Away results in Europe continue to fall short of those domestically as the Blues were well-beaten in Italy after a promising opening to the game.

Chelsea were three goals down to a reviving Roma before John Terry netted one back - and it is only one win in eight now away from Stamford Bridge in the Champions League, this first defeat on the road under Scolari bringing to an end an 11-game undefeated away game run in all competitions.

To make the evening worse, Deco was sent off with 10 minutes to go and will now serve a one-match ban.

Joining the speculation before the game over whether Totti would be fit for Roma was another big question - would the game even take place?

Throughout the afternoon in the Eternal City, the skies had steadily darkened until about 4pm with it almost pitch black, the rain came down in torrents, accompanied by thunder.

Fresh in local minds was a match in the Stadio Olimpico just a week earlier that had been called off after just six minutes due to a waterlogged pitch, so there were serious concerns that Chelsea could be extending our stay.

Fortunately, on this occasion and despite the rain continuing up to kick-off, it was clear in the warm-up that the surface was playable so it was game on in this fourth round of group matches.

The answer to the sideshow Totti question was yes, Roma's captain would play, as would Panucci in a less familiar left-back role with Riise dropped to the bench.

Left-back was the only Chelsea change - the enforced one with Wayne Bridge coming in. There were no surprises in Scolari's selection.

The steady manner in which the Blues started the game could be measured in the number of extended whistles from the Roma crowd as we retained possession well.

The first corner went to the visitors, as was the first shot on-target - a 25-yard dig from Deco that had Doni scrambling it behind low by his post.

That was on nine minutes. Four minutes later Roma had an attempt of their own, Vucinic hooking over the bar after the Bridge's initial clearing header was returned to the edge of the box.

Chelsea were still looking good. Malouda curled a cross into the box just a little too far ahead of unmarked Anelka.

Joe Cole and Lampard threatened to unpick a tight Roma defensive lock for Anelka on the edge of the area and then Deco and Malouda had shots deflected behind for corners.

Then on 21 minutes Lampard seriously worried Doni with a near-post drive that once again was pushed behind.

Roma when they advanced were finding it tough to get past the formidable Mikel, let alone the Chelsea defence and when one quick pass did expose the backline, an Alex sliding block was enough to thwart Vucinic.

On 29 minutes, Lampard swapped passes with Deco and shot powerfully from 30 yards, Doni saving at full stretch.

Three minutes later, Deco was booked for tripping Totti as the Italian burst past him into space midway inside the Chelsea half, Mikel having lost grip of possession.

It was from that free-kick that the home side took a lead they had scarcely threatened.

Played out wide to the right, the ball was whipped in by unmarked Cicinho to Panucci who was let free by the entire defence to tap in from five yards with Cech helpless. Big questions asked in the Blues backline as the first goal of this European campaign was conceded.

A visionary Mikel pass put Malouda away six minutes before the break but opting not to use Anelka inside him, his blast skewed well, well wide.

Roma appealed a Joe Cole challenge on Pizarro as the break drew close but it was a good challenge, spotted correctly by the ref.

At the half-time whistle the Chelsea players must have been asking themselves how they were behind in a game they were largely controlling. The possession was split 58 per cent to 42 per cent in Blues' favour and until the goal, Roma had not mustered a shot on-target, but in the important statistic, they were ahead.

There were two half-time changes to the Chelsea side - both wide men, Joe Cole and Malouda withdrawn, Belletti and Drogba coming on.

Belletti was to play down the right with Anelka mobile behind Drogba but hopes that would turn the match in the away team's favour were hit hard after only two minutes, Totti poking the ball cleverly through to Brighi who worked a pass to Vucinic. The Montenegro striker, who had involved in the attack out on left before delaying a run, cracked a shot from 20 yards past Cech's dive.

Mistakes had crept into the Chelsea play as pressure bore down and the killer third goal came on 57 minutes as the wheels began to fall off the performance. Mikel had his pocket picked by Vucinic who ran from his own half with our young midfielder giving chase.

As the Roma man approached the area from out wide on the left, Mikel dived into the tackle but Vucinic escaped to drill the ball past Cech and inside the near post. Roma, playing in a half-empty stadium, were now a team reborn.

Lampard and Drogba, the latter with a free-kick, landed shots on-target, but they were comfortable for Doni.

At this point the Blues were looking at our biggest European defeat since a 5-1 extra-time reverse against Barcelona in 2000, or the heaviest in normal time since a 3-0 defeat in Zaragoza 13 years ago.

However Chelsea pulled one back on 75 minutes when the keeper did make a hash of a shot straight at him, Deco's attempt bouncing off to Terry to turn in. The skipper became the joint highest-scoring defender in Chelsea history, not that he would be interested in the fact at that precise moment.

Substitute Baptista went close to re-establishing the margin for Roma with a shot before another body blow came Chelsea's way - Deco dismissed, a second yellow card shown for the misdemeanour of taking a free-kick before the ref was ready.

It took a good Cech block to prevent Vucinic registering a hat-trick with three minutes remaining and Anelka had an attempt deflected wide at the other end - but a dramatic comeback never looked likely.

With a lead of just one point now over Roma and Bordeaux, there is still much work to do in the remaining two games.

Chelsea (4-1-4-1): Cech; Bosingwa (Kalou 62), Alex, Terry (c), Bridge; Mikel; J Cole (Belletti h-t), Deco, Lampard, Malouda (Drogba h-t); Anelka.
Scorer Terry 75
Booked Deco 33
Sent-off Deco 80

Roma (4-1-2-1-2): Doni; Cicinho, Mexes, Juan, Panucci; De Rossi; Perrotta (Taddei 71), Brighi; Pizarro; Totti (Baptista 61), Vucinic (Riise 87).
Scorera Panucci 33, Vucinic 47, 57.
Booked Perotta 67.