Chelsea's campaign continues to close inexorably around them. For a while on Wednesday night the Londoners had flirted with qualification from the group phase, a rare away victory in Europe and a clean sheet to ease their recent defensive jitters. In the end, pegged back and then beaten in added time, they departed the Rhineland choked in defeat and with their confidence in tatters. Progress into the knockout phase suddenly feels in serious jeopardy.
The Germans leapfrogged Chelsea to confirm their own passage courtesy of Manuel Friedrich's header deep into stoppage time after the centre-half had leapt away from the substitute Alex to convert. Leverkusen conclude their programme with a fixture against Genk, the whipping boys, to suggest they will go on to top Group E. Chelsea require a clean sheet or a victory against Valencia in next month's finale at Stamford Bridge just to finish second. Both feel like stiff targets.
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