Free Kick: Chelsea again fail to cast off the blues

Chelsea never change. Not even with a Russian billionaire behind them.

Last Saturday, having won their European Cup tie comfortably against Besiktas 2-0, and having learned that the Euro draw for the first knockout round pits them against modest VfB Stuttgart, down they go at home to Bolton Wanderers.

For two reasons this didn't amaze me. First on historical grounds, Chelsea and inconsistency being virtual synonyms. Secondly, because I have seen and appreciated Bolton three times this season, twice in recent weeks; seen them triumph at Tottenham, win comfortably at Leeds and a week before their success at Chelsea, lose unluckily against Fulham, at Shepherds Bush.

Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri claimed his team was tried in the second half, when a bad defensive error by young right back Glen Johnson let Henrik Pedersen to go by him on the left, his cross being deflected by John Terry past his own Chelsea keeper making it 2-1.

Poor excuse

But with Chelsea using Roman Abramovich's money to buy, or try to buy, everything that moves - latest being a £50 million offer to Arsenal for Thierry Henry - that seemed a poor excuse, such is the abundance of stars at Stamford Bridge.

Stuttgart, who will be at home to Chelsea in the first leg Euro ties next February, may have beaten Manchester United 1-0 at home but they looked a mediocre side at Old Trafford a week ago.

Even the new revelation in the Bundesliga, the big German international striker 21- year- old Kevin Koranyi, looked ineffectual.

Porto will be more of a problem, with their two gifted Brazilians, Deco - now a naturalised Portuguese international - and Derlei.

Last time out, note that Derlei's penalty gave them a 1-1 draw at Real Madrid.

True, Real knew they'd qualified and might not have been at full pelt, yet for all their attacking stars, and the emergence of David Beckham as a central midfield, they've had too may negative results this season, have shown too many defects in defence, to be an irresistible force.

Still, I fancy them to prevail against Bayern Munich, who must still be lamenting the decision of letting Brazilian striker Elbert leave for Lyon.

Lyon themselves, with Elber's fellow Brazilian Juninho getting two against Celtic in their last qualifier, should have the better of Real Sociedad.

Raynald Denoueix, their resourceful French manager has just been given a new contract, which hasn't pleased everyone in San Sebastian. Spain's Celta Vigo have a hard task against Arsenal, but may be encouraged by the fact that the Gunners have so often failed in Europe.

I saw them beat Lokomotiv Moscow whose manager, Yuri Semin, was all surprising similes, after his team's defeat. They never seemed to seek anything better than a draw and were admittedly short of match practice.

How to make sense of Juventus? Beaten thrice in a row by Inter, Galatasaray and Lazio, they suddenly revived to put seven goals past Olympiakos in their final European game.

Milan, the holders, even with Andrei Shevchenko still incisive, don't find goals too easy. But goals also come from the adventurous newcomer, Kaka, the young midfielder from Brazil who has been winning games with them this season.