Chelsea progress in Europe – will this effect their domestic aspirations?
Chelsea showed no signs of slipping up after the weekend loss at Villa Park against Aston Villa tonight – an assertive and confident performance saw them comfortably advance to the quarter finals of the Champions League as they went on to defeat Turkish giants Galatasaray 2-0 at Stamford Bridge. You have got to say, that under Jose Mourinho, Chelsea will always have a chance at lifting the cup come May in Lisbon. Having ambitions is what makes a big football club truly tick, but will this season prove to be a little too much?
As of late, many have questioned whether the BPL is truly the best league in the world considering English sides have generally faltered in the knockout stages on the whole, while continental sides tend to go further on average. The BPL is the most competitive league in the world, it requires the most physical and mental dedication and on top of that, there is no winter break like most other leagues have – all these factors usually spell disaster in Champions League for English sides. Chelsea under Mourinho this year have been sensational and they certainly have a squad that is more than talented enough to push far in Europe, but will it be at the expense of the domestic title is the question that must be asked.
The domestic campaign in England is shaping up to be one of the most talked about in recent memory, with Chelsea topping the table but only enjoying a four-point over both Liverpool and Arsenal who have a match in hand each. Add that to the fact that Manchester City are only six-points off the pace, but have three matches in hand, Chelsea are currently surviving at the top by the skin of their teeth. It must be said that any elongated run on the continent could seriously see Chelsea pipped for the title.
It is no question that pushing on for Champions League glory is admirable, but what would the supporters want more? Usually that would depend on who you speak to on the matter, but it becomes clear that Mourinho will certainly at some point have to make a choice which push he deems more important. While Chelsea have a wealth of depth in their squad, their loss to Villa away at the weekend proves that the right mentality must be present in each domestic match from here on out, else they risk dropping further points along the road. On paper their remaining eight domestic fixtures only yield two difficult matches by name – home to Arsenal (this coming weekend) and away at Liverpool. Immediately those are two matches that points can be dropped. Any dropped points to Arsenal this weekend could see Chelsea surrender first place long before the end of the season is upon them.
If Mourinho is to debate prioritizing rather than trying to push hard for both pieces of silverware, surely the quarter final draw will help make his decision easier. No draw will be an easy one considering the sides Chelsea could be paired against, but should it be the holders Bayern Munich or his old employers Real Madrid, he should consider making the league his top priority. That is not to say that he should surrender all efforts on the continent, but he must let the players fully aware that they must be mentally and physically fresh for their domestic commitments as well. Mourinho is not one to lay down and neither are his troops, but the demands of domestic English football can take its toll on even the best of players and Mourinho will certainly be aware of that.
As it stands right now, Chelsea have an added two matches to their fixture list. Should they progress to the semi finals, that’s another added two and if they make the finals, one more. A potential five extra matches on top of their guaranteed eight league fixtures would give them thirteen. Will Chelsea have the fitness, mental strength and enough quality required to make a push for both, while their domestic rivals only have to make a push for one? Or will their assault on two fronts spell their capitulation on both? If one thing is for certain, it is that football has a nasty habit of being unforgiving – for those that support Chelsea, they should hope they do not find out the hard way.