Chelsea No2 Eddie Newton says the squad's experience was key to winning the Champions League.

Newton says that from the moment Roberto Di Matteo took over on March 4 and called him, the plan was simple: to use the experience in the dressing room to get the best from what was left of the season.

Newton told the Mail on Sunday: "I don't want to write anyone off because even some of the senior players can still have important roles at Chelsea for seasons ahead. But Lamps is 33, JT is 31, Drogba is 34 and it was always going to be his last season at Chelsea. Ashley Cole is 31, Paulo Ferreira is 33, Meireles is 29.

"If you accept that the peak years of a footballer are 27 to 30 and that you're at least in the later stages of your career once you hit 30, then it's not a surprise that some of these players are wondering whether these occasions are their last big shot at something."