For those who aren't too familiar with football in the 20th century, it will come as a surprise to learn that Chelsea have not always been one of Europe's biggest clubs.
Before Roman Abramovich's takeover in 2003, there was a time where the cash-strapped club, led by controversial owner Ken Bates, were certainly on the rise but were forced to accept the limitations that were upon them.
The reality was that they simply could not compete with the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal, who boasted world-class players such as David Beckham and Dennis Bergkamp.
While the other clubs had quality in all areas of the pitch, Chelsea's ageing squad was filled with veterans who were at the end of their glittering careers; Marcel Desailly and Gianluca Vialli to name a few, with Gianfranco Zola unquestionably the standout player.
Back then, winning the title was never an option. In fact, they never got near it; the Blues only qualified for the Champions League twice before Roman Abramovich took over, and that was classed as a major achievement at the time.
Of course, they did participate in Europe, qualifying for the UEFA Cup on numerous occasions. As a result, they traveled to the unknown quarters of Israel's capital Tel Aviv, only to lose to the city's top side, Hapoel Tel Aviv, 3-1, crashing out of the competition.
Embarrassing as it may be, if you asked a Chelsea follower whether they were satisfied about their progress in the UEFA Cup, they're unlikely to give you anything more than a nonchalant shrug. So why would it be any different now it has been named in the more corporate sense "Europa League"?
Chelsea never won the competition while it was in existence, but did beat Real Madrid in the European Cup Winners' Cup after overcoming Stuttgart 1-0 thanks to a superb Zola strike. And that was about as close as they came to European greatness before their stunning Champions League triumph last year.
There was, however, one competition where they had always experienced a lot of joy, and that was the FA Cup.
In the 1997 FA Cup Final, Chelsea took on Middlesbrough, then managed by Bryan Robson. It was a hotly contested affair, but one which was settled within 44 seconds of kickoff when Roberto Di Matteo (remember that name?) broke forward and struck a thunderbolt from 25 yards that crashed off the underside of the bar and into the net.
It was a great moment in Chelsea's history, and arguably one which was the platform for future successes. Just three years later, the West London club were back at Wembley in the FA Cup Final, this time against Aston Villa, and won 1-0 once again.
You may question why I am reminiscing with such nostalgia about the "old" Chelsea. Well, it's because it's all relative. It links the new, global Chelsea to the old, overachieving Blues. And with so many Blues fans longtime followers, it's no surprise to discover that they too look back on the times where they achieved so much with so little resources.
Chelsea love the FA Cup. It is after all a competition they have won seven times, with four of those victories coming in the last seven years. And they are the only club who can boast winning the last FA Cup at the "Old Wembley" while also claiming victory in the first at the new stadium in 2007.
They won the Champions League for the first time in their history, and to win another European competition would be a small success, but knowing it would forever remain in the shadow of the glorious triumph in Munich is what puts Rafa Benitez off going all-out to win it.
The Spaniard is intelligent enough, or so it seems, to recognize that, and has widened his focus onto more than one competition as a result. The club are sitting in fourth position in the Premier League and have an upcoming Europa League tie against Steaua Bucharest where they trail 1-0 from the first leg.
In addition to that, they have also secured an FA Cup Sixth Round Replay against Manchester United, after drawing 2-2 at Old Trafford on Sunday. The very fact that Benitez opted to rest Juan Mata and Ramires against Steaua Bucharest, playing Yossi Benayoun and John Obi Mikel instead, showed his relaxed approach to the continental competition.
Playing the key men against Manchester United in the FA Cup, on the other hand, highlights his efforts to pull out all of the stops to at least achieve a replay.
The Blues' hierarchy, namely Ron Gourlay and Bruce Buck, may argue that the prize money, exposure and opportunity to win the European Super Cup makes the Europa League a more lucrative chance to salvage a poor season for Chelsea. And more importantly, a trophy for a manager who was most unpopular when appointed would silence a few critics.
The fans, though, will argue winning the FA Cup reminds them of the dark days when they had no money, no success and no hope, except for winning the highly-coveted FA Cup.
And no man, regardless of how powerful they are, can take those memories away from them.
Read more Chelsea news on BleacherReport.com
~Bleacher Report - Chelsea~Read more... Why Chelsea Fans Would Rather Win the FA Cup Than Europa League
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