Fitting moment for London clubs to flex muscles
EXACTLY three months ago Chelsea’s Champions League quest looked over for another year, a 3-1 defeat at Napoli the latest symptom of a rot that would end Andre Villas-Boas’ brief tenure.
Today they are kings of Europe, following an improbable reversal of their fortunes and a stubborn refusal to let their season unravel typified by Saturday night’s heroics against Bayern Munich.
Since Napoli they have relished repeatedly defying the odds and huge credit must go to interim manager Roberto di Matteo, who not only halted their slide but quietly, unassumingly made history.
As the city gears up for a huge summer of sport, how fitting that Chelsea should reign in Europe and West Ham should swell the ranks of London Premier League sides to six.
The only sour note is that Chelsea’s victory strips Tottenham of their deserved route into next year’s competition. It is time, surely, for European chiefs to re-examine that unjust loophole.
Frank Dalleres is sport editor of City A.M.