UN-BE-LIEVABLE!
Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea (Chelsea win 3-2 on Aggregate)
Yesterday proved that miracles can happen. With the odds stacked against them, Chelsea performed what can only be described as a miracle, as they held off the world’s best team in order to reach the finals of Europe's most prestigious tournament. Although coming to the Camp Nou with a mere 1 goal advantage, Chelsea were still considered as massive underdogs, and many of the top pundits immediately erased all hope of Chelsea overcoming the reigning world champions and reaching the final. I for one believed that Chelsea stood little or no chance before kickoff, predicting that Barcelona would show Chelsea a footballing lesson and send them back to England empty handed. But no one would've predicted the unexplainable events that were to follow. In an incredible game that was jam packed with controversy, action and moments of magic, the contest would surely go down as one of Europe's greatest ever games.
Chelsea looked resilient for just over half an hour, but they soon found themselves in desperate trouble. Gary Cahill, who was arguably Chelsea's best player in the first leg, limped off in what seemed to be a hamstring injury, that is likely to keep him out for at least a couple of weeks. Jose Bosingwa, whose defensive ability is rather weak, replaced him. 20 minutes later, after what seemed like an endless amount of pressure, Barcelona took the lead. Cuenca found space on the left and showed great composure in squaring the ball to Sergio Busquets, who rolled the ball into the back of the Chelsea goal to restore parity over the two legs. Moments later, an incident occurred which looked to have made the Barcelona win inevitable. Chelsea's rock at the back and inspirational captain John Terry kneed Alexis Sanchez in the back off the ball, and received a red card for his troubles. A moment that can only be explained as a moment of madness, whereby it seemed Terry had eliminated any hope of a Chelsea comeback. These fears seemed to have been confirmed when Messi sent Iniesta through just 4 minutes later, and he expertly guided the ball into the corner of net past the hapless Petr Cech. The Barcelona win seemed inevitable.
But Chelsea refused to back down. This was not the Chelsea that seemed so lethargic and disappointing under Andre Villas-Boas. This was a re born Chelsea side, having undergone a massive transformation under the guidance of interim boss Roberto Di Matteo. It’s just remarkable to think that just over a month ago Chelsea’s torrid season seemed to be spiralling into European and domestic disappointment, but Roberto Di Matteo reversed the situation and now Chelsea are on the brink of European glory. The team seemed to cling onto what hope remained, refusing to let their dreams die. And almost immediately, Lampard set Ramires through and he chipped Victor Valdez wonderfully, Sending the faithful travelling support into raptures. Amazing. As it stood, 10 men Chelsea were advancing to the finals of the Champions League. Surely Chelsea couldn't hang on for another half? With only 10 men and defensive maestros Cahill and Terry having already departed from the pitch, surely they couldn't achieve the impossible?
And the game took another twist just minutes into the second half when Drogba 'scythed' down Fabregas in the penalty area, or that’s what the referee thought. Replays showed the extent of the incident, suggesting that no contact was made between the two, which would've sparked huge controversy if the Catalonians were to convert the resulting penalty. But the unimaginable happened. Messi missed. He struck the ball hard and firm, but the ball cannoned off the cross bar and back out into open play, whereby Chelsea eventually cleared. That's when the world realised that it may not be Barca's night. They'd enjoyed huge amounts of possession and had seemed to carve out some great chances, but they were being frustrated by a tight, compact Chelsea back line, as well as an inspired Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal. As the minutes ticked by Chelsea seemed to gain more confidence, defending resiliently and heroically, and ultimately keeping Barcelona at bay.
Barcelona huffed and puffed, but they couldn't blow Chelsea down. Chelsea defended masterfully; allowing Barcelona to keep the ball but preventing them from getting anywhere near their goal. On the rare occasions they did break through, Cech was there to deny them, firstly denying Cuenca before exquisitely denying Messi, getting his fingertips on the ball to divert the ball onto the post and out. But the clock kept ticking, and time was running out for the world’s best team. They were piling numbers forward at will, with desperation and panic looming amongst the team. With the final whistle fast approaching, Barcelona went all out attack in search of a goal, and Sanchez capped off a wonderful Barcelona move, only to be denied by the offside flag. But then, the miraculous happened. Chelsea's back line repelled another Barcelona attack, and the ball was cleared to no other than Fernando Torres, who found himself in acres of space and a clear run at the Barcelona goal. Despite all the criticism and the torrid 16 months he had endured as a Chelsea player, you would’ve been forgiven for thinking he would mess up the golden opportunity in some way. But Torres coolly rounded the keeper, and rolled the ball into the empty net. Ecstasy. They had done it. Despite all the odds stacked against them, Chelsea had beaten the world’s best team. They were in the final.
