Chelsea have reached the last 16 of the Europa League after Eden Hazard's stunning strike in the 92nd minute salvaged a 1-1 draw against Sparta Prague at Stamford Bridge for a 2-1 aggregate success.
Just nine months on from winning the Champions League, the west Londoners only just managed to overcome the side third in the Czech top flight at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea 1-1 Sparta Prague
Soccer - UEFA Europa League - Round of 16 - Second Leg - Chelsea v Sparta Prague - Stamford Bridge(01 of39)
Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates scoring their first goal of the game to win his side the tie, with team-mate Cesar Azpilicueta (centre) (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates scoring his side's first goal (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates scoring his side's first goal (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates scoring their first goal of the game to win his side the tie (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's Eden Hazard scores their first goal of the game to win his side the tie (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates scoring his side's first goal (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's Eden Hazard scores his side's first goal (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates scoring his side's first goal (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's Marek Matejovsky (left) and Chelsea's Emboaba Oscar battle for the ball (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's Fernando Torres through on goal (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's Matej Hybs (right) and Chelsea's Victor Moses battle for the ball (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's Marek Matejovsky (left) and Chelsea's Emboaba Oscar battle for the ball (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's Vaclav Kadlec (right) and Chelsea's Juan Mata battle for the ball (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's Lukas Vacha (left) evades a challenge from Chelsea's Fernando Torres as they battle for the ball (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's Vaclav Kadlec (left) and Chelsea's Juan Mata (right) battle for the ball (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's Ladislav Krejci and Chelsea's Victor Moses (left) battle for the ball (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's Victor Moses, left defends the ball from Sparta Prague's Matej Hybs during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez gestures on the touchline (credit:PA)
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Referee Aleksandar Staavrev shows the yellow card to Sparta Prague's David Lafata after he fouled Chelsea's Ramires, who lies on the pitch, during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Chelsea's Juan Mata, No 10, goes for the ball with Sparta Prague's Ladislav Krejci during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Chelsea's Fernando Torres lifts himself off the ground after falling to connect to a cross as he plays against Sparta Prague during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Chelsea's John Obi Mikel, right chests the ball away from Sparta Prague's Vaclav Kadlec during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Chelsea's Ramires, right, heads the ball away from Sparta Prague's Marek Matejovsky during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Chelsea's Oscar, left, shoots at goal as he plays against Sparta Prague during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Chelsea's Fernando Torres, left controls the ball under pressure from Sparta Prague's Ondrej Svejdik during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Chelsea's Ryan Bertrand, left, goes for the ball with Sparta Prague's Vaclav Kadlec during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Sparta Prague's Vaclav Kadlec, left, tries to shoot against Chelsea during their Europa League round of 32, second leg soccer match at Stamford Bridge ground in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:AP)
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Chelsea's Fernando Torres, left, attempts to get to the ball as Sparta Prague's goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik blocks during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Sparta Prague's players celebrate with their teammate David Lafata, obscured, after he scored against Chelsea during their Europa League round of 32, second leg soccer match at Stamford Bridge ground in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:AP)
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Sparta Prague's David Lafata, left, celebrates after he scored against Chelsea during their Europa League round of 32, second leg soccer match at Stamford Bridge ground in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:AP)
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Sparta Prague's David Lafata, second right celebrates after scoring a goal against Chelsea during their Europa League, round of 32, second leg soccer match between Chelsea and Sparta Prague at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge stadium in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) (credit:AP)
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Sparta Prague's Matej Hybs and Chelsea's Fernando Torres (left) battle for the ball in the air (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's Mario Holek tackles Chelsea's Fernando Torres (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's players celebrate with their teammate David Lafata, obscured, after he scored against Chelsea during their Europa League round of 32, second leg soccer match at Stamford Bridge ground in London, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (credit:AP)
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Sparta Prague's David Lafata (left) turns to celebrate after scoring their first goal of the game (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's David Lafata (third left) celebrates with team-mates after scoring their first goal of the game (credit:PA)
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Sparta Prague's Marek Matejovsky and Chelsea's Mikel (behind) battle for the ball (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's interim manager Rafael Benitez (credit:PA)
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Chelsea's interim manager Rafael Benitez (credit:PA)
The visitors had levelled the tie when David Lafata struck in the 17th minute, but substitute Hazard grabbed the all-important goal to avoid extra time and, more pertinently, the potential of an embarrassing Europa League exit on home turf.