As in the Premiership, as in Europe. Chelsea once again fell below the standards set by Manchester United last night, failing to provide a repeat of the stirring comeback in Turin and continue the defence of the trophy they won last season. The Spaniards now meet Lazio in the final at Villa Park on May 19th.

Not for the first time Chelsea's attacking impotence let them down, for it was just one goal, scored by Mallorca on 14 minutes, which prevented them becoming the first team to successfully defend the cup in this, its final year.

The Spaniards made one change to the side which drew 1-1 in the first leg, bringing in the leftwinger Iovan Stankovic, who was suspended two weeks ago.

Chelsea's eagerness to reach their fifth major cup final in five years was reflected in Gianluca Vialli's decision to field his strongest available side, leaving himself out for only the second time in this European campaign.

But despite some early Chelsea pressure, it yielded just a header wide from Gustavo Poyet, and on the quarter-hour Mallorca emphasised their potency going forward by taking the lead.

Stankovic was the instigator, firing in a left-wing cross at the second attempt which Leonardo Biagini met at the near post with a powerful, close-range header which Ed de Goey could not hold.

It was a blow to Chelsea but not fatal. One goal would bring them back level, and Poyet and Dennis Wise soon went close. But seconds later De Goey found himself pushing away Biagini's goal-bound shot from inside the area.

Just before the break, Tore Andre Flo shot just over for Chelsea but the message of the first-half made uncomfortable reading for the Premiership side.

The Spanish attacked with far greater invention and purpose, while their defence, the most frugal in the Spanish First Division, remained largely unimpressed by Chelsea's laboured attempts to score.

Graeme Le Saux's crosses from the left were, as ever, mostly aimless and at half-time an injury forced him to make way for Celestine Babayaro, a more imaginative player going forward though less reliable in defence. Given Chelsea's priorities at this point, that was no handicap.

Chelsea began the second half as they did the first, dominating possession with some patient passing but again struggled to make it tell.

The home defence function well as a unit and demonstrated their powers to full affect shortly after when Flo raised Chelsea's hopes with a twisting run deep in the Mallorca area. But three defenders stubbornly tracked him, shielded his way to goal and eventually the ball went harmlessly out of play.

Chelsea came closest to finding an equaliser on 72 minutes when Di Matteo's 25-yard drive was tipped on to the bar.

But failure to convert possession into goals has been a problem for Chelsea all season, contributing to their difficulties in catching Manchester United at the top of the Premiership. Last night it also cost them the Cup Winners' Cup.

Real Mallor(Carreras 45), Marcelino, Dani, Stankovic (Arpon 79), Lauren, Olaizola, Paunovic, Biagini (F Soler 68), Engonga. Subs not used: Galvez, Ibagaza, Alberto, Lopez. Booked: Lauren, Paunovic, Olaizola. Goal: Biagini 15.

Chelsea: De Goey, Ferrer, Leboeuf, Desailly, Le Saux (Babayaro 45), Petrescu (Morris 78), Di Matteo, Wise, Poyet, Zola, Flo. Subs not used: Duberry, Lambourde, Nicholls, Newton, Hitchcock. Booked: Desailly.

Referee: H Krug (Germany).