Against all the odds Chelsea produced one of the best defensive performances in the modern era sharing the spoils with Barcelona 2-2 at the Noucamp Stadium. Their performance almost eclipses Nalgo AFC’s 4-0 victory against their stunned opponents Ynysforgan who monopolized the game but conceded four breakaway goals. Chelsea go through to the final on aggregate by a margin of 3-2.
Chelsea’s task of defending a one goal lead against arguably the best team in the world was a daunting one which later became nigh on impossible. Barcelona scored in the 35th minute to level the tie. A few minutes later, bovver boy and team captain John Terry commited a blatant foul off the ball by kneeing his opponent in the back. The referee was unsighted, but it was clearly spotted by his assistant, and Terry was immediately shown the red card.
To make matters worse, Barcelona scored a second goal in the 43rd to take the lead in the tie for the first time and even Chelsea supporters were singing “Good night Irene.” Miraculously Chelsea answered with a fabulous chip by Ramirez to register a goal back on the stroke of half time and level the tie.
Chelsea’s defense was up against it very early in the match when center back Gary Cahill hobbled off after 13 minutes with a pulled hamstring. They returned for the second half with 10 men and the objective was to survive Barcelona’s onslaught. Remember Chelsea’s two first choice center backs had been removed from the game, and they lined up with two full backs, Ivanovic and Boswinga, in central defense.
If the scored remained the same at full time they would go through to the final on the away goal so beautifully executed by Ramirez who provided sterling service in an unaccustomed position at right back.
Naturally, Chelsea emerged in the second half with an ultra-defensive formation: five men strung across the back with four midfield players just in front of them challenging Barcelona to break them down. Even Drogba popped up at left back from his customary central striker position, and it was he who conceded a penalty by tripping a marauding Barcelona attacker.
Lionel Messi, the little master from Argentina, scorer of 63 goals this season, and vying for the title of best player in the world, stepped up to take the penalty, and a goal appeared to be a forgone conclusion. Remarkably the mercurial Messi slammed the ball against the bar which silenced the stunned partisan crowd.
Wave after wave of Barcelona attacks descended on the Chelsea penalty area, but the British bulldog spirit would not permit them to breach the defensive wall. I was beginning to hear the first few bars of “Men of Harlech” eerily making its way from Rork’s Drift when Messi fastened onto a through ball from his midfield magicians and he majestically stroked the ball towards the corner of the net. However, Chelsea’s goalkeeper Petr Cech managed to get his fingertips to the ball and diverted it onto the post where it rebounded to safety. That was only of many world class saves that Cech produced which made him man of the match for me.
Ten minutes from the end Drogba was replaced by the seemingly hapless Fernando Torres who has proved that a fifty million pound transfer fee does not necessarily buy you success. In any event he represented a fresh pair of legs and hopefully a nuisance value. Ninety minutes was almost up and Chelsea were clinging on by their finger nails.
The fourth official signaled three minutes of additional time when one of Chelsea’s resolute defenders hacked the ball down the field to a waiting Torres who managed to control the ball for the first time. Barcelona had over committed themselves with every outfield member encamped in the Chelsea half.
Torres bore down on the Barcelona goal from the halfway line and who knows what thoughts were going through his head. Would he take the ball to the corner flag and use up the last few minutes, or would he elect to blast the ball high up into the bleachers? Neither. He continued towards the Barcelona goal, skillfully rounded a despairing dive by the goal keeper and coolly slotted the ball into the back of the net. Game over and Torres had repaid the fifty million pounds and quite probably resurrected his career.
Barcelona play the beautiful game and made more than 650 passes during the match confirming their skill on the ball. It was obvious that they had a Plan A in their customary flowing style to defeat Chelsea which on this occasion could not overcome a strong and determined defense. Their failing was not having a Plan B. Sometimes sophisticated tactics and superior skills can be superseded by sheer guts and determination personified by Chelsea’s ten men.
Bayern Munich defeated favorites Real Madrid on penalties in the other semi-final, and they will start favorites as they have the enviable advantage of the final being held at their stadium which is just the luck of the draw. Nevertheless I would not discount Chelsea as the football gods appear to be fondly smiling on them right now.
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