The Blues were held to a goalless draw in the first leg in Greece but Avram Grant's men opened the scoring after just six minutes in the second leg when Frank Lampard collected a short throw and lofted a ball in from the left that Michael Ballack expertly headed home at the near post.

The Blues could have been ahead even before that after Jole Cole hit the inside of the post after good work by Didier Drogba. But the offside flag was raised anyway - much to the relief of Drogba who ballooned the rebound high over the bar.

And with 25 minutes on the clock Chelsea had doubled their lead after Ballack's shot on the angle was parried by the goalkeeper Antonios Nikopolidis and into the path of Lampard who made no mistake from close range.

Grant's men made it 3-0 soon after the restart when Lampard's corner from the left was not dealt with and converted from close range by Salomon Kalou (48).

With an hour on the clock sub Fernando Belluschi's free-kick from the edge of the box was the visitors' first effort on goal, but it was easily dealt with by Carlo Cudicini - a late replacement for the injured Petr Cech - before Drogba had a goal ruled out for offside.

Belluschi came closer to scoring with eight minutes remaining but his long range piledriver cannoned back off the bar as Chelsea grabbed a place in the last eight.