The Story So Far........
The draw took place at 4.45pm UK time on Thursday 26th. August
Chelsea Were Seeded in Group E
Group E
Chelsea
Valencia
Bayer Leverkuson
KRC Genk
See Latest Group Details Group E
See all Starting Groups
Barcelona (3-1-4-2): Valdes; Puyol (c), Pique (Alves 25), Mascherano; Busquets; Cuenca (Tello 67), Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas (Kieta 73); Sanchez, Messi,
Unused subs Pinto, Adriano, Thiago, Pedro.
Scorers Busquets 34, Iniesta 43.
Booked Iniesta 49, Messi 70.
SUMMARYWhat was all the fuss about? Chelsea are through to the last 16 of the Champions League after a brilliant home win, with goals courtesy of a Didier Drogba pair and Ramires.
It had all looked so dangerous before the game, with victory needed to absolutely guarantee qualification, but nerves were quickly settled when after two minutes Drogba had put us in front when he danced around a defender inside the box and smashed low into the bottom corner.
The same player turned creator for the second when he sent Ramires through, though the goal owed as much to the midfielder's persistence in chasing a speculative through ball as it did the slide-rule pass in behind the defence.
It was not all plain sailing though, as in between Valencia struck a post and Petr Cech pulled off a save of world-class proportions to deny David Albelda an equaliser, but Chelsea rarely looked threatened afterwards.
Drogba rolled in a third 15 minutes from time to make three huge points safe, and the Stamford Bridge party could begin.
Genk's draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen only served to improve the mood, as we sneak through top of the group into next Friday's draw for the last 16.
BEST MOMENTA minute after netting the third, Drogba was withdrawn to huge applause around the Bridge having turned in one of his best displays in memory, a performance quickly acknowledged to the 33-year-old by every member of Chelsea's backroom team and substitutes.
TEAM NEWSThere was one change from the side that started at Newcastle on Saturday, Frank Lampard replaced in midfield by Raul Meireles which meant Drogba kept his place in attack having scored the first of our three at the weekend.
Oriol Romeu continued at the base of the midfield for his fourth consecutive start having impressed over the past 10 days, so that meant John Mikel Obi joined Lampard and Fernando Torres among the subs.
Only Michael Essien and Josh McEachran were unavailable for selection ahead of this one, though Andre Villas-Boas had stated at the weekend that while the futures of Alex and Nicolas Anelka were in doubt, they would not be taking part in first-team activity.
FIRST HALFAndre Villas-Boas and his men knew a win would guarantee a place in the last 16, but anything else would throw qualification into serious doubt.
A goalless draw would suffice provided Genk did not beat Bayer Leverkusen in the group's other game tonight, but a score draw would see Chelsea eliminated on goals scored to the benefit of our Spanish opposition.
If ever there was cause for nerves, this was it, yet it was the visitors who succumbed to the pressure. Inside three minutes Valencia had given the ball away needlessly four times, and after Meireles had tested Diego Alves with a bending effort, we went in front through Drogba.
Daniel Sturridge nicked the ball inside the Valencia half and crossed deep to former Valencia man Mata, who brought the ball down and pulled it back for the forward to control and fire home with his left foot into the far corner.
Valencia were quickly on the lookout for an equaliser though, and before five minutes were up they had struck the woodwork when attacking left-back Jordi Alba had broken into the Chelsea box and cracked an effort against Petr Cech's near post with the goalkeeper beaten.
Minutes later David Albelda, the captain, had produced a stunning drive from range destined for the top corner until Cech extended every inch of his 6ft 5ins frame to tip it behind for a corner.
There had not yet been time to pause for breath and this was perhaps just as well, because when respite did come the vulnerability of Chelsea's position came immediately to mind. One Valencia goal would still knock us out.
There was enough experience in this Chelsea side to stand strong though, Cech had done his bit, John Terry was clearing everything inside the box, and then Drogba created a second, killer goal.
The Ivorian showed pace and power to run at the away defence before adding a little guile too, slipping a ball through for Ramires in behind the defence, and while defender Victor Ruiz was favourite, the Brazilian had determination to succeed, got round his man and slotted it calmly beyond Diego Alves. This had been the perfect start, with 21 minutes on the clock.
Sturridge had a right-footed drive pushed around the post and Meireles flashed one wide while at the other end Tino Costa drove two yards off target with Chelsea looking comfortable despite Valencia enjoying the majority of possession.
