They may have taken a slightly different route this year, but Chelsea are on the march in the UEFA Youth League once again.
Twice winners of this continental under-19 competition, their 3-0 defeat to Barcelona in last year's final really smarted but they're well on their way to a crack at redemption.
Two Charlie Brown goals - taking the forward's tally to 11 in this season's competition - and one from Conor Gallagher eased them past Monaco and into the last-16, where they will be reunited with Europe's big names.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech returned to Cobham to watch the UEFA Youth League
Chelsea's Under-19 side had Charlie Brown to thank as he hit a brace in a 3-1 win over Monaco
A fine performance got better when Conor Gallagher made it 3-0 during the second half
It was a match that caught the attention Cesar Azpilicueta and Ethan Ampadu (bottom row)
Even club legend Petr Cech, watching on, would have struggled to stop Brown's second, a glorious 30-yard thunderbolt.
The Youth League's 'Domestic Champions Path' may have been unfamiliar territory for Chelsea but it proved to be easier labour.
This was only their fifth match of the campaign as opposed to six in the 'Champions League Path' and their opponents hitherto had been football's equivalent of shooting fish in a barrel.
They'd stuffed 14 goals past Norwegians Molde over two legs - including a 10-1 win at home - and then struck nine past Swedes Elfsborg in the second round.
Monaco finished second in their group but struggled to effectively trouble Chelsea defenders
So this represented their first proper test, a Monaco side who'd finished second to Atletico Madrid in their group, having lost home and away to the Spaniards.
Given Chelsea's decline under Maurizio Sarri, the seniors may miss out on the Champions League again next season, meaning Chelsea's youth team would have to retain their Under-18 Premier League crown to qualify.
Chelsea: Cumming; Colley (c), Guehi, Maatsen; Lamptey (Lawrence 83), Gallagher, McEachran, Gilmour, Familio-Castillo; Brown, Redan
Subs not used: Ziger (GK); Mola, S. McClelland, Lavinier, Nunn, Russell
Coach: Joe Edwards
Scorers: Brown 41, 56; Gallagher 78
Booked: Gallagher
Monaco: Henin; Biancone, Matsima, Panzo, Silva (c); Zerkane (El Maach 89), Thuram-Ulien, Millot, Navarro (Duah-Adusei 79); Geubbels (Antognelli 21), Foster
Subs not used: Abonnel (GK); Yaffa, Torres
Coach: Frederic Barilaro
Scorer: Thuram-Ulien 85
Booked: Silva, Thuram-Ulien
Referee: Vilhjalmur Thorarinsson (Iceland)
They currently trail leaders Arsenal by six points in the southern section, so there's a
