Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf has claimed that the club's season "is already over".
The Blues are currently ten points adrift of Manchester City in the Premier League table, while they could be knocked out of the Champions League against Valencia this evening.
Speaking to talkSPORT earlier today, Leboeuf insisted that manager Andre Villas-Boas should sell a number of players before mounting a challenge for major silverware.
"Some players are at the end of the cycle and they really need to get rid of some players to buy new players and start a new generation, a new era," he said. "The [Jose] Mourinho era is over and if Villas-Boas wants to be the 'Special Two' he has to build a new generation.
"I think the season is already over for Chelsea. They have to go into transition this year. They have won the last two games and they still have some hopes but winning the title is going to be very, very hard.
"The goal for Chelsea is either winning the Premier League or the Champions League. I support Chelsea like crazy, I hope they can do something, but you have to be realistic and I think this season will be a black season."
The 43-year-old spent five years with Chelsea up until 2001.