Carlo Ancelotti's decision to start Fernando Torres ahead of Didier Drogba in the Champions League quarter-final second leg at Manchester United backfired spectacularly, as Chelsea were eliminated from the competition. Torres endured a torrid 45 minutes before being substituted at half-time, with United running out 2-1 winners on the night and 3-1 on aggregate.
Ancelotti admitted he may have made a mistake by selecting the £50m striker, saying: 'Maybe. Could be. But I thought for a lot of time before taking this decision. I preferred to start with Fernando for this kind of game, with this kind of tactics.' The Italian's future at Stamford Bridge now looks uncertain, with owner Roman Abramovich leaving the stadium before the final whistle.
Torres, who has now gone 693 minutes without a goal, looked a shadow of his former self. His touch was heavy, he struggled physically, and his trademark movement was absent. In contrast, Drogba, who replaced him at half-time, scored Chelsea's only goal and produced a dynamic display that highlighted the folly of Ancelotti's decision.
Sir Alex Ferguson had predicted Torres would start, saying: 'Having signed Torres for the money they did, they had to play him. I couldn't see how they could leave him out.' Ferguson's own faith in £6m Javier Hernandez over £30m Dimitar Berbatov was rewarded as Hernandez scored the crucial goal that put United into the semi-finals.
Ancelotti now faces an uncertain future, with his fate out of his hands. 'I have to work. I have to try to do my best. It's not my decision whether I stay or don't stay,' he said. The defeat leaves Chelsea's season in tatters, with the Premier League title also looking out of reach.
