Chelsea 1 Barcelona 1: Blue murder at the Bridge as Iniesta strikes late

07 May 2009 01:14
After this, Chelsea might just have to give the Champions League a miss next season. [LNB]They might swerve it, and instead remain at home, because of the way it tramples the soul, crushes the spirit and tears the heart from the chest. [LNB]The way it shatters their dreams in the cruellest way imaginable. [LNB]A year after coming within a penalty kick of lifting the European Cup in Moscow, they found themselves 60 seconds away from a second successive final encounter with Manchester United when Andres Iniesta delivered a truly devastating blow. [LNB][LNB][LNB]Thunderbolt: Essien opened the scoring in tremendous style[LNB]Their bags to Rome were packed and their manager was planning a long and glorious goodbye. [LNB]The Olympic Stadium on the Wednesday. Wembley on the Saturday. What a way for Guus Hiddink to go out. [LNB]But then came the sliced clearance from Michael Essien, the first decent ball of an otherwise frustrating night for Lionel Messi and Barcelona's first - yes, first - shot on target. [LNB]The effort was brilliant, and yet so brutal, in its execution from a midfielder who had struggled to perform the role usually occupied by the injured Thierry Henry.[LNB] Controversy followed, with Didier Drogba first clashing with the Barcelona bench before turning his attention to referee Tom Henning Ovrebo when the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time finally passed. [LNB]That the Norwegian booked him for his over-aggressive protest only added fuel to the flames, Chelsea's striker then spiralling out of control before delivering his four-letter verdict to a live television audience. [LNB][LNB][LNB]Ref justice: Drogba can't believe he's been denied a penalty[LNB]He will incur the wrath of UEFA for that, even if television evidence proves Drogba had a case. [LNB]Four times Chelsea had a decent claim for a penalty and four times Ovrebo refused to point to the spot. [LNB]It was extraordinary. From the decision to award a free-kick outside the Barcelona penalty area when Daniel Alves dragged Florent Malouda down two yards inside to his failure to see how blatantly Eric Abidal pulled on Drogba's shirt. [LNB]From the sight of Gerard Pique blocking a shot from Nicolas Anelka with his hand to the moment when Samuel Eto'o raised his arms to deny Michael Ballack moments after Iniesta's decisive goal. [LNB][LNB][LNB]And he's off: Abidal sees red for his foul on Anelka[LNB]It meant another European encounter with Barcelona at Stamford Bridge descended into chaos and bitterness, with Chelsea again the losers of a tie they clearly thought they had sewn up. [LNB]Even if Barcelona enjoyed much of the possession, Chelsea deserved to go through for the way they controlled the second leg of this tie. [LNB]They were magnificent until Iniesta's goal. Drogba led the line until his legs could carry him no more; Frank Lampard and Essien, the scorer of Chelsea's ninth-minute goal, were joined by Ballack in dominating the midfield; John Terry and his colleagues in defence were outstanding, with Alex continuing to battle bravely even after a booking had ruled him out of the final. [LNB][LNB][LNB]Late show: Iniesta celebrates his injury-time effort[LNB]Driven by a desire to ease the misery of Moscow, Terry delivered a masterclass in defending - first to every header, strongest in every challenge, the rock at the centre of the Chelsea back line. [LNB]Credit should, of course, go to Barcelona, not least for securing their passage to Rome when they had to contest the last 25 minutes with only 10 men. [LNB]If they had cause to complain to Ovrebo, it was for the dismissal of Abidal for a challenge on Anelka when he was almost certainly not the last man. [LNB]But even before then Hiddink appeared to have the measure of this Barcelona team and was making their young manager Pep Guardiola look like something of the rookie he is. [LNB]Still sore: Drogba lets rip after the whistle[LNB]After succeeding the floundering Luiz Felipe Scolari as Chelsea's manager in February, Hiddink was about to give English football a repeat of last year's final. [LNB]And he appeared to have done it by stopping a team who had put six past Real Madrid last weekend from scoring over the course of 180 utterly absorbing Champions League minutes. [LNB]It did remain another exhibition of his tactical acumen, with the decision to deploy Essien in a more advanced role a managerial masterstroke.[LNB]Against Juventus, against Liverpool and indeed against Barcelona last week, Essien performed the role of midfield enforcer to devastating effect. [LNB]He has been a destructive force, silencing Steven Gerrard and smothering members of a Barcelona side considered among the world's most creative talents. [LNB]But here Hiddink wanted the power and energy Essien provides in a more forward role, and so asked him to swap places with the older, less mobile Ballack. [LNB]The plan worked beautifully, and not just because Essien scored an audacious goal but because the imposing presence of Ballack offered protection to Chelsea's back four.[LNB][LNB][LNB] Let off: Pique handles Anelka's flick for one of Chelsea's penalty claims[LNB]It worked so well that Guardiola and his team started rowing among themselves. Essien's goal was a peach, a volley struck from 22 yards that was still accelerating when it flew beyond the grasp of Victor Valdes and crashed home off the underside of the bar. [LNB]Valdes probably felt fairly secure when he saw Lampard's pass spin into the air off Yaya Toure, but the man with a thousand nicknames had other ideas. [LNB]The Beast, The Train - last night they suddenly all seemed appropriate. [LNB]Quite how Alves, eventually suspended for the final after picking up a yellow card for a foul on Ashley Cole, did not concede a penalty when he brought down Malouda will take some explaining. [LNB]As will Ovrebo's refusal to acknowledge that Abidal had indeed tugged Drogba's shirt before the Chelsea striker collapsed to the ground. [LNB]As will the two other penalty decisions that might just leave Terry and his colleagues wondering if they can take any more of this.  [LNB] [LNB] CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LIVE: All the action as it happened from Chelsea v BarcelonaFletcher's Roman tragedy: UEFA block appeal over United midfielder's red cardPICTURE SPECIAL: Arsenal star's late-night Bendtner sees Nicklas drop his trousers after Gunners' pants Euro display [LNB] 

Source: Daily_Mail