By TIM BOOTH
updated 11:04 a.m. ET July 18, 2012
SEATTLE - If it's possible to ignore a disappointing sixth-place finish in the Premier League, then Chelsea's 2011-12 season has to be counted among the finest in club history.
FA Cup title? Check. A first Champions League crown, and in dramatic fashion? Check.
Embroiled in drama both on and off the field, the Blues will try to move forward from the roller coaster of last season when their preseason American tour begins on Wednesday night with an exhibition against the Seattle Sounders.
The short offseason has nearly matched the commotion of the entire 2011-12 season. From striker Didier Drogba leaving to play in China, to manager Roberto Di Matteo having the interim tag removed, to John Terry being cleared of racially abusing an opponent, it's been a busy couple of months at Stamford Bridge.
Throw in the signings of midfielders Eden Hazard from Lille and Marko Marin from Werder Bremen and it hasn't left much time for the Blues to fully appreciate what they accomplished at the end of last season.
"The belief was always there. ... Last season, besides from not competing as much as we could have done in the Premier League, it was a fantastic season," Chelsea defender Gary Cahill said. "It was a great season and hopefully we can continue that into this year."
Just how rare was what Chelsea accomplished? Thanks to Drogba's clinching shootout penalty kick in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich, Chelsea became the first English club since Liverpool in 1981 to win a domestic cup title and the championship of Europe in the same season, without winning the league title. Manchester United won the FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League in 1999.
Winning two cups by the end of the season was amazing, Cahill said. "So we need to push on from that. It's nice to be involved in all the competitions as we (were) and hopefully we can compete more in the Premier League this season as well."
The Blues will be without five of their biggest names for the first stop of a four-game American tour that will feature the first soccer match at the new Yankee Stadium against Paris Saint-Germain, a match with the MLS All-Stars in Philadelphia and a final exhibition versus AC Milan in Miami.
Spanish star Fernando Torres, who helped Spain win the European Championship earlier this month, and Portugal's Raul Meireles will join the tour later. As will French midfielder Flourent Malouda and the English defensive duo of Ashley Cole and Terry.
It was just last Friday that Terry was cleared of racially abusing an opponent. He was accused by Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand of using racial obscene language during a Premier League match last October. While Terry was cleared in the courts, he still may face punishment from the English Football Association after it concludes its own investigation.
Even Ferdinand could receive punishment after both he and Terry admitted during the court case to using obscene language during the Premier League match that led to the trial.
It's unclear when the five players will join the tour, although they are expected to play at some point in the American tour.
Meanwhile, striker Daniel Sturridge (Britain), defender Ryan Bertrand (Britain) and midfielder Juan Mata (Spain) are playing for their respective countries at the Olympics. That creates an opportunity for some younger players to impress Di Matteo ahead of Chelsea's Premier League opener on Aug. 19 at Wigan.
"Hopefully, I can make my mark and impress (Roberto)," said 19-year-old midfielder Josh McEachran, who already has 22 appearances for the Blues.
The match against Chelsea is the conclusion of a hectic month for the Sounders. They get a 10-day break after Wednesday's exhibition and hope this match against a Premier League club is less embarrassing than their last.
A year ago, Seattle hosted Manchester United in its lone international exhibition and it was a competitive match for one half. But as Seattle subbed in its reserves in the second half, Man United brought on the likes of Wayne Rooney and Ji-Sung Park and a 1-0 halftime game turned into a 7-0 United rout.
Coach Sigi Schmid and general manager Adrian Hanauer said afterward that they would reevaluate how to handle major international exhibitions in the future. Schmid said Tuesday it helps this time that the Sounders don't have a game this weekend and can play their starters more.
"The lasting impact is you don't want to have that happen again. That's the whole thing," Schmid said.
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Follow Tim Booth on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ByTimBooth
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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