A games that had everything

Hats off to Chelsea this evening for their triumph in the Champions League knockout stage against Napoli.

It was a game that had it all really, what I consider to be one of those great nights of European Football.

Chelsea, having lost fairly comprehensively away from home in the first leg, but getting the valuable away goal. A new (temporary) manager and a few blips in their home league form. Napoli coming here knowing that they would probably need a goal to settle things. Controversy surrounding Chelsea's senior players who having been out of favour with their last manager have been accused of undermining him to get him sacked, and who have now been restored to the starting lineup.

And the match didn't disappoint. A slow start by the home side, who looked like the away side for the first 20 minutes or so. Chances for Napoli that went begging. Brought to life at the half hour mark by a superbly worked goal for Drogba getting in front of his defender to head home. Game on.

Who else but Chelsea Captain John Terry gets the second from a cheaply won corner. At this point Chelsea are through. So Napoli come back at them and get their just rewards with a cracking volley that makes it 2:1 on the night and 3:4 on aggregate. Napoli in ascendency now.

Chelsea respond in kind and win a penalty courtesy of a handball in the Napoli box, up steps Frank Lampard (another of the senior players) and he smashes it past the keeper 15 minutes from the end to make the tie all square at 4 all.

By now the game had lost all shape and the play sureged from end to end, with no-one able to break the deadlock. At full time it was still a draw, so we went into 30 minutes of extra time.

And the drama wasn't over either as John Terry was off, and both teams went for it as they had nothing to lose. It swung on way, then the other until from a cross from Drogba is crashed into the net by Ivanovic and it's Chelsea ahead again.

Sustained pressure from Napoli after that, but Chelsea doggedly hold out and are through to the last 8.

And, breathe in, breathe out and relax.