FULL-TIME: Juventus 3-0 Chelsea

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Back of the net: Vidal scored a second for Antonio Conte's side Photo: GETTY IMAGES

By Jonathan Liew

9:55PM GMT 20 Nov 2012

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Juventus 3-0 Chelsea

WRAP: Chelsea wouldn't swap their Champions League title for the world - not even Falcao - but there's little doubt it's been a millstone for them this season. They go into every game as 'champions of Europe', defined not by the brave new future they're trying to create, but a sepia-tinged, Didier Drogba-inspired memory. That may be why no team - not Real's galacticos, not Barcelona's baby geniuses, not Capello's Milan or Ferguson's United, has ever retained the title. Once you've climbed the mountain, you need a stunningly compelling reason to climb it again.

That's not to fault Chelsea's effort or commitment. But the shadow of the recent past placed an onerous burden on them. The expectations were sky-high, conveniently ignoring the fact that Chelsea were simply a quite good team who pulled off one of the most astonishing upsets in European football history. Small wonder they never lived up to them. You don't expect Buster Douglas to beat Mike Tyson twice in a row.

Perhaps this early exit - for that's surely what it is - will allow a more sober, realistic assessment of early 2010s Chelsea. This isn't a humiliation for them, it's simply a reversion to the mean. It was beating Barcelona and Bayern Munich that was the aberration, not this. For all the guff talked about Chelsea over the last few months, let's not forget that they finished sixth in the Premier League last season. It was that side, rather than the Mammoths of Munich, who showed up tonight. See you tomorrow for some more football.

21.41 "They put on a very good performance," says Petr Cech, "and did really well with their shape, their wing backs, and we didn't cope with it very well. We need to win the last game and hope the destiny is kind to us. But being realistic, Shakhtar have already qualified and they don't need to chase the result. It's a very sad moment. The Champions League last year was like a dream. Now it's a huge disappointment."
21.40 Shakhtar won 5-2 in the end. They're through. Chelsea can't overtake them, even with a win. Instead, they have to hope Juventus lose.

	GD	Pts
Shakhtar Donetsk	+5	10
Juventus	+7	9
Chelsea	+1	7
Nordsjaelland	-13	1

21.35 They'll still be champions of Europe in May, but it's looking almost inconceivable that Chelsea's Champions League defence will last beyond Christmas. They've been outplayed tonight. Di Matteo's giant gamble now a discarded betting slip. Chelsea sit third in the group tonight.