Chelsea cruise into UEFA Champions League last 16

Chelsea romped to a 5-0 victory away against Schalke to confirm themselves as winners of their Champions League group with a game to spare.

The Blues took the lead in just the second minute when John Terry headed home a corner and their superiority was clear from that point onward.



Willian finished a glorious team move to double their advantage just before the half-hour before Schalke's Jan Kirchhoff, having a dreadful game and hauled off at the break moments later, inexplicably headed into his own net under no pressure from a Chelsea corner.

Jose Mourinho's side continued to push in the second half and, galvanised by Didier Drogba's arrival as a substitute, scored two in quick succession through the Ivorian and then Ramires to turn a convincing win into a humiliation.

With Champions League-winning former Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo now in charge, Schalke went into the game unbeaten at home this season but were utterly outclassed by the visitors' sharp passing and slick movement up front.

The hosts were still missing Julian Draxler due to a thigh injury but Dennis Aogo returned to replace Christian Fuchs after sitting out Saturday's 3-2 Bundesliga win over Wolfsburg as Di Matteo reverted to a back four.

Mourinho signalled his intent by sticking with the same team which beat West Brom last time out, meaning that Thibaut Courtois returned to Champions League action after being rested for both games against Maribor.

Diego Costa had an early chance on the break which Ralf Fahrmann was forced to turn away for a corner, from which Terry rose highest to head home Cesc Fabregas's delivery with less than two minutes gone.

The visitors were fortunate to stay in front when an Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting shot deflected off Gary Cahill and over Courtois but bounced back off the crossbar.

Chelsea continued to look dangerous with some slick passing moves on the counterattack and they doubled their lead just before the half-hour mark when Willian fired past Fahrmann with a low shot after a neat one-two with Eden Hazard.

Costa could have made it three when intercepting a poor back-pass but the striker slipped when rounding the goalkeeper and Fahrmann did well to save an Oscar volley after a sublime chip from Fabregas.

However, Jan Kirchhoff capped off a woeful first half for Schalke by heading into his own net from another Fabregas corner to put Chelsea in total control.

The hapless Kirchhoff was hauled off at the interval and Terry did well to block an effort from substitute Christian Clemens.

At the other end, Branislav Ivanovic blasted a volley inches over the bar after a lovely cross from Willian on the break.

Just as the match appeared to be petering out, Chelsea broke away from deep and Willian unselfishly passed to Drogba to tap into an open net and the Ivory Coast forward then crossed for Ramires to head in at the far post.

Hazard was denied a sixth in stoppage time by a superb Fahrmann save but it was still a great night for Chelsea.