Improving Chelsea the English team to back to win Champions League

Salomon Kalou’s inexplicable handball may have cost Chelsea two points at the Mestalla, but there are some big reasons as to why they may be overpriced in the Champions League odds to win the competition for the first time this season.

Chelsea’s odds are 10/1 to win the Champions League and an away point with Valencia, arguably their toughest opposition in Group E, is not a nightmare result.

Winning home games and avoiding defeat away is the paramount formula to smooth progression through the Champions League and Chelsea should make light work of topping the group after the six games, which can be backed at 1/5.

It should be remembered that Barcelona failed to win a recent away game with Valencia in La Liga, which goes to show what a difficult ground the Mestalla could be to visit this season.

Valencia goalkeeper Diego Alves was the man of the match to show just how well Chelsea performed, while the displays of Frank Lampard and David Luiz in particular were pleasing on the eye.

After starting three of the last four games on the bench, there were doubts as to whether Lampard still featured in Villas-Boas’ plans, but he quashed any doubts with a fine performance, capped by a trademark goal.

Meanwhile, Luiz’ defending has been labelled suspect since he joined from Benfica, but he enjoyed a solid night alongside John Terry, with Valencia hardly looking like scoring from open play all evening.

Chelsea will only continue to get stronger as the season wears on, with the players getting more and more accustomed to the style of football being demanded by Villas-Boas.

Also, with Lampard, Luiz and Fernando Torres finding some form of late, there is every reason to suggest that Villas-Boas will add to the silverware he collected at Porto last season, perhaps with a first Champions League victory.

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