Guus Hiddink has denied Chelsea were guilty of "dirty tricks" in their goalless draw with Barcelona in the Nou Camp.
Barcelona's stars accused Chelsea of playing "dirty" in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Tuesday night.
The Catalan giants were unhappy with some of the physical challenges from Chelsea's players but, ahead of their clash with Fulham on Saturday, a defiant Hiddink insisted there was nothing nasty about their performance.
"It was a man's match," said Hiddink. "There were some collisions, but from either side. It's a man's game. They were controlling and dominating the game and I'd have liked to have had some more initiatives, but they controlled it.
"I don't like to give in that easily. We were well organised and played well, defensively. I'd like to have taken a little bit more of the initiative, but they are a disciplined team as well.
"Under Pep Guardiola, they know how to defend firmly and their centre-back, too, isn't afraid to make the game tough. On top of that, they can play. We would, of course, have liked to play more, but we were playing the best team in their concept of football."
Comment 5 - 24 of 24
all the rash you are talking about are at youy door how many goals score by chelsea this season so far if barca refuse to score at camp nou is because chelsea came with one thing defend defend and defend forgeting that barca is comfortable any where take them to afgan or pakis they will score then what is the deal at stamford sorry chelsea you are out this barca is not comfortable with too much defend and that is chelsea bad at nou camp now is operation attack me i attack you and you all know who is the best at this, visca barca and long live silogamar jay from naija.
Barca plays football that every other team can learn from, but Hiddink is a manager that every other managers can learn from. Every football fan enjoys watching Barca, but you are a fool if you think the 1st leg result was just a luck. I sincerely hope Barca goes on to win, but it won't happen if Barca can't play a tight & disciplined game at Stamford Bridge, while keeping some of their trademark attacking flair alive. Hiddink is an expert at frustrating & getting result against 'stronger' teams, both at club & international level. All Barca has to do is accept the fact that they're up against a disciplined team led by a great manager, show some respect, play good football and go through. There's no need for throwing insults around here.
No matter what happens Chelsea will never be an attractive team to watch!
Having siad that the objective is to go there be it at home or in London to win or to prevent the opposition from scoring and Chelsea did that. At then end of the day the aim is to progress to the next round and I think that Barca have to find another way around teams that will employ defensive tactics Man U did it last season and Chalsea wont be the last. I wish Barca all the best!
Claudia A,
I agree. Past results mean nothing. Which is why I think the tie at Stamford Bridge is still 50-50. Before the Nou Camp match, it was 60-40 with Barca the favorites.
Just don't go around insulting your opponents by calling them chicken, dumb etc. Display some good manners. It reflects badly on your Barca.
Barca is a great club regardless of whether it wins the CL this year or not. Its past achievements are testimony to that. That's why Barca is the pre-tournament favorites (according to the bookies). Just bcos Barca is a great club, does not give Barca fans a right to hurl insults at other people by calling other people chicken dumb etc.
Burt H,
Chelsea fans were just happy to get 0-0 at Nou Camp bcos Barca is the favorite to win the CL this year. What is wrong with that ?
how dumb can u be to think statistics mean anything prior to the game on tuesday?
Chelsea fans act like they won a game that ended in a 0-0 draw. I'll say 1-1 2nd leg and Chelsea's perceived "victory" last week will come back to bite them.
barca wil fal
Titus N and First L,
If Chelsea are the chickens, Barcelona are the worms that the chickens will eat up.
Do you know the last 2 chickens (ManU and Liverpool) who held Barca 0-0 at Nou Camp went on to beat Barca in the second leg ?
Are you worried bcos the last 2 times Barca were held up 0-0 in the first leg, they lost their ties ? Hence, you come out and call Chelsea names ?
Re comment 14 Guus Hiddink is a brilliant technician and is certainly not stupid. Chelsea fans have complete faith in him and he certainly had the measure of Barca. The main aim was not to lose so job accomplished. You will see different tactics on Weds and a different team and will see a lot more of Didier Drogba. Hiddink has no intention of losing this so Go Chelsea, Go Hiddink and Go Drogba. Chelsea will go through.
Chelsea played the same game that ManU did last year in the semi finals, that's to say cynical and a bit cowardly. Amazing all the talk about the verticality and aggressivity of english football and when they get to the continent it rather looks Italian or German mid eighties. 65-35 possesion in the Barca-Chelsea match I'd love to know the percentage of Chelsea's 35 that they spent in Barca's end of the field.
chelsea is chicken and barca will grill them in london and eat chelsea in front of guus !!
no way we catalans let you blues to go to final.. we rule the europe. we are the best ! Et'o is GOAL, Henry is All about Style and classic and Messi No doubt about it GOD of football.. we will destroy you in your own town.. you were only scared chickens in nou camp ... almost your stupid coach guus came on pitch to stop our players !! you played the most ugly football ive ever seen in my life.. even spanish 3th league play better than you !! peace
Barcelona are full of @#$%. They roll around on the ground like old women.Just because they didn't win, they whinge and whine.
Chelsea will do them 2-1 in the next leg.
hiddink can su@k my penis !!!!!!!
barca will win in london, u wotch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chelsea r nothing, did u see how everytime they went on the offense (which was once or twice) they compromised their so called defense. The best way to defend is to always be on the offensive, keep possession, and that's what Barca have done, and that's why they're the best, and that's why they'll win the CL.
comment 7 a blues fan should not say that for other teams. u have one of the worst divers in europe in ur team, didie drogba, so stfu
Up Blues.Let Baca continue to cry over split milk.We will so them we know how to attack when they come to THE BRIDGE.SKY IS BLUE. CHELSEA 3- baca minus 0 cus they will collect RED card. Note it.
Just because things didn't go their way, Barca complain. They have to realise that attack isn't the only important thing in football. The game was probably the best attacking team in Europe meeting the best defence in Europe..... and the defence won! Perhaps Pep should look at the likes of Alves who is a great player, but his diving and acting trying to get Chelsea's players booked was an absolute disgrace... and he wasn't the only one! I for one do not want to see a cheating team like Barca winn the Champs League... anyone but them please.
Ok so barcelona's play acting every time we went near them makes u think we played aggressive football, bulls**t bunch of baby's and ok chirag yes you did go there and play but last years barca is not this years barca there much better, ballack may have got sent off in english football but this is europe. Nothing against man u, in the league they have been the best team in the last few months, but when we beat barca at the bridge we deserve to win the champions league. Come on you BLUES.
as for alanmannings, man utd went to nou camp last year in semis, we did attack them we had one penalty which we missed and should have had another so we dont really fear going to places like nou camp and set out to park a bus infront of our goal that has never been man utd's style and nver will be. but that is only way chelsea know how to play and beat teams by using aggression rather then skill.
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