Paolo Di Canio’s first game in charge of Sunderland was given such a build-up that some must have turned up to Stamford Bridge expecting a Nuremberg rally, not a football match.

In the end, it was a routine home win for Chelsea, with masked crusader Fernando Torres turning in a good performance.

Since breaking his nose in the 73rd minute of the Europa League game against Steaua Bucharest at the Bridge on March 14, Torres has trained and played in a black carbon mask, monogrammed with his squad number and made by the company that created similar shields for Demba Ba and Petr Cech.

Ba’s mask, adopted in early February after his nose was broken when he returned to play for the Blues at his old club Newcastle, also had his name on it – presumably so other masked men would not accidently pick up the wrong one in the changing room.

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Rafa Benitez has (only half-jokingly) conceded that if Torres’s recent increased scoring rate coincides with his mask-wearing, it may remain a feature for the striker, much as Petr Cech continues to wear his scrum cap six years after colliding with Reading’s Stephen Hunt at the Madejski stadium.

Chelsea play at Wembley this weekend in the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City. The winners will be hot favourites to lift the trophy on May 11.

Two days isn’t ideal preparation time, as the Blues will be flying back from Moscow following the second leg of their Europa Cup clash with Rubin Kazan.

But Benitez can at least take comfort from the fact that he has faced down his most vocal terrace opponents at Stamford Bridge.

The practice of bursting into applause in the 16th minute to show solidarity with sacked manager Roberto di Matteo has all but ended.

“Everyone realises we have to support the team,” was Benitez’s take after last week- end’s victory against the Black Cats.