04/11/2003  Lazio 0 Chelsea 4
 
Chelsea announced their arrival as a genuine European force with a memorable display in Rome that moved them within touching distance of the Champions League knock-out stages.

However, if there were heroes aplenty in the Chelsea line-up, there was still no mistaking the all-too-familiar villain in Rome.

It was all too long ago that Sinisa Mihajlovic lost touch with anything faintly resembling sportsmanship and the red card that the centre-back received amid his side's comprehensive 4-0 defeat was long overdue.

His two fouls on Damien Duff were simply an aftertaste of the disgraceful treatment meted out to Adrian Mutu as he not only stamped on the Chelsea striker but also spat into his ear.

However, not even the wild antics of Mihajlovic, who has previously been guilty of racially abusing Patrick Vieira, or even the late dismissal of Glen Johnson, should take anything away from this confirmation of Chelsea's rich potential.

Rome may not have been built in a day, as Claudio Ranieri, who was born in the Eternal City, has remarked, but this Roman empire is remorselessly gathering force with an air of inevitability.

Hernan Crespo gave Chelsea a valuable early lead in the Olympic Stadium against his former club, but it was Chelsea's second-half display, especially after Mihajlovic's dismissal, which sent out a message across Europe.

While Carlo Cudicini excelled with at least three top-class saves, Chelsea completed the rout with further strikes by Eidur Gudjohnsen, Duff and Frank Lampard.

And so, with nine points from four group games, they need probably at most a point from their remaining two fixtures - one of which is at home to Sparta Prague - to make sure of a place in the last 16.

Moreover, this is a team that is clearly growing as the weeks pass, with virtually unlimited funds at the disposal of Roman Abramovich if the need arises.

Two of his major signings, Crespo and Juan Sebastian Veron, combined for the opening goal with a dramatic sense of irony against their former club.

After Mutu had won a free-kick wide on the left flank, Veron whipped in a cross which former Ipswich 'keeper Matteo Sereni could only parry and the ball rebounded to strike Crespo on the chin at virtually point-blank range.

The goal contained more than an element of good fortune as the Argentina international knew little about it, but he was still happy to take the plaudits.

Lazio were looking decidedly vulnerable at the back and while Crespo sent an overhead kick wide and Sereni just managed to keep out Veron's inswinging corner, they continued to create chances.

Lazio were noticeably riled and resorting to falling over at the slightest contact in a bid to win free-kicks around the penalty area.

From one of these, Demetrio Albertini's effort was deflected over the bar by Mutu.

However, their underhand tactics took an ugly twist as Mihajlovic once again plumbed the depths of indiscipline, albeit as he reacted to an elbow from Mutu.

After Dejan Stankovic was denied by John Terry's interception, Cudicini's save and a deflection amid a spell of Lazio pressure, Chelsea nevertheless roused themselves again.

Crespo could - and, indeed, should - have put them further ahead only to shoot straight at Sereni after Veron's defence-splitting pass, before over-elaborating with a flick when left with only the 'keeper to beat from Mutu's incisive cross.

He was almost made to regret his profligacy shortly after the restart, when only a remarkable double-save from Cudicini held Lazio at bay.

The Chelsea 'keeper could only parry Stankovic's initial long-range effort but his point-blank, follow-up save from Bernardo Corrado was truly inspired.

Mihajlovic was finally booked for stamping on Duff after fouling the Republic of Ireland international before, thankfully, justice was soon done when he was sent off for his second bookable offence, a late tackle on the same player.

Lazio briefly rallied, with Stankovic shooting wide and Cudicini rushing from his line to deny Inzaghi before tipping Stankovic's powerful drive over the bar.

However, Chelsea, with Jesper Gronkjaer and Gudjohnsen now on, counter-attacked with almost remorseless zeal as Lazio were torn apart in the closing stages.

With 20 minutes left, Lampard's persistence finally paid off as his shot was parried by Sereni and Gudjohnsen made no mistake from close range.

Duff then embarked on a scintillating run that bamboozled the Lazio defence before clipping a right-footed shot past the exposed figure of Sereni.

Lampard himself completed the rout in the closing stages as Sereni could once again only parry the ball, this time from Gudjohnsen's powerful shot.

Chelsea's dominance only made Johnson's late dismissal, with his second booking in the space of only a few minutes coming for kicking the ball away, all the more culpable.

However, this was the night when Chelsea announced themselves on the Champions League stage - and the rest of Europe will have to take notice.