Tonight:
4°c
Roman Abramovich spent 12 months trying to get Carlo Ancelotti to agree to come to Chelsea and the billionaire will now expect six years of frustration in the Champions League to come to an end.
There have been several near misses since Abramovich bought the club in 2003 but in Ancelotti he sees the perfect coach to finally put the one trophy the Russian craves in the cabinet.
It is Ancelotti's record as both a player and a manager in Europe's premier club competition that stands out on his CV and attracted the undivided attention of Chelsea's owner, who tried to get him last year before being persuaded by his closest aides to go for Luiz Felipe Scolari instead.
Two European Cups as an AC Milan player were followed by two Champions Leagues during his eight years in charge at the San Siro and that is the kind of experience that commands a £6million-a-year salary.
Anyone who saw Abramovich stride across the pitch following Chelsea's exit to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final last month, which was their fourth failure at this stage in six years having also lost the final in 2008, could not fail to see the frustration in his face. It is the only trophy he hasn't won and it is also the biggest, the one that earns respect, something which Chelsea for all their domestic success have yet to truly achieve.
On his appointment today Ancelotti made winning the Champions League his priority, a mantra he employed throughout his time at Milan.
Europe's premier competition is where Ancelotti has put most of his energies and it shows for the Italian giants have just one Serie A title to their name since 2001.
For Abramovich, Europe is the key. However, supporters hoping Ancelotti can win Euro glory with a new brand of exciting football and adventurous system are set for disappointment. What the Italian seems to bring with him is just more of the same.
The 49-year-old prefers a 4-3-2-1 system, with two players supporting a lone striker up front, something which will sound familiar to the Chelsea faithful. Milan president Silvio Berlusconi consistently moaned about the lack of entertaining football on show under Ancelotti, who has an ideal similar to that of former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, and to be fair most Italians, which is winning the game is what matters most.
It seems incredible to suggest that when you consider the team he left behind have Kaka, Ronaldinho, David Beckham, Andrea Pirlo and Alexandre Pato in their ranks, but according to regular observers they are more effective than stylish.
With reports suggesting Abramovich is keen to get even more involved with the decision-making process on the football side of things, Ancelotti will at least be able to cope with possible owner interference more comfortably than some of his predecessors.
It is second nature to him having grown used to Berlusconi calling the shots, especially in the transfer market. For example, Ronaldinho and Andriy Shevchenko were signed by Berlusconi against Ancelotti's wishes last summer, but he just had to put up with it and did so without public dissent.
There is no doubt that his relationship with Berlusconi soured and is one of the reasons he decided to end his love affair with AC Milan.
Unless Abramovich has a major personality transplant that won't happen at Chelsea for he is not interested in seeking the media spotlight to air his grievances.
If things are going wrong, it usually just ends with the coach getting their P45. Ancelotti is hoping to get more of a say in transfer policy and tellingly he prefers to work with players who have proven themselves rather than take a chance on potential. David Villa and Franck Ribery, revealed today as two of Chelsea's transfer targets, fit the Ancelotti mould perfectly.
Ten members of Chelsea's squad are over 30 but that is just the kind of experience he likes. In Milan's defeat to Udinese last month which handed the title to rivals Inter, seven of the players involved had passed 30, while Pirlo reached the landmark three days later. The youngsters in Chelsea's academy who have been hoping with each change of manager that they may get a chance, are unlikely to see an improvement in their fortunes.
What will give Chelsea supporters most cause for optimism in terms of his coaching style is his relationship with the players.
They have just seen what Guus Hiddink was able to achieve in a short time after earning the complete respect of the squad and Ancelotti, if he can improve his basic English, has the potential to do the same.
The manner in which Milan's players spoke in support of him and were desperate for him to stay says much. Beckham claimed he used the 'hairdryer' treatment to challenge Milan's players in the dressing room but it is understood he is more of a friend than a foe to his team. He is said to be down to earth, with a dry sense of humour that is instantly amenable.
He will need these skills to get the fans as well as the players on side, but as Abramovich's record with managers proves, it will be no laughing matter should results go awry.
