You are history, Ranieri

Feelings were still running high yesterday, with one player saying: 'Claudio made a complete cock-up,' and another calling him 'a ****head'.

Until Tuesday, Ranieri had retained the support of his players but the manner of the defeat, and a run of three Premiership games without a win, has sealed his fate.

Mourinho is due to meet Abramovich and chief executive Peter Kenyon to discuss taking over at Chelsea once his club's Champions League semi- final with Deportivo La Coruna is over.

The Chelsea chiefs met Mourinho's agent, Isuo Jorge Mendes, in Setubal on Monday. It was agreed that talks with the Portuguese coach will take place within the next two weeks. Kenyon did not deny an approach. 'We do a lot of things all over the place,' he said.

Porto president Nuno Pinto Da Costa has filed an official protest about Chelsea with FIFA. He claims Abramovich is attempting to entice the coach to break his contract. Kenyon denies any knowledge of a complaint.

If Abramovich is impressed by Mourinho, the man who won the UEFA Cup last season will be offered - and will accept - a five-year contract at £4.5m a season.

Marcel Desailly is likely to be banned for three games at a UEFA disciplinary hearing into his elbowing of Fernando Morientes on Tuesday.

Abramovich had promised to double their win bonuses after beating Arsenal in the previous round and Lazio in the group stages.

That, however, is in breach of UEFA regulations and Chelsea officials must now inform their players that as well as losing in Monaco, they are also out of pocket.