Chelsea 0-1 Inter Milan: The Daily Mirror match report

Beaten - and beaten badly, mastered and monstered, humbled on home turf.

Another season, another manager, another Champions League failure.

And as the Inter fans taunted the Chelsea manager with chants of “Bye-bye Carletto”, maybe it’s time for Roman Abramovich to abandon his quest for the “Holy Grail“ and let his side get on with doing it at home first.

Last night Jose Mourinho showed he can do low key, allowing his tactics to speak for themselves as his players outclassed the Blues in every department.

But with Didier Drogba once again marking a Chelsea exit with red card shame, as John Terry and his colleagues complained loud and long about the two stone-wall penalties denied the Blues at the height of their first half storm, there could be no arguing about this one.

Carlo Ancelotti knew it, the Chelsea fans who have not tasted European defeat since February 2006 knew it too.

it was somehow fitting that the man who sent Mourinho tumbling to the only outright defeat he suffered in 92 games as Chelsea manager was the one who secured him surely the most satisfying victory that even the Special One has enjoyed.

Samuel Eto’o’s goal for Barcelona four years ago was an isolated blip in Chelsea’s proud six year home European record.

But when Wesley Sneijder sent the Cameroon ace in behind Branislav Ivanovic with 12 minutes left of an evening that exposed Chelsea as a team getting old quickly, it was his poke past Ross Turnbull that ensured Chelsea will not be in the last eight for only the second time in the Abramovich era.

To be honest, too, it was a goal that was well overdue.

It had only been in that brief spell before the break, as the Stamford Bridge fans screamed at German referee Wolfgang Stark to spot the skullduggery going on in front of Julio Cesar’s goal, that Chelsea even looked as if they might create the pivotal strike.

First Alex was hauled back by the collar by Thiago Motta, before Walter Samuel’s bear-hug on Drogba was also missed by the officials.

But where Chelsea went out last term with legitimate anger towards Norwegian Tom Henning Ovrebo, this time they must recognise the truth.

All the individual battles, all over the park, were won by Inter.

Drogba never got any change out of Lucio, Nicolas Anelka made no impact, Frank Lampard’s runs were stymied by the outstanding Esteban Cambiasso, Michael Ballack didn’t show at all.

And although Florent Malouda kept trying, even his efforts were overshadowed by the rampaging bursts beyond him by Maicon, nobody could get near Sneijder, and Eto’o and Diego Milito always looked likely to provide the moment of inspiration.

That was the measure of how comprehensively Ancelotti was out-thought by Mourinho.

Famously, of course, it was Mourinho’s conservative pragmatism that caused the breach with Abramovich and eventually saw the club’s most successful manager shown the exit door.

Yet here, back on the most familiar of territories for the first time, Mourinho showed he can do adventure, playing three up and Sneijder in behind, spooking Chelsea from the outset.

Eto’o, unmarked in behind Terry and only six yards out from one of the many Maicon crosses, should have put Inter in front before the break, an escape that was the cue for Chelsea’s best period.

But with Motta and Samuel escaping, Anelka unable to squeeze a shot past Julio Cruz and Malouda’s thrilling footwork thwarted when Samuel appeared from nowhere, Inter kept on terms.

And once they emerged for the restart, all that momentum was lost, the chances mounting at the other end as Sneijder profited from the determined resilience at the other end.

Eto’o, released by a sublime crossfield ball by the Dutchman, was halted by Yuri Zhirkov, who then robbed Milito after the Argentine darted through the middle.

Milito then wasted another opportunity, dragging wide from Sneijder’s clever pass but even with Joe Cole replacing the utterly dismal Ballack, it was all Inter.

Eto’os finish, with the outside of his right-foot as the blameless Turnbull tried to close the angle, ended the tie, although there was still time for Drogba, riled by Motta, to see red for his reaction.

There was no salvation for Ancelotti or his players. Chelsea, again, will watch somebody else lift the Champions League. Maybe Mourinho? That will really hurt.

Why Jose Mourinho was the difference between Inter Milan and Chelsea, by Oliver Hol t

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