UEFA Champions League

It’s going to be quite a clash when Barcelona visit Stamford Bridge on May 6 for the second and decisive return leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final.

Chelsea’s performance at the Nou Camp has been hailed as “fantastic” and “magnificent” after they became the first team this season to prevent the Spanish league leaders from scoring.

Football pundits, the manager and the players themselves were all giving themselves a pat on the back for frustrating Barcelona into a 0-0 draw which defied all the odds.

But the morning after, Barcelona did not exactly agree. Chelsea were accused of deliberately stagnating play and failing to play the game. It’s now not a question of who was right but who will have the last laugh. Chelsea or Barcelona?

Certainly, if the small Chelsea crowd at the Nou Camp game were intimidated by the stadium’s magnificent atmosphere, Barcelona supporters are in for a similar shock when they come to Stamford Bridge। Some 95,000 fans packed into the incredible Nou Camp arena which really is amongst the very best in the world.The Chelsea fans who made the journey to Spain, about 3,000 of them, were herded into a top corner where they could be seen but not particularly heard. But who was laughing the loudest once the final whistle blew? Certainly, there was not one gloomy face amongst the travelling fans as they waited for the stadium to clear. They were well pleased with the job and deservedly so.

Okay, Chelsea didn’t exactly play flowing football and squandered their best chances, not least Didier Drogba who could have been the hero of the night. But holding Barcelona to a 0-0 draw was a massive achievement which should be under-estimated, no matter what the content of Barcelona taunts.

Playing in yellow, Chelsea’s back four made it impossible for the Barcelona strikers, despite a late flurry of urgency as the clock ticked away in the second half.

Previous clashes between these two teams have always been tight and Chelsea just hung on by their finger-tips. Ballack, Henry, Alves, Hleb, Eto’o – they were all lining up for misses.

Chelsea captain, John Terry revealed afterwards that they had closely studied a video of Barcelona’s play and so had done their homework, achieving full marks. He considered the draw a fantastic result and warned that their fans would be right behind them on May 6 for the return leg. Yes, he conceded, the Nou Camp was an intimidating place but back home at the Bridge, they would have home advantage and a fully fit team again.

“The only thing missing was an away goal,” he said.

Unfortunately, that’s just the point. Upbeat Barcelona feel they can and will score at Stamford Bridge and will take the tie.

Statistics actually say otherwise. In the last three knock-out encounters at this stage of the UEFA Champions’ League, it has been the team playing at home which has taken the honours. Can that record be maintained at Stamford Bridge?
Both sides obviously have the appetite to win and it should be a frantic 90 minutes – plus more, if need be.

Certainly, Chelsea appear to have a secret weapon already armed and waiting to fire. In the recent match against Liverpool, Chelsea goal-keeper Petr Cech came under fire for some interesting goal-keeping. Against Barcelona at the Nou Camp, he was simply magnificent and kept his side in the game on more than one occasion. He had that look about him, standing big and radiating the message: “You can’t beat me!” He was outstanding and back to his best.

It was, however, a huge team effort and no-one should under-estimate the superb tactics of the Chelsea manager। Yes, the visitors rode their luck but the approach worked and Barcelona, who usually put the goals away on home soil, just could not hit the back of the net. Chelsea were focused, positive and determined.

Chelsea manager, Guus Hiddink isn’t convinced that home advantage will count but was pleased with the draw.

“It’s quite an achievement against a team that plays beautiful football which we saw tonight,” he said, picking out Bosingwa and Malouda for special praise but describing Terry as “inspiring” and “an example to the rest of the team”.
Barcelona coach, Pep Guardida was not so complimentary। He accused Chelsea of being unwilling to play football and committing foul after foul just to interrupt play. He believes a very different Chelsea will have to take to the pitch on May 6.

Barcelona will be without two key players for the return leg; Puyol who is suspended following a booking and Rafael Marquez who is out for the rest of the season after being injured. This, says Guardida, will be no excuse for the final and they intend to be the victors.

There’s going to be an awful lot of sparring off the field in the run-up to May 6 but there’s only one place where the action will make any difference – and that’s on the pitch. Let battle commence!