Goals from Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard have helped Chelsea reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the fourth time in five years.
Trailing 2-1 to Turkish side Fenerbahce from the first leg in Istanbul, Chelsea fought back to clinch a semi-final tie against its Barclays Premier League rivals Liverpool.
It will be the third time in four years the English pair have met in the last four of the competition but there is growing belief at Stamford Bridge that this could finally turn out to be Chelsea's year.
Avram Grant's side should have won this return leg by a much bigger margin but its victory was marred by an injury to goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini.
It plunged Chelsea's goalkeeping crisis to a new low as first-choice stopper Petr Cech is out for at least two weeks after undergoing facial surgery.
Chelsea's desire to eradicate a one-goal disadvantage was evident from the start and it was given a massive lift in the fourth minute when Ballack put his side level on aggregate.
A free-kick from Lampard found the Fenerbahce defence dreaming and the Germany captain glanced a fine header into the far corner of the net.
It was the perfect start for Grant's side but it almost got even better four minutes later when a superb run by Salomon Kalou on the left flank ended with Joe Cole hitting a post from the Ivorian's cross.
But in the 25th minute, Chelsea's goalkeeping crisis plunged to new depths when Cudicini signalled to the bench that he could not continue, and on came Hilario.
Chelsea's appetite for more goals showed no signs of diminishing as the second period got under way and Didier Drogba was unlucky with a shot on the turn that fortunately for Volkan was hit straight at him.
But with nine minutes left Chelsea had stand-in goalkeeper Hilario to thank for earning it a place in the semi-finals.
He made two stunning saves within seconds to deny Gokhan and then Colin Kazim-Richards.
Chelsea then wrapped-up the tie with three minutes of normal time remaining when Michael Essien's cross was turned home by Lampard from close range.
Chelsea 2 (Ballack 4, Lampard 87)
Fenerbahce 0
Chelsea advances 3-2 on aggregate