CHELSEA’S troubles continued in Italy as they took another heavy blow, leaving Andre Villas-Boas with more pressure on his shoulders.

Napoli capitalised on the Blues’ porous defence to score a come-from-behind 3-1 triumph in the first leg of their Champions League round-of-16 tie on Tuesday.

Both teams meet again in three weeks time at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea bid to overhaul the deficit.

It is also interesting to see if Villas-Boas could still be calling the shots as their defeat at San Paolo Stadium was seen to further infuriate team owner Roman Abramovich.

Sources said that Villas-Boas’ future could depend on the outcome of the second leg meeting or he would be sacked even before the tie is concluded.

Another problem came in the Blues’ even before kickoff when the club announced that their captain John Terry will be operated on in the knee and will be out for up to six weeks.

A Chelsea ouster will wipe out the English challenge in the prestigious tournament as Manchester City and Manchester United have been eliminated earlier in the group stage. If this happens, it would be the first time no English squad will see action in the quarterfinals for the first time since 1996.

Arsenal, on the other hand, need a miracle to overcome their 0-4 loss at AC Milan when their second leg tiff shifts to the Emirates Stadium.

The Blues got off to a promising start when Juan Mata gifted them a goal in the 27^th minute but their defence relaxed in the ensuing plays and Ezequiel Lavezzi netted the equaliser in the 39^th following  an assist from fellow striker Edinson Cavani.

Cavani, whose goal-poaching prowess was the main reason why City were ousted in the group stage, made it 2-1 for the hosts right on halftime. He notched his fifth goal in seven CL starts this term after latching on a Gokhan Inler cross and firing into the back of the net at close range.

Despite the heavy burden, Villas-Boas believes they can still turn things around. “It’s not impossible to recover because of the number of chances we get, and the environment we must create to turn this tie around and go through.”

He added: “We will analyse strongly what we did wrongly because a couple of things need to get better.”

The Portuguese boss admitted they got impeded by poor defending.

“We had a chance to go 2-0 up and a couple of defensive mistakes that against Napoli, with their attacking strength, will get punished.”

Villas-Boas also gambled by not starting with the tested troika of Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole and Michael Essien.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech they are not in an ideal situation right now but vowed they will fight to the end.

AUTHOR’S OPINION
Abramovich should fire Villas-Boas before Chelsea suffer further humiliation! The Blues face a huge obstacle back home during the second leg and we doubt if they can hurdle it. It’s time to reshuffle Chelsea from top to bottom.

MANCHESTER City’s Carlos Tevez has finally apologised to his outfit and the management – possibly moving him a step closer for him playing again.

The apology specifically centered on his conduct though he did not address his boss Roberto Mancini. It was Tevez’s falling out with the City manager that eventually made him decide to go on that an unauthorised trip to Argentina.

The star striker said in his statement: “I wish to apologise sincerely and unreservedly to everybody I have let down and to whom my actions over the last few months have caused offence.

“My wish is to concentrate on playing football for Manchester City football club.”

Reports indicated that Tevez met with City football administrator Brian Marwood on Monday and he agreed to apologise. Mancini was not present at the meeting but was told about the situation and agreed to accept the Argentine’s apology.

Although the City manager has said that Tevez’s playing days under him are over, he had a change of heart and had told the 28-year-old Argentine that an apology would help him get back in the squad – to which Tevez initially protested.

A City spokesman said: “Carlos has today apologised to all concerned for his recent conduct. He returned to the football club last Tuesday, following a three month absence from duties, without permission.

“Carlos has also withdrawn his appeal against the Club’s finding of gross misconduct which was due to be heard by a Premier League panel in the coming days. He has since begun a training program designed to return him to optimum fitness.”

Tevez’s decision to go AWOL and fly home to Argentina has cost him around £10 million and in the process damaged his reputation within the squad and its supporters. He has also withdrawn his appeal for the £1.2m fine imposed by the team against his actions.

AUTHOR’S OPINION
Finally some good news in this whole controversy. Tevez finally realised that there are things that are bigger than he is. The club, the whole team and the supporters matter more than what he solely thinks. Hopefully he’s fit to join the squad and make a run for that title.