The Blues went in at the break looking in complete control, though Villas-Boas will have warned that one slip would allow Valencia straight back into contention.
SECOND HALFA low-key start to the second half came to life when Romeu set Sturridge away on a counter-attack after winning the ball on the edge of his own box, and having skinned his marker, Sturridge forced Diego Alves into a decent stop at his near post.
Cech was called into action when Sofiane Feghouli broke into the box but the keeper was on fine form and able to palm the shot away, before defensive reinforcement arrived in the form of John Mikel Obi who replaced Ramires in midfield. He would sit deep alongside Romeu, allowing Meireles to go foraging further forward in what effectively became a 4-2-3-1.
Valencia still searched but it was Drogba who should have netted to kill the contest. Sturridge produced some classy footwork and sent the forward away in a tussle with a defender, and having beaten his man should have hit the net but, under pressure, dragged wide across goal.
Even at that stage, with a little under 20 minutes still to play, it did not look like mattering too much. Then, when Drogba went through once more, he made it absolutely sure that his previous miss could be forgiven, rolling the ball calmly beyond Diego Alves after Mata had been gifted the ball in dangerous territory.
Moments later Drogba departed the field, with Torres on in his place, to rapturous applause from an adoring Stamford Bridge.
Cech had to palm away an Aritz Aduriz header and clutch onto a Pablo Hernandez drive as the minutes ticked away, but the win was never in doubt and the Blues go marching into the knockout rounds.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires (Mikel 64), Romeu, Meireles; Sturridge, Drogba (Torres 77), Mata (Malouda 82).
Unused subs Turnbull, Ferreira, Lampard, Kalou.
Goals Drogba 2, 75 Ramires 21
Booked Romeu 67
Valencia (4-2-3-1): Diego Alves; Barragan, Rami, Victor Ruiz, Jordi Alba (Aduriz 54); T Costa (Parejo 75), Albelda (c); Feghouli (Pablo Hernandez 64), Jonas, Mathieu; Soldado.
Unused subs Guaita, Mehmet Topal, Piatti, Dealbert.
Goals
Booked Tino Costa 68
Referee Gianluca Rocchi (Italy)
Crowd 41,109
MatchDay 13 : The Final
Saturday 19th. May
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Chelsea 1v1 Bayern Munich (4-3 on penalties)
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MatchDay 12 : Semi-Final 2nd. Leg
Tuesday 24th. April 7.45 pm. BST
Barcalona 2-2 Chelsea
Summary There cannot have been many nights more dramatic nor heroic in the history of Chelsea Football Club.
Having gone 2-0 behind on the night and one man down in the first half, we scored in stoppage time at the end of each half to book a date in Munich for our second Champions League Final.
John Terry was the man sent off. Ramires was the first Chelsea scorer with a brilliant goal before Lionel Messi missed the chance to put his side 3-1 ahead when he wasted a penalty.
With the pressure on, substitute Fernando Torres scored a late, late goal on the counter-attack from his own half. The only disappointment on a joyous night is that Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles were all booked and so will join the skipper in missing the Final.
Team news Didier Drogba was passed fit so Roberto Di Matteo named the same side as the first leg.
Barcelona did change however, bringing in Gerard Pique and going to three at the back. Both full-backs at the Bridge were on the bench with Issac Cuenca coming in and playing wide on the right with Cesc Fabregas on the left. The formation was the same as deployed in Camp Nou in the previous round against AC Milan.
With the pressure on, substitute Fernando Torres scored a late, late goal on the counter-attack from his own half. The only disappointment on a joyous night is that Ramires, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles were all booked and so will join the skipper in missing the Final.
Team news Didier Drogba was passed fit so Roberto Di Matteo named the same side as the first leg.
Barcelona did change however, bringing in Gerard Pique and going to three at the back. Both full-backs at the Bridge were on the bench with Issac Cuenca coming in and playing wide on the right with Cesc Fabregas on the left. The formation was the same as deployed in Camp Nou in the previous round against AC Milan.
First half Chelsea kicked off and had the ball inside the Barça penalty area within 18 seconds, but Cole's pass was too strong for Ramires and Valdes collected.
The visitors were awarded the first free-kick too, for a foul on Mata on halfway.
But then Barcelona attacked and Messi had his first chance with two minutes played. He put it into the side-netting from inside the area.
