卫冕冠军的英语表达defending champion

在体育比赛中，常常看到卫冕冠军，像足球篮球各大赛事都会诞生卫冕冠军，下面一个例子：

在英超第2轮比赛中，切尔西1比0力擒阿森纳，取得两连胜，阿森纳也终结了1997年以来联赛对切尔西的不败战绩。下半时，切尔西替补出场的德罗巴歪打正着射入致胜一球，这是他在新赛季第3次攻破阿森纳球门。外电报道如下：

　　Defending champion Chelsea got a lucky goal from Didier Drogba in the 73rd minute to beat Arsenal 1-0 Sunday in the English Premier League.
Drogba scored despite failing to control the ball in front of the goal. Instead, the ball bounced off his shin and rolled past Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann.

　　文中的defending champion是"卫冕冠军"的意思。如：The defending champion will play her first match of the tournament tomorrow.（卫冕冠军明天将进行锦标赛的首场比赛。）又如：He will be defending (trying not to lose) his title at the European Championships next week.（在下周的欧洲冠军争夺赛上他将卫冕。）