BEFORE their 1-3 defeat against Napoli on Tuesday, Chelsea players, especially Ashley Cole, had an earful to say to manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Senior players Cole, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien were all benched for the tie because of their criticism over the Portuguese manager’s tactics.

In a clear-air meeting held last Sunday, Villas-Boas asked his players to comment about their current form and honest opinions about the poor results they’ve been having.

Lampard and Essien were direct with their opinions – but Cole was the one who strongly voiced out his concerns.

“I came here to win medals and trophies, but I’m never going to do that with your tactics,” said the English left-back.

Cole also said that he felt like a robot with AVB wanting him to play in a specific way and stay in a limited area in the pitch rather than giving them the freedom to play to their skills, at their best.

Other Blues players were infuriated by their manager’s actions as he benched the three for airing out their opinions – in a meeting where AVB reportedly encouraged honesty from the team.

Cole was further angered when he saw Villas-Boas comment on live TV that the left-back was not fully fit to start the game.

This went against the 31-year-old defender’s claim that he was 100 per cent healthy and ready to play.  However, he was called just after 12 minutes into the game following an injury to Jose Bosigwa.

Regardless of the defeat to Napoli, Villas-Boas still believes he will still be in charge by the second leg.

“I have full confidence from the owner. Manager for the second leg? Yes, for sure.

“It’s a team selection, I can go on and explain but it makes no difference.

“It was based on what was fair at that moment, the best team.”

Pundits were all in disbelief at the selection the 34-year-old manager made.

Jamie Redknapp said: “It has all the makings of managerial suicide.”

Graeme Souness added: “If Cole is 90 per cent, he’s still better than Bosingwa at 100 per cent.”

AUTHOR’S OPINION
Things are clearly not getting any better for AVB and the rest of the Blues. It is only a matter of time when something clearly has to give. For Abramovich, figuring out whether the players or the manager has to go should be a very difficult decision. Unfortunately, one has to give in.

PLAYING in subzero temperatures and on an artificial turf, Real Madrid failed to unsettle CSKA Moscow in their Champions League last 16 first leg clash on Tuesday.

The visiting Spaniards were forced to a 1-1 draw by the hosts as they conceded their first away goal this season after winning all of their six previous games in the competition.

Cristiano Ronaldo shoved the Los Blancos ahead in the 28^th minute at the Luzhniki Stadium and they looked headed for victory despite the freezing weather.

Ronaldo nailed his 36^th goal of this term after CSKA failed to clear a cross from the left by defender Fabio Coentrao. The ball bounced into Ronaldo’s path and he slammed a left-footed shot into the net for the ice breaker.

CSKA has several opportunities after Ronaldo’s brace and their perseverance paid off in the 93^rd minute.

They levelled on the last kick of the fixture when midfielder Pontus Wernbloom scrambled the ball into the back of the net.

Madrid had a chance to put the game way but Sergio Ramos’s header in the 76^th was saved by CSKA goalkeeper Sergei Chepchugov, while Ronaldo had a shot that rolled wide of the post.

The Spaniards try to clinch the tie when the return leg is held at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 14.

Madrid coach Jose Mourinho admitted they ran into a tough side in CSKA Moscow. “They did very little to score but got their goal. They were very happy to get that.”

Mourinho added he was still satisfied with the result even though they failed to convert the chances they had in the second half.

CSKA coach Leonid Slutsky said it was great to get the injury-time goal and it gave them a chance going into the second leg.

“Wernbloom is the hero with the goal, of course. But he played a good defensive game on the whole,” he added.

AUTHOR’S OPINION
Real Madrid must finish off the pesky Russian side at home. If they get upset, they’d be the laughing stock of the competition, and the rest of the football world.

MANCHESTER United’s Rio Ferdinand wants the squad’s performance to improve, in order to quiet the taunts of school kids.

According to the defender, he is constantly subjected to children’s teasing every time he visits his kids’ school.  The teasing intensifies, Ferdinand says, whenever the Red Devils fail to win – an example being their recent exit from the Champions League competition.

