Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas faced a new senior player revolt BEFORE last night's Champions League defeat to Napoli. The Sun says Ashley Cole, Frank Lampard and Michael Essien were dumped to the bench for daring to criticise AVB, even though he invited them to do so.

Villas-Boas held a clear-the-air meeting on Sunday where he asked them for honest opinions on their poor results.

Lampard and Essien were forthright in their views - but it was Cole who spoke out most strongly.

The England left-back told AVB, 'I came here to win medals and trophies, but I'm never going to do that with your tactics'.

Cole is also unhappy as he feels 'like a robot' with Villas-Boas telling him exactly how to play, rather than giving him freedom.

Chelsea's players were infuriated when their three team-mates were put on the bench for speaking out ahead of the Champions League last 16 clash.

The boss even told Cole 'you made it personal'.

England star Cole was further angered when he saw his manager on TV claiming that he had been left out over concerns that he was not fully fit.

Cole underwent gruelling extra fitness training and insisted he was 100 per cent ready to play.

And he made a mockery of AVB's claims when he was called into action after 12 MINUTES following an injury to Jose Bosingwa.