Soccer:Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti insists his side can win the Champions League if they succeed in achieving his 'three steps to heaven'. The Blues ensured qualification for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a 4-1 win over Spartak Moscow at Stamford Bridge.
Goals from Nicolas Anelka, his fifth in Europe this season, a brace from Branislav Ivanovic and a penalty from Didier Drogba crushed the Russians, who scored a late consolation goal through Nikita Bazhenov. Only a shock defeat to Group F whipping boys MSK Zilina at home in a fortnight could stop them finishing top.
The victory over Spartak, their fourth straight success in Europe this season, took them closer to achieving stage one of Ancelotti's treble top plan.
"There will be a long race getting to the final," said Ancelotti. "When you reach the first aim, which is to win the group, the next aim is to reach the final, and then to win that.
"I don't know if we can do this, but we have a possibility. We have the motivation to do this, but sometimes you have to be lucky also. We are working to play the last game at Wembley. In the final. It is important to start well and it's still important to arrive in first place in this group.
"But I think that decisive time for the Champions League is in February and March. Then we have to be ready. Now we're in a good moment and we're hoping to avoid injury and keep people fit. Every one of us has motivation. There are a lot of things to think about - a final in London and the fact that no London team has won the Champions League. I think that helps to improve the motivation.
"It is the same for all of us. I'm not English. I'm working for Chelsea and have a particular feeling for this club. If there is a final, it's an extra motivation for everyone, not just the English players."
After a disappointing goalless first half, Chelsea increased the tempo and within four minutes of the re-start Anelka had put the Blues ahead. It was his 10th of the season in all competitions and Ancelotti was quick to hail the former France international by proclaiming the 31-year-old was in the best form of his long career.
"All the players played a good game," said Ancelotti. "We had more difficulty in the first half, but we played better in the second. Anelka was the key to opening up the game. He scored a fantastic goal - the most important this evening.
"I think he is happy at this moment. He's the same compared to last year and the same Anelka I found when I came here, nothing has changed. He has experience. He maintains very good skill, ability, and speed. Overall he is in the best moment of his career."
Spartak Moscow boss Valery Karpin still believes his side can qualify for the knockout phase as runners-up to Chelsea.
"Nothing has changed in terms of our chances of getting out of the group," said Karpin. "If we win our last two games, we will qualify. When you're losing 4-1, there's not much joy in having scored at Stamford Bridge. It would only have been significant if the score had been 0-0 at the time."