Source: Daily_Mail
FC Barcelona 0 Chelsea 0: Advantage Blues as they stifle Pep's stars
[LNB]This, presumably, was the game Guus Hiddink imagined when he prepared for thisChampions League encounter in the darkest recesses of his tactical mind. [LNB]And this, presumably, was what he meant when he said reality can sometimes be cruel. Cruel, at least, to the team who tried to put on a perfect demonstration of their beautiful football at the Nou Camp last night. [LNB]Hiddink went against his natural attacking instincts as well as his pre-match promises and instead met artistry with attrition, deploying a five-man midfield against the high-scoring Catalans and suffocating them in the process. Lionel Messi showed flashes of genius but never really got the chance to shine, and the same went for Andres Iniesta. [LNB]If smothering Pep Guardiola's sublimely gifted players really was the plan for the first leg of this semi-final, it worked beautifully. Not once, before last night, had Barca failed to score here this season but, for all the possession they enjoyed against last season's beaten finalists, they could not penetrate a brilliantly organised defence. [LNB]John Terry and Alex, in particular, were terrific. As was Petr Cech after a nervous start. He made a series of decent saves that will do much for his confidence. [LNB] Reality Cech: Chelsea's keeper was in outstanding form to thwart Barcelona on numerous occasions[LNB]For Chelsea, however, there do remain concerns. Not least their vulnerability to an away goal when they display a bit more ambition at Stamford Bridge next week. Going into the second leg with the intention of attacking is all very well but first Chelsea have to work out how to get enough of the ball. [LNB]It was not easy here against a team playing with so much fluency and finesse and more than enough about them to score once the gaps appear in the second leg. [LNB]One goal would leave Chelsea needing two, and last night's evidence would suggest scoring against this lot twice will not be easy. They are not half as fragile at the back as reports would suggest, even if Didier Drogba will regret not punishing them for the one defensive error Barca made last night. [LNB] Finger-tip save: Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes dives to deny Didier Drogba in a rare Chelsea attack on goal[LNB]For all Hiddink's apparent desire to meet fire with fire, the team he selected suggested he was more afraid of the Catalans than he was perhaps prepared to admit. [LNB]He packed his midfield with strength, power and players with the ability to defend John Obi Mikel as well as Michael Essien, Michael Ballack as well as Frank Lampard. [LNB]Even Florent Malouda spoke on the eve of this encounter of his intention to work with Jose Bosingwa in trying to contain Messi. [LNB]While it left Drogba looking a little isolated, it provided a back four weakened by the absence of Ashley Cole and Ricardo Carvalho with a formidable five-man shield. [LNB]Not that it did them much good when a surging run from Henry forced Branislav Ivanovic to concede a foul deep in Chelsea's half. Xavi swung in the free-kick, Cech flapped hopelessly and Samuel Eto'o sent a header bouncing dangerously across the face of the Chelsea goal before Rafael Marquez saw his shot deflected over the crossbar. [LNB] Hearts in mouths: Eto'o nods across goal as the Chelsea defence holds its collective breath[LNB]The sight of Messi then failing to trap a simple ball must have eased the sense of anxiety in Chelsea's ranks. As did a neatly executed move that ended with a shot which Lampard curled wide of Victor Valdes's left-hand post. On that occasion Malouda did well to beat Daniel Alves down the left flank before delivering the ball to the feet of Essien. [LNB]But the bulk of the early possession very much belonged to Barca and Cech's continuing fragility suggested it was going to be a trying night for Hiddink's men. There was further cause for concern when Messi accelerated past Bosingwa, who conceded yet another free-kick. But the opportunity was wasted by the little Argentine, his effort floating beyond his colleagues and out of play. [LNB]He was more impressive, however, when he dropped a delightful ball between Malouda and Bosingwa to the feet of a fast-advancing Alves, and equally threatening when completing a rapidly executed one-two with Eto'o with a blistering left-foot shot. [LNB]For sending Messi crashing to the ground, Alex picked up the first booking of this intriguing contest. A second booking soon followed, this time for Ballack for a foul on Henry, who then found Cech with a relatively weak right-foot effort. [LNB] Getting shirty: Chelsea's John Mikel Obi holds off Yaya Toure[LNB]A shot which then concluded a super jinking run by Messi across the face of the Chelsea penalty area provided Cech with more of a challenge, but one he was equal to. Henry unleashed a bullet of a strike but Cech parried it to safety. [LNB]Between them, Xavi and Andres Iniesta were causing Chelsea so many problems, with Mikel lucky not to be booked after he pulled down Iniesta. [LNB]Only when Barca made an unforced error did Chelsea have a chance. But what a chance it was in the 39th minute of this utterly absorbing match. An under-hit backpass from Rafael Marquez suddenly presented Drogba with the chance to strike but both his first and his second efforts were blocked by the excellent Valdes. Opportunity gone. Panic over. [LNB]There were times when Barcelona were simply wonderful to watch: when Henry combined with Iniesta down one flank or Messi and Alves attacked down the other. [LNB]If Barca had a weakness it was Marquez, but a freak injury forced him off on a stretcher and Carles Puyol was dispatched from the bench to replace him. [LNB]Still the home side dominated, Messi going close when meeting a corner from Xavi with an audacious left-foot volley. When Alves then unleashed another thumping effort, Cech again did well to parry the shot. [LNB]It again left the Catalans feeling frustrated, but all the more determined to take advantage of the situation come next Wednesday's second leg. Barcelona 0-0 Chelsea LIVE report: All the action and stats as it happenedCHELSEA FC
