That 2-2 draw against Juventus at Stamford Bridge came back to haunt Chelsea tonight as they thrashed their Danish opponents 6-1 but ended up dumped out of the Champions League.
The events in Ukraine where Shakthar Donesk lost 1-0 to Juventus meant that the mauling of FC Nordsjaelland meant absolutely nothing - except a back-door entry into the unwanted Europa Cup.
Chelsea relinquished their Champions of Europe crown in embarrassing fashion, being the first reigning Champions League holders to fail to get out of the subsequent season's group stage.
The loss of millions of pounds in Champions League revenue will hurt Chelsea as much as their fallen status.
That Chelsea would win this final Group E encounter was not in doubt, but there were still a few twists and turns for the Blues to overcome before dispatching their visitors.
Three penalties in six minutes, two missed enlivened the opening exchanges, but goals from David Luiz (penalty) a brace from Fernando Torres, and a goal a-piece from Gary Chill, Juan Mata and Oscar ensured victory.
Joshua John struck one back for the visitors after the restart to give some semblance of competition to make it 2-1.
It took just four minutes for the Chelsea fans to call for their fallen manager Roberto Di Matteo.
Perhaps it was the lacklustre start the home side that forced the fans into an early rendition.
The Blues, however go their act together quite quickly and on nine minutes, and against 10 men, Ashley Cole sent in a crisp left byline cross and in-running Victor Moses produced a fine right-footer on the angle of the six-yard box. The ball arrowed towards goal, but Jesper Hansen produced an fine save.
The Danish goalkeeper was in action a minute later thwarting Fernando Torres. FC Nordsjaelland had made their substitution replacing injured Ivan Runje for Mikkel Beckmann on eight minutes.
The expected Di Matteo chant echoed round the stadium on 16 minutes as predictable as a season without trophies for Arsenal.
In response, as if to show he did not hear it, Rafael Benitez, jumped up from his seat and waved a mythical tactical command to no one in particular.
The luck had certainly deserted the Blues on 20 minutes when Victor Moses, lively on the right sent in a low byline cross. The ball missed any Chelsea player but bounced off
Nicolai Stokholm shin and scrapped the visitors' crossbar.
In reply the Danes had two long-range shots on goal, the first from Kasper Lorentzen inched past Petr Cech's left post,the second another long one from Enoch Adu, which Cech held comfortably.
What bad luck the Blues had attacking they had a stroke of fortune at the other end, when on 30 minutes Stokholm had a strike on goal, it hit the outstretched right arm of Gary Cahill.
Referee Bas Nijhuis, from Belgium pointed to the penalty spot despite it looking as if the handball was outside the area.
Stokholm took the kick himself and Cech produced a fine save, diving to his right.
Incredibly, on the next Blues attack, they were awarded a penalty when substitute Beckmann handled a Cahill header. This one was a clear-cut decision the ref got right.
But it seemed no one wanted to score as Eden Hazard's low drive was expertly saved by Hansen.
However on 38 minutes Chelsea were given a second penalty. Juan Mata smacked the ball towards goal from the edge of the area, it hit Adu's hand as the player and ref
Nijhuis did what he does best, point to the spot. It was a dubious decision as it looked like a ball-to -hand effort.
This time David Luiz stepped up and thumped the ball high into the net past Hansen to give Chelsea a deserved lead.
With confidence now flowing through the home side, it was inevitably that Torres would get one chance to shine, and it did it on the stroke of half-time to double the lead.
The Spain striker raced through onto Moses pass. His shot truck Hansen on the shin, rebounded back to him and he cooly lofted the ball into the empty net.
Hansen was also clattered by Torres's trailing leg, to add insult to injury. It was the last kick of the half.
Almost straight from the restart, Nordsjaelland scored to restore the jitters of the home crowd.
A fine through ball, by Mario Ticinovic, caught Branislav Ivanovic napping and Joshua John nipped in behind the right-back and clipped the all past a prone Cech.
The goal-scoring just continued as the Blues restored their two-goal lead on 51 minutes.
A free-kick was awarded to Chelsea wide on the right.
Mata produced a fine curler which was met with force by Cahill's head. The ball looped over Hansen and into the net. News then filtered through that Juventus had taken the lead In Shakthar.
That news had not got to the Chelsea plays as they went in search of more goals. And one duly came from the shin of Torres on 56 minutes.
The striker was quick to attack a fine byline pass by Hazard and tucked the ball home from close range.
The fifth came seven minutes later. Mata produced a fine one-two with Hazard. The Spain midfielder first saw his left -footer stopped by Hansen but was quick to follow-up and slot home.
Rafa Benitez had brought on Ryan Bertrand and Oscar for a run out and the Brazil midfielder got in on the act with 19 minutes to go. Receiving the ball from live-wire Mata,
Oscar thumped the ball home past Hansen from just inside the Danish area for number six.
Paulo Ferreira came off the bench to replace Mata three minutes later, allowing Luiz to move out of centre-back and occupy a holding midfield position, which many Chelsea observers suggest might be his best position.
Ivanovic moved out from right-back to occupy the vacated centre-back position.
Hansen produced a good save on 80 minutes tipping over the crossbar an edge of area effort from Oscar.
The match petered out as Chesea ran down the clock.
It's now the Europa Cup and Thursday nights that will occupy the thoughts of the Chelsea faithful and league action which see the Blues face a tricky tie away to Sunderland on Saturday.
Teams Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cole, Luiz, Romeu, Ramires, Torres, Mata, Moses, Hazard, Cagphill
Subs: Turnbull, Oscar, Mikel, Ferreira, Marin, Azpilicueta, Bertran
FC Nordsjalland: Hansen, Christiansen, Adu, Stokholm, Mtiliga, John, Gundelach, Lorentzen, Runje, Ticinovic
Subs: Raagaard Jensen, Kildentoft, Beckmann, Laudrup, Issah, Lindbergh, Maxso
Referee: Ben Nijhuis Ends