor pre-season form to launch their Premier League campaign in style.
Midfielder Frank Lampard could miss champions Chelsea's Premier League opener at home to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
Brilliant Zlatan Ibrahimovic leaves Chelsea feeling blue.
Fernando Torres gets the chance to break Liverpool fans' hearts twice in a week with the Spain striker poised to make his Chelsea debut against his former club in the English Premier League on Sunday.
Lionel Messi was so distraught at Barcelona missing out on reaching the 2012 Champions League final that he was reduced to tears
IMAGES from the English Premier League matches played on Wednesday.
Chelsea missed the chance to effectively seal the Premier League runners-up spot after a late Steven Taylor header secured Newcastle United a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