In one of the greatest nights in European history, Chelsea triumphed over Europe's finest...with 10 men for just under an hour. Their determined and spirited display personifies their unity and team spirit, and they were rewarded for a terrific defensive display with a place in the Champions League Final, and it is what they deserve. Their opponents will be either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich, who contest their second leg with Bayern Munich leading 2-1. But I'm sure Chelsea don't mind who they play, for they have defied the odds and defeated the world’s best in one of the most remarkable nights in European history. They will go into the final sky high on confidence, and if they show the determination and spirit they did in the semis, they will be formidable opponents. They are proof that dreams can come true and that miracles do happen, but can they defy the odds one last time against heavily favoured opponents in the final?
A Good Omen?
Yesterday proved that miracles can happen. With the odds stacked against them, Chelsea performed what can only be described as a miracle, as they held off the world’s best team in order to reach the finals of Europe's most prestigious tournament. Although coming to the Camp Nou with a mere 1 goal advantage, Chelsea were still considered as massive underdogs, and many of the top pundits immediately erased all hope of Chelsea overcoming the reigning world champions and reaching the final. I for one believed that Chelsea stood little or no chance before kickoff, predicting that Barcelona would show Chelsea a footballing lesson and send them back to England empty handed. But no one would've predicted the unexplainable events that were to follow. In an incredible game that was jam packed with controversy, action and moments of magic, the contest would surely go down as one of Europe's greatest ever games.
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| Chelsea skipper John terry shows his horror in being given his marching orders, a moment which seemed to have extinguished any Chelsea hope |
But Chelsea refused to back down. This was not the Chelsea that seemed so lethargic and disappointing under Andre Villas-Boas. This was a re born Chelsea side, having undergone a massive transformation under the guidance of interim boss Roberto Di Matteo. It’s just remarkable to think that just over a month ago Chelsea’s torrid season seemed to be spiralling into European and domestic disappointment, but Roberto Di Matteo reversed the situation and now Chelsea are on the brink of European glory. The team seemed to cling onto what hope remained, refusing to let their dreams die. And almost immediately, Lampard set Ramires through and he chipped Victor Valdez wonderfully, Sending the faithful travelling support into raptures. Amazing. As it stood, 10 men Chelsea were advancing to the finals of the Champions League. Surely Chelsea couldn't hang on for another half? With only 10 men and defensive maestros Cahill and Terry having already departed from the pitch, surely they couldn't achieve the impossible?
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| To everyone's amazement, Messi missed from the penalty spot |
Barcelona huffed and puffed, but they couldn't blow Chelsea down. Chelsea defended masterfully; allowing Barcelona to keep the ball but preventing them from getting anywhere near their goal. On the rare occasions they did break through, Cech was there to deny them, firstly denying Cuenca before exquisitely denying Messi, getting his fingertips on the ball to divert the ball onto the post and out. But the clock kept ticking, and time was running out for the world’s best team. They were piling numbers forward at will, with desperation and panic looming amongst the team. With the final whistle fast approaching, Barcelona went all out attack in search of a goal, and Sanchez capped off a wonderful Barcelona move, only to be denied by the offside flag. But then, the miraculous happened. Chelsea's back line repelled another Barcelona attack, and the ball was cleared to no other than Fernando Torres, who found himself in acres of space and a clear run at the Barcelona goal. Despite all the criticism and the torrid 16 months he had endured as a Chelsea player, you would’ve been forgiven for thinking he would mess up the golden opportunity in some way. But Torres coolly rounded the keeper, and rolled the ball into the empty net. Ecstasy. They had done it. Despite all the odds stacked against them, Chelsea had beaten the world’s best team. They were in the final.
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| Torres celebrates the goal that ensured Chelsea's passage into the Champions League Final |
A Good Omen?
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| Could this be John Terry and Frank Lampard on the 18th May? |
Remember back in the Champions League season 2004/2005, Liverpool seemed down and out and could've been eliminated in the group stages if it weren't for a last minute wonder strike by Steven Gerrard to send Liverpool into the knockout stages. Liverpool went on to defy the odds and win the Champions League; defeating heavily favoured opponents in Juventus and even Chelsea themselves, before that famous comeback in 2005 to defeat AC Milan In Istanbul, much to the astonishment of the world. Chelsea were in a similar position to Liverpool back in the second leg against Napoli; they seemed down and out. With Chelsea going along in a same manner, can they replicate Liverpool’s triumphs in 2005 and lift the trophy on the 18th May?
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