Judged one way, Chelsea's win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Saturday might be nothing more edifying than a victory for the deepest pockets. But for all those football fans who love to hate the west London club for being the first of the really big spenders, there is another story to consider. Looked at from a certain angle, in fact, the win at the Allianz stadium was the triumph of the underdog.

Joy for Russian billionaire who sees his huge investment finally repaid in thrilling circumstances

Whether or not Manchester City win the Premier League today, the club's rise has been spectacular. When Sheikh Mansour took over, the team were languishing. Just four years later, their performance could not be more different. The secret? The £1bn that the Abu Dhabi billionaire has splashed out on players, with no thought for his spiralling losses.

There is no certainty at Chelsea that Roberto Di Matteo will be offered the manager's job in the long term, even if he wins the Champions League final on 19 May having eliminated Barcelona in such dramatic circumstances on Tuesday night.

The 'interim first team coach' knows that the next Chelsea manager could well be the man he beat in that epic semi-final – Pep Guardiola

Metals companies are in talks with black empowerment groups over teaming up to bid for the South African steel manufacturing assets of mining giant Anglo American.

Under their interim manager the Blues face key FA Cup and Premier League ties

The Chelsea striker who thinks too much and scores too few may need an analyst's help – and a return to Atletico Madrid where it all began – to find the net

Roberto Di Matteo's first team selection as Chelsea's interim manager last night was unremarkable in as much as it was the same XI, bar one, that had been fortunate to deny Birmingham City the win at Stamford Bridge in that might have brought the reign of Andre Villas-Boas to an even earlier end.

Wenger: We will give it our best

When you buy a football club as a personal playpen, somewhere to wander in and out of whenever the whim takes you, there is a very good chance a lot of the toys are going to be smashed.

It seems it escaped Villas-Boas too that footballers are not clockwork items

Chelsea manager says Abramovich should not offer public support after defeat at West Brom