The 33-year old continued however that although the mocking is bothersome, it also comes as motivation for him to perform at his best.

“When you’re dropping your kids off, you don’t want little ones making fun of you because you’ve been beaten by so-and-so,” said Ferdinand, as quoted on MirrorFootball.co.uk.

“But it happens.  Young kids can be unforgiving.  There’s nothing in their minds that goes, ‘he plays football, leave him alone’.  If anything, they’re worse.”

Ferdinand continued, admitting that regardless of the taunters’ ages, their comments still hit a sore spot.

“There’s still a little kid inside me who has pride and an ego and wants to make sure I can walk up that path and nobody can say anything to me because we’ve won.

“As soon as that feeling goes, it’s time to pack up my boots.”

Currently at second place in the Premier League table, the Red Devils’ quest for silverware this season relies upon their ability to overtake current leaders Manchester City, whom they trail by a mere two points.

And with their exit from the Champions League, Manchester United are fighting for glory in the Europa League – something that Ferdinand describes as an opportunity for them to rebuild a dominant reputation.

“We just go out there and perform to the best of our capabilities,” he said.

“The management feel the same.  As players we demand the highest standards of ourselves and if we don’t meet them, the dressing room isn’t a place to be.”

AUTHOR’S OPINION
Awwww, is wittle Ferdie scawed of a bunch of wittle bwats? He should be, those children can be mean. But more to the point, perhaps he should be concerned about the fact that if he gets a proper teasing because of his team’s performance, what about his kids?

A NEWLY-opened in Badnung, Indonesia was named after Liverpool striker Steven Gerrard.

The hotel, which is under the ownership of The Maja House Group, has been named “Stevie G”, as a result of the management being avid fans of the Premier League club.

According to reports, the building featured a Liverpool-related interior design theme for the hotel and its individual rooms.

When asked, the general manager Aditya M said that the hotel included a special room made for all Liverpool supporters.

“The Stevie G is unique and one of the rooms’ decors, the ‘This is Anfield’ room, was indulging Liverpudlians.”

He went on to describe the specific room as a space displaying the famous names that have ever played, or still play, in the club.

“In the room there is Anfield stadium wallpaper and a collection of Liverpool players past to present,” Aditya explained, “such as Kenny Dalglish, Michael Owen, Steven Gerrard and even Luis Suarez can be found on the bedroom walls.”

Commenting on the hotel’s reception, Debbie Winardi, who heads Indonesia’s official Liverpool fan club, stated that Gerrard is indeed famous in Indonesia.  She added that supporters are well aware of the fact that the room, as well as the entire hotel, is referring to him.

“It is known here that the name of the hotel, ‘Stevie G’, is referring to Steven Gerrard and he is very popular over here.”

Windari continued, saying that considering the large support for Gerrard and the club coming from the country, the Liverpool-themed room has become a popular attraction.

“The ‘This is Anfield’ room got LFC supporters in Indonesia very excited,” Windari said.  “A lot of my LFC supporter friends are talking about it on Twitter and they are generally very excited about it.

“From what I’ve read on the hotel’s Facebook page, generally people want to experience the room either by staying in t, or just taking photographs.

“Of course it will be a unique experience for a supporter, staying in a room themed with everything related to LFC.”

The Stevie G hotel finished construction in 2010 and opened to the public late in 2011.

AUTHOR’S OPINION
What a strange but nevertheless flattering honour. Having a hotel located on the other side of the world named after you is not awkward at all. Think Gerrard would fancy popping by, at least just to see it for himself? Considering the fan base, he might barely make it out of the airport.

DESPITE the woes that plagued Chelsea recently, they should remain a fearsome squad.

That is how Napoli coach Walter Mazzarri looked at their Champions League last 16 opponents as he dismissed insinuations that they are the favourites for the Tuesday clash.

The south Italian outfit host the Blues at the San Paolo Stadium for the first leg tie before they travel to Stamford Bridge three weeks later.

