Chelsea boss Rafa Benitez admits it was a struggle in the opening weeks of his reign.

Benitez stopped attempting to win his critics round a long time ago.

But the 53-year-old knows, from the unpromising circumstances he walked into last November, if the Europa League makes this the seventh trophy-winning campaign out of nine for the Stamford Bridge outfit, he will have nothing to reproach himself for.

"You can always make mistakes but it was not an easy situation at the beginning," he said.

"We have managed it quite well.

"Every day, after every training session, I go home and think we are doing our best.

"For me it is always important to win trophies. If we win it will be easier and people will realise that to be here, at this stage of the competition, means we have done a lot of things well."