Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport released pictures of the alleged Chelsea lineup hours before the European encounter in Italy, after securing the tactics sheet from the Blues' hotel. The leaked note caused uproar prior to the game but, as it transpired, neither Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Ashley Cole or John Terry started the match as indicated. However, the under-fire boss, who was lambasted for his choice of side in the aftermath of the 3-1 defeat in Naples, said the team was simply one of many that they had in reserve. “We always try different formations,” Villas-Boas told reporters. “It wasn’t going to be the definite formation. We try different options, but it was our mistake." The Portuguese boss stopped short of criticising Napoli for the incident, though, and laid the blame for the note becoming public solely at the feet of the hotel that the club stayed at. He added: "We left it behind. The people in the hotel could have done their work and thrown it away in the trash, but they didn’t do that. That’s their fault."
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