Mazzarri said playing with a team like Chelsea who have seen action in more than 100 CL matches says a lot.

“But it seems strange to me to say that we are the favourites. We hope to try to do our best, as we have always done in these situations,” he told reporters.

As the Blues appear to be in disarray lately with a spate of bad results, Napoli are a unit who have just rediscovered their form.

They are presently at sixth spot in the Serie A. After beating strong sides AC Milan, Inter Milan and Manchester City, they suffered defeats and draws against lowly rivals.

But they made amends by trouncing Chievo 2-0 and Fiorentina 3-0 in their past two league fixtures and looked every inch the same team who impressed last term with their spirited bid for the title.

On the other hand, Chelsea are heading into the game still stunned by the 1-1 draw at home by Championship side Birmingham in the FA Cup. They are also still smarting from the 0-2 loss at Everton and the recent heartbreaking 3-3 tie against Manchester United after leading 3-0 early on.

Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas have been put under extreme pressure with his team’s lack of fine form lately as they are now fifth in the Premier League.

But Mazzarri stressed that a potential Chelsea fightback could be coming their way.

“We hope they are not at their best because they have many decisive players,” he said.

Mazzarri added they need to defend well to be able to mount counter attacks in the match that he likens to a derby that escapes all logic and form-guide.

Chelsea are the remaining squad from England still in contention for Europe’s Holy Grail following the early exits of Manchester City and Manchester United in the group stage. Arsenal are virtually out of it all after being drubbed 4-0 in the first leg by AC Milan.

Mazzari, whose side ousted City, said the important thing is not to concede. “We don’t have much experience so it’s important that we start off well defensively.”

AUTHOR’S OPINION
Chelsea are in a must-win situation so pressure is on them. Napoli should take advantage of this and go for the kill in the first leg.

IT’S snowing right now in Russia and it is against this backdrop that undermanned CSKA Moscow is hoping to slay a giant like Real Madrid.

The Red Army side are coming into their Champions League last 16 first leg match on Tuesday as heavy underdogs against the mighty visitors from Spain.

However, the hosts are optimistic. They may be lacking match practice as the Russian Premier League is presently on its winter break before the March 3 restart.  They are also vexed by player injuries; but there is one weapon they could use to slow down the Madrid machine.

Over the last few days, evening temperatures in Moscow have dipped 10 degrees Celsius and with their experience under such extremely cold weather, they could give the Los Blancos things to worry about.

Real Madrid, the nine-time European champions, are coming into the foray as the solid favourites having won all six of their Group D assignments. And they are bent to continue their winning ways against the Russians.

Jose Mourinho, the Madrid boss, looked ahead into the game and said he is happy with his team’s form.

“Everyone is happy, being happy works miracles and we are a group in good spirits,” he said, although he admitted that “it will be a difficult game in Moscow.”

In their two previous trips to Russia, Real Madrid defeated Lokomotiv Moscow and Zenit St. Petersburg in Champions League group stage matches and are aiming to nail another victory in their first meeting with the hosts.

CSKA manager Leonid Slutsky said he plans to start strong against Madrid, hoping the early exchanges could give them the advantage.

“I’m confident that all my players will come into the match with top concentration,” he said. “We need to start at full confidence. We all understand that a good start may determine the entire match.”

But CSKA could be best by the absence of their key players led by Brazilian striker Vagner Love who returned to his country to see action for Flamengo.

Also out of the game slated at the 80,000-capacity Luzhniki Stadium are defenders Kirill Nababkin and Pavel Mamaev who both got their third bookings in their last Group B tussle against Inter Milan.

Chilean winger Mark Gonzalez will not play too, after undergoing a recent hip surgery.

In honing up for their showdown with Madrid, CSKA trained in Belek, Turkey, where they played against Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk during a friendly which ended in a 2-2 standoff.

AUTHOR’S OPINION
Real Madrid should dispatch the Russian side without much fuss. But they should not let their guards down. The hosts could be dangerous so Cristiano Ronaldo and company must try to draw first blood and play solidly the rest of the way.

After hitting two goals in three starts, Liverpool striker Andy Carroll stated that his confidence has soared to new heights since coming to Anfield.

