26/08/2003  Chelsea 3 MSK Zilina 0 (Agg: 5-0)
 
Only Chelsea could spend an estimated £17million during the half-time interval alone, but Hernan Crespo still became their ninth major summer signing as the club regained their place among the Champions League elite.Crespo, who has now taken Roman Abramovich's spending to the £100 million mark, was unveiled to the Stamford Bridge crowd on the night that the club's place in the group stage was assured.

Chelsea, who had taken a comfortable 2-0 lead into the game, duly responded to the experienced striker's arrival.

Having been leading at half-time only by virtue of Glen Johnson's first senior goal, they soon went further ahead with substitute Robert Huth's own first goal for the club.

And while Huth was harshly denied a second with a free-kick that actually bounced over the line, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink rounded off the scoring as the Slovakian champions were despatched with little fuss.

The real importance for Chelsea, however, was confirmation of far more glamorous nights ahead as they seek to recapture the glory of their last Champions League adventure four seasons ago.

All this was achieved without either Crespo or Adrian Mutu, who will now be eligible for the group stage, while Juan Sebastian Veron, Damien Duff and Wayne Bridge were also rested for the second leg.

Joe Cole was still given his full debut on the left flank and he was immediately in the thick of the action, winning a succession of free-kicks as he took the game to Zilina.

Otherwise, however, with Stamford Bridge only three-quarters full and Chelsea having established such a clear first-leg lead, it was a low-key opening with few moments of any real interest.

The home side only had themselves to blame for failing to make the most of their technical superiority with a series of misplaced passes and hopeful, rather than measured, through-balls.

Indeed, it was not until the 26th minute that Jesper Gronkjaer, who had been giving the ball away with monotonous regularity, found his range with a pinpoint cross that Hasselbaink headed over.

At least that brought the crowd to life and when Vladimir Stas brought down Gronkjaer to earn a booking, Chelsea finally made the most of the ensuing free-kick.

Defensive midfielder Dusan Sninsky could only half-clear the ball as it arrowed into the penalty area from the right wing and Johnson was lurking to head the ball inside the left-hand upright.

With Emmanuel Petit brought on at the interval following Crespo's unveiling, Chelsea upped the tempo.

Their next threat came on 63 minutes when Gudjohnsen rifled a shot against the inside of the post and Hasselbaink tamely mis-hit the follow-up effort.

The Blues were then forced into their second change, when Desailly picked up a knock and promising German centre-back Huth came on.

After Petit had forced keeper Branislav Rzeszoto into a diving save, it was less than three minutes before Huth made his mark as he rose at the far post to head home the Frenchman's corner.

Mario Stanic then came on to replace Gronkjaer, with the Danish international striding straight down the Stamford Bridge tunnel as he left the pitch.

Hasselbaink, meanwhile, finally got his name on the scoresheet with 12 minutes left as he controlled Geremi's long through-ball and clipped his shot past keeper Rzeszoto.

Huth should have been credited with a fourth goal soon afterwards when he hit a ferocious free-kick against the underside of the bar.

However, while replays showed that ball actually went over the line, it was not awarded by the officials.

It was harsh on the German, but far bigger stages now await. Chelsea are back in the Champions League, but for an investment of £100m, Russian oil magnates would expect nothing else.