In the hours that I have had to digest that glorious performance in Barcelona, I have been trying continually to make sense of what happened but I’m not sure that I can. The sheer scale of achievement against such seemingly insurmountable odds is breathtaking. And it was done by the team that I have followed for my entire life.

The last week of following Chelsea has been like stepping into a time machine. The resolve and resilience displayed in the matches against Barcelona and Arsenal has borne more than a passing resemblance to the character of those sides sent on to the field by Jose Mourinho and Guus Hiddink.

Ok, be honest, how many of you thought Chelsea would emerge from Wembley with a 5-1 victory over Tottenham under their belt? After the nerve-filled drudgery of the recent stalemate between the two clubs in the Premier League there could not have been many who predicted that there would be six goals in Sunday’s encounter regardless of the frenetic nature of play that has traditionally characterised the FA Cup.

• Who Will Lead The Line Against Barcelona?

Another week of football, another week of contentious officiating.

The last seven days have seen the airwaves strain to the sounds of injustice and newspaper columns burst with condemnation for the men in black. But,to make a very pleasant change, Chelsea have largely been on the right side of the referee’s whistle.

Chelsea's 4-2 win at Aston Villa on Saturday was very encouraging but its importance has been made all the more evident when set against the results of the rest of the teams chasing Champions League spots.

Tottenham's win against Swansea cemented their five point lead over the Blues while Newcastle's victory over hapless Liverpool ensured they remain hot on our heels. The reverse that Arsenal suffered at the hands of QPR means that they are now looking over their shoulder once again despite previously winning 6 on the bounce. In fact, now it seems that Chelsea's trip to the Emirates Stadium on 21st April could have added significance should the same pace be maintained by the four interested parties.