The 23-year old, who has been subject to growing criticism for his lack of goals since transferring from Newcastle United, glowed at how his involvement has increased.

His latest significant contribution to the Reds happened during their recent FA Cup tie with Brighton & Hove Albion, during which Carroll smashed in one of the squad’s six goals, before setting up another for Luis Suarez.

The striker, who came to Anfield with a hamstring injury, has been under pressure to perform in the intimidating level that he did while still at Newcastle.  And with his recently-improved performance, Carroll noted that there was more to come from him.

“I feel like I am doing well and have just started to get going,” he said.  “I am scoring goals and I feel like I am doing well in games now.  It’s all starting to come together for me.

“This is the best I’ve felt since I have been here, without a doubt. I feel fit and confident and I think it is showing in my performance,” he continued.  “I’m getting around the pitch more and getting involved.

“I think it shows that I am happier and more confident.  I’m just pleased that things are going right.”

The striker’s more aggressive gameplay began to emerge when manager Kenny Dalglish was left without Suarez.  Since then, Carroll’s involvement has increased, even after Suarez’s return.

This gave the two, plus captain Steven Gerrard, their first game as starters together when they faced Brighton last weekend.

“It was great and all three of us scored,” said Carroll, although Gerrard’s attempt was considered an own goal by Liam Bridcutt.

“The whole team played well,” he recalled.  “We gelled together and we passed it well.  We got the goals that we have been lacking.  For me it was nice to get one in front of the Kop, it was a great ball from Stewie [Downing].  He picked me out and all I had to do was put it in the back of the net.”

It is yet to be revealed whether Carroll will again be in the starting lineup this weekend as the Reds face off against Cardiff City for the Carling Cup.  The match, for which they are heavily-favoured to win, presents the squad with the chance to claim their first silverware since the 2006 FA Cup.

AUTHOR’S OPINION
It was about time that Carroll emerged from his shell, although the question is where the bloody shell even came from. Nevertheless, Kenny Dalglish should take note of this. Get the lad more involved, build his confidence, and he will give you goals. If this not some freak lucky streak for the striker – which it most probably isn’t – Liverpool are set to become one of the most feared squads in the Premier League.

West Ham Untied co-owner David Sullivan told Newcastle United that striker Demba Ba can leave for £7 million, and the Toon would only get £3 million in the transaction.

Sullivan also believes that the former Hammer striker would get half of anything that Newcastle would receive on top of the £7 million.

“I’m told he’s got a £7m get-out clause at Newcastle and he gets half the money over that,” said the Welsh.

“They keep denying it but you’ll see in the summer he will leave — or he’ll get a monstrous rise to stay there.

“So if they sell him for £7m, they’ll only net about £3m because they paid his agent £2 million to get him out of here.

“Getting £3m is not bad but for a player of his quality, it’s not fantastic.”

Ba left the Hammers after they were relegated last season. He also used his opt-out clause when he left German team 1899 Hoffenheim for West Ham.

As the 26-year-old striker shows his form now, Sullivan admits that letting Ba leave remains one of his worst mistakes.

“It’s one of those mistakes that happen but it’s probably one of the worst I have ever made in my life.

“It just didn’t enter our heads. It didn’t enter anybody’s head that he’d score enough goals that we’d want to give him £40,000 a week and his old club £15,000-20,000 an appearance and we’d still be relegated.

“In reality, that’s exactly what happened. The agent just threw it in at the last minute.

“The agent said ‘Obviously, if his salary is cut by 50 per cent, you’ve got to let him walk’. We thought ‘OK, if we get relegated, do we really want a £40,000-a-week striker in the Championship?’.

“Well, we would because he was devastating. If he was with us now and his knee had held up — because remember, he did have a very bad knee — I think we’d be 15 points clear.

“You live and you learn.”

AUTHOR’S OPINION
With Ba steadily showing his class on the pitch, his £7 million clause is surely going to attract a lot of attention. He is said to be worth at least double that and the top teams in the Premier League are sure to keep an eye on him.