Champions League - Chelsea hold Barcelona

Eurosport - Wed, 29 Apr 10:15:00 2009

Chelsea held Barcelona to a goalless draw in their Champions League semi-final first leg in the Camp Nou.

FOOTBALL 2008-09 Champions League - Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes saves a shot from Chelsea's Didier Drogba as Gerard Pique looks on during their semi-final, first leg - 0

The Blues defence held firm in the face of the Catalans' majority of possession while the best chance of the night fell to Didier Drogba.

With time ticking down in the first half, his shot was blocked by Victor Valdes; and the keeper got back up to knock away his chipped rebound (pictured).

Substitutes Bojan Krkic and Alexander Hleb moth missed chances in injury-time for Barcelona, who failed to score in a home match for the first time this season.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola had promised to seduce the world with his team's brand of attacking football and they went at it immediately, Thierry Henry breaking down the left to earn a free-kick on the left side of the box.

Xavi whipped in a cross and Samuel Eto'o headed the ball back across goal where right-back Branislav Ivanovic missed it and Drogba turned his back; fortunately for Chelsea, Rafael Marquez could not steer it home at the far post.

All eyes were on the mercurial Lionel Messi but the spritely Argentine found his route to goal blocked time after time while Henry disappeared from the match for most of the rest of the half.

Andres Iniesta was all over the pitch for Barca as deep-lying trio Jon Obi Mikel, Michael Ballack and Michael Essien worked to deny him and his team-mates space.

Jose Bosingwa, deputising on the left side of defence for the suspended Ashley Cole, did a good job on Messi, with Alex and John Terry throwing themselves into blocks around the area along with the visiting midfield men.

Alex and Ballack were shown yellow cards for bad tackles on Messi and Henry respectively while home midfield destroyer Yaya Toure was also cautioned for dissent.

With Eto'o and Xavi shots from distance the closest Barca had come, Drogba found himself through on goal after Marquez messed up a backpass from the right.

Valdes, an excellent shot-stopper although suspect on crosses, stood tall to keep out the first effort while Drogba did not shoot properly with the second, allowing the keeper to dive out and reach up to tip the ball away.

Two minutes into the second half Florent Malouda, who along with Drogba conducted a running battle with flying Barcelona right-back Daniel Alves all evening, went down in a similar position to where Henry had been fouled early in the match.

Drogba bent a great cross into the danger area only for the unmarked Ballack to head wide.

Henry, Marquez and Alves were all hurt in the following minutes, although only the Mexican - who collapsed while on the ball - had to be replaced, club captain Carles Puyol stepping in at centre-half.

Marquez will miss the rest of the season after damaging the external meniscus in his left knee, while Puyol was later booked for a late tackle on Malouda and will limit Barca's defensive options further for the second leg as he is now suspended.

On 62 minutes Alves found a rare strike on goal, surging down the right and smacking the ball towards the near post where Petr Cech was equal to it.

Eight minutes later Eto'o could have opened the scoring when he expertly turned away from Alex on halfway and nutmegged Terry before bearing down on goal; with Henry in the middle he cut back inside the retreating Alex and shot instead - Cech made the save low down.

Henry appealed for a penalty as he turned in the box when Bosingwa had hold of his shirt, but Wolfgang Stark ruled that it was a fair challenge; he was on his way down anyway, but there was definite contact.

Bojan and Hleb appeared for Eto'o and Henry while before that Barca's 2006 Champions League-winning goalscorer Juliano Belletti came on for Frank Lampard to a rapturous reception from the home fans.

Iniesta was furious after Ballack held him back as he sought to burst into the box from the left, but there was no second yellow card for the German.

The kick was cleared as Guus Hiddink's side held their positions once again, although they were almost undone in a flurry of late chances inside the allotted five minutes of time added on.

First Alves provided a perfect cross for Bojan to arrive and head over before Hleb was played onside by the injured Ballack - on his feet quickly again to cover - but could only fire at the feet of Cech from inside the penalty area on the left.

Alves then whipped in another with his left foot which just evaded Gerard Pique and Bojan - and that proved the final attack of the match.

The second leg will be held at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday.

Jonathan Symcox / Eurosport

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  1. thats exactly what i'm trying to say comment 562.­ every team which gets in this round just plays to get a­ result. just plays to get throught. every team except­ barca. barca always play to win and entertain unlike­ chelsea did last night. thats my point

    From Varnavas P, on Wed 29 Apr 2:53PM

  2. wtf are you people on about? whoever said that in­ football you have to play a certain game? the point of­ the game is to win and to win you need to have more­ goals than the other team. this is a two legged­ encounter and there is a lot of strategy to it.­ defending is one tactical move in football, and whether­ you defend with 3,4,5, or 10 players that is­ irrelevant. you like goals and attackign football, and­ that is seen on the great bias that you show towards­ forwards and midfielders who score goals, and never­ write or say anything good about defenders and goalies,­ because that is the llimitation of your understanding­ of football. Italy has won 4 world cup playing like­ chelsea did yesterday. manchester united won the cl­ last year reaching a final by doing the same thing to a­ weaker barcelona side from this year that chelsea did­ last night. noone ever said in football that the best­ team wins. so stop idealizing the sport. it is a drama­ sport not a soap opera sport.

