Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech says the Blues will go all out to win the Europa League after crashing out of the Champions League at the group stages.
Rafa Benitez's men became the first Champions League holders to exit the competition at the first hurdle on Wednesday, despite a thumping 6-1 win over Nordsjaelland.
Despite beating the Danish champions Chelsea ended up finishing third in Group E as their result was made irrelevant by Juventus' victory at Shakhtar Donetsk.
The Blues had made at least the quarter-finals of Europe's premier club competition in five of the last six years but will now have to be content with a place in the Europa League.
The early exit from the Champions League marks a sharp decline in the English club's fortunes, Roberto Di Matteo having guided them to their first European Cup just seven months ago.
Despite a bitterly disappointing night Cech is trying to stay positive by insisting it might have been better to be knocked out in the group stages, rather than the last-16 given the consolation of Europa League football.
"If you go out in the last 16 or quarter-finals, or in the group stage, for me there is no difference,” he said.
“We will play the Europa League, so we are still in European competition and we can finish the year with a major trophy.
“So, let’s focus on the league and then when the Europa League starts, we could play that already as Club World Cup champions.”
Chelsea are 8.50 to win the Europa League and will find out who they will face in the next round of that competition on December 20.
Before the European action resumes in February Benitez's men have plenty of challenges to overcome, starting with Saturday's trip to Sunderland.
The Stamford Bridge outfit are 1.72 to pick up their first Premier League win under Benitez, while the Black Cats are 4.75 and the draw is 3.75.
Don't forget, all Premier League matches are covered by the bet365 100% Euro Soccer Bonus, where you could earn a bonus of up to 100% on your returns on pre-match accumulator bets.
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