Chelsea will play in the quarter-finals for the fifth time in six Champions League campaigns after a straight-forward victory.

Safe passage to the last eight never looked in doubt from the moment Michael Ballack nodded a fourth minute opener. With Olympiacos falling well below the standard of their non-stop vociferous supporters, Frank Lampard and Salomon Kalou put the result beyond all doubt.

The only blemish on a comfortable night was three bookings suffered when the score was already 3-0. It will be hoped those don't come back to haunt us.

A good night began with a shock before kick-off with the news that Petr Cech was ruled out through injury. Carlo Cudicini deputised. In the only other change from the side that beat West Ham so well, Didier Drogba replaced Nicolas Anelka up front.

Chelsea, keen to ease the tension with an early goal, hit the woodwork through Joe Cole after just two minutes - although the wide right man had been flagged offside, the ball coming his way after Drogba was challenged when shaping to shoot.

The good opening continued. Ashley Come forced a corner with four minutes on the clock and it was from a Cole throw seconds later that the Blues scored.

Given short to Lampard, his cross found Ballack at the near post to head home with his marker trailing in his wake. As at the weekend, the two world-renowned midfielders had combined to great effect.

The Blues were causing all sorts of difficulties to the right side of the Greeks' defence with Ashley Cole racing up at every opportunity. One rapid fire exchange between the two Coles made ammunition for Drogba but his first time shot flew over.

Even Makelele was joining the attack, forcing a 19th minute save from Nikopolidis.

The near-inevitable second goal came from a poor clearance by an under pressure Olympiacos defence.

Lampard, with characteristic anticipation, was on hand to capitalise when the keeper spilled Ballack's shot after Makelele and Terry had headed the ball back towards goal. Think Frank's goal in the famous win here against Barcelona for a comparison. Like Ballack, his was his first in the Champions League this season. With 24 minutes gone, the tie was all but over.

A barnstorming run down the inside left channel by John Terry looked to have presented Ballack witb a golden chance for his second from the edge of the box but the German missed his kick, Joe Cole's follow-up travelling well over.

The half ended quietly and safely. For a good counter-attacking side, Olympiacos simply weren't keeping the ball long enough to make it close to the Chelsea area.

The third goal was threatened after just minute of the second-half, Lampard's shot blocked after Drogba's lay-off, the in-form Joe Cole having found the Ivorian with an excellent launched pass.

Lampard took the set-piece, defended disastrously by the continually chaotic Olympiacos defence. It bounced under Carvalho's jump after it cleared the front post gaggle, Kalou converting from a yard out. He too broke his Euro duck for the season.

Lampard then dragged a shot wide when he was odds-on to hit the target.

On the hour mark, Olympiacos registered their first shot on-target, a free-kick from Belluschi that missed the wall but was safely pouched by Cudicini. Shortly after came their first corner.

At the other end, it took two saves from the Nikopolidis in a minute to keep the score to 3-0, the first from Joe Cole after he won the race for a long ball, the second from Makelele after some neat footwork. A minute later, Lampard was cautioned for simulation after he was unbalanced in the box. As on Saturday, it was a decision that left our vice-captain despairing.

Ferreira followed into the book for a bodycheck as the game became messy as it approached the final 10 minutes.

The relaxed Stamford Bridge crowd was given a jolt on 82 minutes when out of nowhere, Belluschi arced a shot onto the bar from 35 yards with Cudicini rooted.

Terry then gave a foul on the edge of the box and was carded, Olympiacos bringing out the best from the keeper with a save from the free-kick and then a block from Antzas's follow-up header. The home support enjoyed that, as they had another good victory by Avram Grant's side who now look back on track.

Chelsea (4-3-3) Cudicini, Ferreira, Terry (c) Carvalho, A Cole; Ballack, Makelele, Lampard (Essien 75); J Cole (Wright-Phillips 78), Drogba, Kalou (Malouda 70).
Scorers Ballack 4, Lampard 24, Kalou 46
Booked Lampard 69, Ferreira 79, Terry 82.

Olympiacos (4-5-1) Nikopolidis; Pantos, Julio César, Antzas, Zewlakow; Djordjevic (Leonardo 56), Stoltidis, Ledesma (Belluschi 52), Patsatzoglou, Torosidis (Sisic 75); Kovacevic.
Booked Pantos 6.

The game can be seen in full on Chelsea TV from 11pm on Thursday with highlight on Chelsea Plus.