    From go, on Wed 29 Apr 2:51PM

  3. DROGBA IS,WITHOUT QUESTION,THE WORST DIVER/CHEAT IN­ BRITISH FOOTBALL.WHY DOES HE NEVER GET BOOKED FOR HIS­ CONSTANT FALLING OVER.FOR A MAN HIS SIZE HE DOES NOT­ HAVE THE HEART OF A BLACKCURRANT.PERHAPS SOMEBODY­ SHOULD GIVE HIM AN OLD FASHIONED TACKLE AND GIVE HIM
    A­ GOOD REASON TO GO DOWN.A COMPLETE COWARD.

    FROM­ BRAVEHEART

    From Braveheart, on Wed 29 Apr 2:37PM

  4. At least it was a draw. I bet Chelsea will win 2-0 in­ Stamford Bridge next week! Then they will learn a­ lesson...

    From Isaac, on Wed 29 Apr 2:21PM

  5. At least it was a draw. I bet Chelsea will win 2-0 in­ Stamford Bridge next week! Then they will learn a­ lesson...

    From Isaac, on Wed 29 Apr 2:20PM

  6. if drogba stopped falling over holding his­ head/arm/leg/feet/balls while a imaginary girl pushed­ him over - he might be a reasonable player - until then­ he is just cheating t***. in fairness though they were­ all at it, how fkg tedious

    From robmlloyd, on Wed 29 Apr 1:48PM

  7. Varnavas P- Stop talking @#$% and repeating what you­ find written in the Braca Fanzine for goodness sake.­ Chelsea also has a philosophy, i.e. get past two legs­ of the semis and reach the final. Barcelona were­ attacking a lot last night because they knew they could­ concede an away goal and the best form of defense is­ attack. Barcelona failed to break down the Chelsea­ defense and Drogba was unlucky not to score. So much­ for super Barca whose fans were mouthing off about big­ scores and humiliating Chelsea. So much for Super­ Messi, where was he? When he did get clear chances he­ was inaccurate and fluffed them. As for your other­ comments, well they show you have a chip on your­ shoulder about something... Chelsea are only 3rd in the­ Premier and are not as good this season as last in my­ opinion. They still have an iron defensive record, well­ seen why yesterday night. Whether you like it or not­ 3/4 teams left in the Champions are from the Premier­ League- that speaks for itself. Now, you are the­ weakest link goodbye.

    From Tarquinius S, on Wed 29 Apr 1:38PM

  8. were chelsea even playin just hopin ball didnt go into­ the net. it was such a shame, wouldnt have mind a 0-0­ if chelsea would have tried to make a game of it­ instead of just sittin behind. girls are even more­ darin then them and they call themselves men and are­ proud of their draw

    From First L, on Wed 29 Apr 1:37PM

  9. CHELSEA HAVE TO GO AND JOING BOXING OR WAR ZONE..this­ is not football,i guess that football is all about­ sport,they where not even having the ball 1 min with­ there foot

    From petlopezm, on Wed 29 Apr 1:33PM

  10. barca has a philosofy. plays possesion game. tries to­ entartain and to score goals. and not to foul much.­ what is chelsea's philosofy? defend with 10 players­ in their own half? tackling players whenever they have­ the chance? and epl is considered the best league in­ the world. yeah right!

    From Varnavas P, on Wed 29 Apr 1:26PM

  11. Its shame if people pay lots of money to go and see­ that kind of Game Chelsea pay.
    We need an open to game­ to enjoy, goals comes second bwana!
    This shows how­ Chelsea vulnarabilty will be at the bridge. They played­ holding style still these guys had 19 shoots and about­ 3 on target, imagine if they will open up at the­ bridge!!!

    From Muba TZ, on Wed 29 Apr 1:18PM

  12. The match last night was a total disgrace to English­­ football! How could a side that boasts of being the­­ best play so defensive? Was d same thing Mourinho did­­ when they played barca by allowing the pitch to­­ deteriorate. Chelsea are worst than clubs like Bolton­­ that do the same in the premiership! The match­­ yesterday was boring. 10 men in their own half almost­­ 95% of the 90 minutes. SHAME!!!!!!

    From Ozone, on Wed 29 Apr 1:17PM

  13. Who fancies an Arsenal-Barca final?
    Anything but Man­ Utd-Chelsea

    From Peri, on Wed 29 Apr 1:05PM

  14. chelsea is the best.

    From jgothika, on Wed 29 Apr 12:52PM

  15. Pity Barca have nothin to show for their attackin play­ but it was disgrace to watch a team with no intent to­ win the match and dream of winning the Champions League­ will be so disgraceful on fans of football to see­ Chelski wuss being awarded the medals if they win the­ cup. This isnt football

    From First L, on Wed 29 Apr 12:30PM

  16. Chel$hit would have conceded 10 if they would have­ dared to come out their half, park the bus one more­ time and hope for penalties, will be fun to see Terry­ kick from his ar$e

    From First L, on Wed 29 Apr 12:26PM

  17. Hey! At least the swine flu has not reached the whole­ world yet!

    From Ryan, on Wed 29 Apr 11:44AM

  18. Hey! At least the swine flu has not reached the whole­ world yet!

    From Ryan, on Wed 29 Apr 11:44AM

  19. AHHHHAAAAA BARCA cant even beat Chelski in the Nou­ Camp, they wont beat Chelsea at Stamford thats for­ sure. Who cares how they play its all about the result,­ Barca are great to watch but cant cut it against the­ physical english sides. Which is why Man U is the best­ in the world, great to watch but also immensely strong­ physically and with lots of speed. Man U thrashed­ Chelsea at home earlier this season. But I very much­ doubt Barca will do the same.

    From zehst, on Wed 29 Apr 11:35AM

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