Cjelsea have only gone and won the bleeding thing.
The Blues are Europa Cup champions thanks to a last-gasp winner from
Branislav Ivanovic's which created history for the SW6 side who hold both the Champions League and the Europa Cup.
Chelsea did not play well, but did enough to stifle a vibrant Benfica in the Amsterdam Arena tonight to run out 2-1 winners.
They took the lead on 59 minutes through a fine solo effort by misfiring Fernando Torres, before being pegged back eight minutes later when Oscar Cardozo rammed home a penalty after Cesar Azpilicueta needlessly handled in his area.
With the game edging inexorably into extra time, the Blues took one more deep breath and tried a counter-attack.
The best they got was a corner. But like an Exocet missile, Mata's trusty left foot sent the ball screaming across the Benfica six-yard line. Up at the back post rose the Serbia centre-back Ivanovic. The ball arched toward the net and dipped deliciously under the crossbar and into the net.
This was not a vintage Chlsea performance. For long periods they were simply outplayed by their Portuguse opponents.
Perhaps the 69th game in a marathon season was finally catching up to them.
They simply failed to start the game with any tempo of note.
Benfica had a shout for a penalty after just four minutes, when after relentless possession, the Portuguese side inched their way into the Chelsea penalty area.
A shot came across the six--yard box, and Garry Cahill dived forward to intercept it.
But the centre-back in fact chested the ball away and referee Bjorne Kuipers made the correct decision.
With Fernando Torres limping from an earlier challenge, Ramires was sent sprawling under a hefty challenge from ex-Blue Nemanja Matic as Benfica set their stall out to dominate on the ball possession and off the ball one-on-ones.
The Blues in the opening exchanges were a hopeless mess and had Benfica had a cutting edge that matched their approach play, then they would be two up within the first 10 minutes.
Thankfully it wasn't.
Chelsea's frustration was evident when Oscar, on 13 minutes, appeared to hack down
Enzo Perez and received a yellow card for his efforts.
From the resultant free kick the Eagles should have scored but, incredibly the Blues rearguard held out with some last-ditch, clearance.
Chelsea's only legitimate response was to slow the game down and try to retain possession in their own half. This had the desired effect of halting Benfica's dominance.
It resulted in the Blues' first effort of goal, on 26 minutes, through a speculative 25-yarder from Oscar.
Nicolas Gaitan had a fine effort on 32 minutes to put Benfica ahead but after incisive build-up play the wide man sliced a left-footer from just inside the Chelsea penalty area, wide of Cech's goal.
But, as ever, while a goal hasn't gone in, then the Blues are liable to nick one and Frank Lampard almost did so seven minutes from the break. A trademark right-footed blaster from the edge of the Benfica forced the goalkeeper Artur into a smart save, punching the ball clear of danger.
A brilliantly headed clearance by Cahill on 41 minutes saw him get ahead of Oscar Cardoza as an inch-effect ball was arrowed into the six-yard box. A corner was conceded when a goal looked the most likely outcome.
The first Benifica player to enter Kuiper's book was Ezequiel Garary on the stroke of half-time as he hauled back Oscar.
No changes were made to personal at half-time, but it was by much a repeat of the first with Benifica in the front foot.
They thought they had taken the lead within six minutes of the restart but Cardozo was adjudged to have been offside as he dispatched the ball past Cech.
Chelsea, incredibly and wholly against the run of play opened the scoring on 59 minutes and it was Fernando Torres who did the damage.
A long throw out by Cech saw Mata knock the ball on to Torres.
The striker, who up until this point was a virtual passenger decided to act like a striker and on a one-on one with Luisao out-muscled the centre-back.
He then rounded Artur and without having to think, clipped home a fine right-footer from an acute angle and into the net.
Luisao then entered the book for hacking down his nemesis a couple of minutes later as the Blues grew in confidence.
Benfica boss Jorge Jesus opted then to make two changes, replacing Rodrigo and Melgarejo for Lima and Ola John.
It worked a treat as within 60 seconds, Benfica had levelled through the penalty spot kick of Cardozo after Cesar Azpilicueta handled in the Chelsea box.
In truth it was no more than the Portugal side deserved.
Torres claimed a penalty with 16 mi uses of the final remaining, tumbling over in the six-yard box under a robust challenge from Luisao. But Kuipers dismissed any suggestions of a foul and TV replays confirmed that Torres went to ground very easily.
Garay limped off the pitch to be replaced by Jardel on 78 minutes.
Cardozo, a constant thorn in the Chelsea defence produced a piece of individual magic with nine minutes to go, when he shot from long-range. Thankfully Cech was alert to the dipping effort and tipped the ball over his crossbar.
The Blues, while outclassed, still posed a threat on the counter-attack and Ramires was guilty of over hitting the ball while n full stride. Had he had the ball closer and under control he might have done better when he finally shot from inside the Benfica area.
Lampard almost won it for the Londoners with three minutes on the clock, but his 25-yard right-footed blaster ricocheted off Artur's crossbar.
Deep into added time and Chelsea got a corner. Mata swung a corner and at the far post, up rose Branislav Ivanovic to loop his header back across goal, over the hapless Artur and into the far corner of his net.
A last-gasp lunging dive by Cahill and a tip away by Cech was the last action and the referee blew his whistle to give Chelsea victory.
This was not he European trophy that Roman Abramovich had desired. He had wanted a successful defence of the Champions League won, in dramatic circumstances last May in Munich against Bayern Munich.
But the Blues had limped into the Europa Cup by finishing third in their group stage.
The fact they took it seriously was testament to the doggedness instilled in them by Interim manager Rafa Benitez.
Benitez will leave Chelsea a Europa Cup winner. Will he ever win over the Chelsea fans.
If this victory does not do it, then nothing ever will.
Teams.
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cole, Luiz, Ramires, Lampard, Torres, Mata, Oscar, Cahill, Azpilicueta
Subs: Turnbull, Mikel, Moses, Ferreira, Marin, Benayoun, Ake
Benfica: Artur, Luisao, Cardozo, Salvio, Rodrigo, Gaitan, Matic, Garay, Melgarejo, Alemeida, Perez
Subs: Lopes, Aimar, Lima, John, Urreta, Jardel, Gomes
Referee
Bjorn Kuipers - Netherlands
Attendance: 46,163