Chelsea must prioritise FA Cup as they near the end of tumultuous season

Chelsea's agonising exit from the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid on Tuesday came with the feeling that an era was ending. Not only was their reign as European champions finished, but it was also likely to be Chelsea's final match in the competition under the ownership of Roman Abramovich.

But putting the pain of being knocked out of Europe aside - as well as the worries over the club's future as one of the continent's most successful sides that Abramovich's impending exit is generating - the aggregate defeat to Real also left Chelsea with just one remaining realistic route to silverware this season.

The points gap to Premier League title-chasers Manchester City and Liverpool is in double digits with just eight games remaining, meaning that success in the FA Cup is surely the only way that Thomas Tuchel's side can add to the European Super Cup and Club World Cup they won earlier this season.

Of Chelsea's three potential semi-final opponents when the draw was made, Crystal Palace were likely the pick of the bunch, but victory at Wembley is far from certain given the Eagles' resurgence under Patrick Vieira. And even if Chelsea are able to negotiate their way into a third successive FA Cup final, they would almost certainly go into the game as underdogs against Liverpool.

Nevertheless, lifting the cup and ensuring they don't end the season without a domestic trophy for the fourth successive season must now be a priority. But would doing so be enough to guarantee that the campaign goes down as a successful one?

Their status as European champions, the promise of a first full season under Tuchel and the return of club-record signing Romelu Lukaku meant Chelsea entered the campaign with genuine hope of launching