Eto’o double enables Chelsea to recover quickly

In the absence of leg injury victim Fernando Torres, who scored twice in the 3-0 win in Gelsenkirchen two weeks ago, Eto’o stepped up as the 2012 European Champions moved on to nine points, three clear of nearest rivals Schalke in the standings with two games to play.

Responding to Saturday’s loss at Newcastle which ended a six-match winning run, Jose Mourinho made six changes as Chelsea returned to Stamford Bridge in the Champions League for the first time since September’s loss to Basle, when they relinquished their near-10-year, 29-match unbeaten home run in the group stages of Europe’s elite competition.

Since that defeat, the Blues had won at Steaua Bucharest and Schalke as part of a run which Mourinho felt might have led to complacency at St James’ Park.

The Portuguese demanded a proactive approach, but it was Schalke who started the better before Chelsea got a lucky break after 31 minutes.

Eto’o, who dispossessed Cardiff goalkeeper David Marshall as he bounced the ball last month to set up Eden Hazard, ran at Timo Hildebrand as the Schalke stopper prepared to fire downfield. Instead Hildebrand kicked it against the striker and saw the ball go into his own net.

There was nothing lucky about the second as Eto’o, previously a Champions League winner with Barcelona and Mourinho’s Inter Milan, converted clinically.

The Blu suffered the ignominy of becoming the first holders to exit the Champions League at the group stage last term, but now face Basle away and Steaua at home with one foot in the next round.

Arsenal battled to a superb 1-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund as a second half goal from Aaron Ramsey proved enough to take all three points away from the Germans’ Westfalenstadion fortress.

Dortmund had come into the Group F encounter searching for an eighth successive home Champions League win and had never lost against English opposition.

Jurgen Klopp’s well-drilled side, who had won 2-1 in London a fortnight ago, dominated for long spells, but were made to pay for not converting their chances when Ramsey nodded home a knockdown from Olivier Giroud on 62 minutes.

Lionel Messi scored twice as Barcelona booked their place in the knockout stages following a 3-1 win over AC Milan.

Messi had not scored in his previous three league matches.