You may have noticed that I didn't devote much attention to Chelsea's prospects of advancing to the Final of the UEFA Champions' League, despite their 1-0 win over Barca in the first leg of their semi-final match. This is because the second leg is in Barcelona, and I thought there was just no chance for Chelsea to survive down there. And besides, Barcelona almost always benefits from a red card against the other team when they really need it.
Sure enough, Barca scored after 35 minutes to tie the game, and then a Chelsea player was sent off with the usual red card. Down to 10 men, Chelsea quickly gave up another goal to fall behind by 2-0 in the match and 2-1 on aggregate. But amazingly, Chelsea -- with only 10 players -- scored against the European champions to make the aggregate score 2-2, with Chelsea ahead on away goals.
It won't matter, of course, unless Chelsea's 10 men can keep Barca out for 45 minutes plus however much more injury time the officials award. Since we're at Barca, my guess is that they'll get as much time as they need.
Three minutes into the second half, the referee -- who has already thrown one Chelsea player out of the game -- awarded Barca a penalty. But Lionel Messi -- the greatest player in the world -- MISSED THE PENALTY SHOT!!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, Messi. There's still a long way to go.
70 minutes gone. Chelsea's 10 men are still hanging on.
ReplyDelete76 minutes. Chelsea still hanging on.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the referee feels like, having given Barca a man advantage and a penalty kick, he can't really do much more for them. It reminds me of how UK got one bad call after another at Indiana back in December, but once we were 10 points behind in the second half, the officials started calling a much more even game. It was like they said, "OK, we've given you a fair chance. Now it's up to you."
So, it's 2-2?
DeleteYes, it's 2-2 on aggregate, because Chelsea won 1-0 last week. Chelsea are ahead on the away goals rule.
Delete80 minutes. Chelsea still hanging on.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, this scenario -- where the team that's supposed to win sends wave after wave of attacks against a team defending a one-goal lead -- is when soccer is at its best.
85 minutes. Chelsea still hanging on.
ReplyDeleteBarcelona has hit the posts four times, and has had a goal that didn't count because they were offsides.
88 minutes. Chelsea still hanging on.
ReplyDelete89 minutes. Chelsea still hanging on.
ReplyDeleteThere have been so many penalties against Chelsea in their semi-final against Barca that four of their starters will be ineligible to play if they make the final.
90 minutes. Chelsea still hanging on.
ReplyDeleteThe referee has awarded three minutes of injury time, which is a remarkably normal number.
In injury time, Chelsea clear the ball after yet another Barcelona attack -- and this time they go ALL THE WAY FOR THE MATCH-CLINCHING GOAL!!! This leg ends in a 2-2 draw, and Chelsea WINS 3-2 ON AGGREGATE!!!
ReplyDeleteFor the second time in the last three years, Barca are eliminated from the Champions' League by a 10-man team.
And in a year when most English teams did very poorly in European play, the sixth-place team in the Premier League will play for the European Cup.
This is the most stunning result of the whole soccer season, and it will be regarded as one of the biggest upsets of many a year.
Randall Cobb @rcobb18
DeleteUNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!
3:35 PM - 24 Apr 12
The Guardian reports that this is the most amazing result in soccer since the 2005 Champions' League Final, when Liverpool fell behind 3-0 to AC Milan, only to come from behind to tie the game 3-3, and then win on penalty kicks.
ReplyDeleteThis will be only Chelsea's second trip to the Champions' League final. The last time they made it was in 2008, when they lost to Manchester United on penalty kicks.
ReplyDeleteHere are Barcelona's results in the Champions' League since 2006:
ReplyDelete2006: Winners (beat Arsenal in final)
2007: Lost in Sweet 16 to Liverpool
2008: Lost in Semi-Finals to Man Utd
2009: Winners (beat Man Utd in final)
2010: Lost in Semi-Finals to Internazionale
2011: Winners (beat Man Utd in final)
2012: Lost in Semi-Finals to Chelsea
This Barcelona team will be remembered as one of the greatest of all time, but their upset losses in 2010 and 2012 will be remembered as well.