The pressure stayed on for almost the whole of the rest of the half and there was a problem for the Blues on six minutes when the ball was played behind Cahill to Sanchez. In recovering, the big Chelsea defender slipped and almost did the splits. He needed treatment but after a spell off the pitch, initially continued.
Iniesta lobbed a ball into the six-yard box that Cole booted clear before finally, on 11 minutes, Cahill had to limp off dejectedly to be replaced by Bosingwa. Ivanovic went into central defence.
It wasn't only Chelsea players in the wars. On 17 minutes Drogba chased a Cech kick that bounced high up field and in clearing it, Valdes collided with Pique. Both needed treatment and the Barcelona central defender looked in some distress, but given recovery time he was back in action.
On 19 minutes it was Cech's time to turn hero. A trademark exchange of passes by the home team cut through the Chelsea defence, Fabregas backheeling into the path of Messi, but with the Camp Nou crowd drawing breath to celebrate, our keeper's leg extended and made the save.
There was a rare Chelsea attempt from Drogba at the midway point of the half but on the swivel and from distance, he shot well over.
He was much closer to the target two minutes later after muscling past Pique but lacking support, he took on Valdes from a very narrow angle and could only ripple the sidenetting.
That was the end of Pique's game. The previous Chelsea attack had convinced Pep Guardiola the player was still suffering from his bang on the head and he brought on Dani Alves. They didn't change their shape with the diminutive substitute deployed as one of the back three.
Referee Cüneyt Çakir had given Chelsea no cause for complaint with his decisions so far but he did make Mikel his first booking, the midfielder catching Sanchez with an outstretched leg inside the Barça half.
Three minutes later the home team took the lead. The move was similar to many during the half but for once Chelsea found ourselves outnumbered as the ball was played wide to the left. Messi was out there and he squared to Busquets who side-footed in from six-yard out.
Any chance for consolidation after that set-back for Roberto Di Matteo's men was blown out the water just two minutes later with the straight red card for Terry. The ref decided that the skipper had kneed Sanchez in the back on the edge of the area in an off-the-ball incident.
A tough task had just become immensely harder and Barcelona rubbed home the advantage with three minutes left on the clock before the interval. Meireles conceded possession and Messi was able to slip the ball forward to Iniesta who had run away behind Ramires. The finish was low to Cech's left and for the first time in the tie Chelsea were behind on aggregate.
A tough task had just become immensely harder and Barcelona rubbed home the advantage with three minutes left on the clock before the interval. Meireles conceded possession and Messi was able to slip the ball forward to Iniesta who had run away behind Ramires. The finish was low to Cech's left and for the first time in the tie Chelsea were behind on aggregate.
Ramires was booked too and would miss the Final as well as Terry should the team find a way back from this.
They certainly made a good start in that quest. With just a minute of stoppage time left to play we won the ball inside the Barça half and Lampard slotted the perfect pass through to Ramires. There was no way the Barça defence was going to catch the Brazilian whose chip over Valdes was as exquisite as it was essential to restore belief before the break.
With the score 2-2 on aggregate, it was Chelsea heading to the Final as it stood.
Second halfBarcelona made an alteration to the way they lined up with Alves now wide on the right and Cuenca switching wings. Iniesta had a shot deflected wide after Messi chested down.
Then just three minutes into the half the Blues looked certain to go behind in the tie when Drogba tripped Fabregas inside the area but Messi fired the penalty on to the crossbar. The Argentinian's search for his first goal against Chelsea went on.
If that was good news, Ivanovic's booking in the aftermath of the penalty award wasn't. He joined Terry and Ramires in earning a suspension.
Iniesta was the first Barça player booked for a trip on Drogba, shortly before the Ivorian tried to catch Valdes by surprise with a shot from the halfway line. The only thing caught was the ball by the keeper.
Di Matteo decided on new legs just before the hour, replacing Mata with Kalou, and a minute later Cech was booked for taking too long over a goal-kick. He at least was not facing a ban.
It was all Barcelona pressure and Cech saved from Cuenca after Mikel had lost the ball. On 63 minutes Chelsea broke out of our shackles and Drogba won a corner. Played in by Lampard, Ivanovic got to it first but frustratingly, couldn't send it on target.
The cards kept coming, Messi for a foul on Lampard and Lampard for upending Fabregas. And still Chelsea hung on to our away-goals lead as shot after shot and pass after pass were blocked.
There was no one in the way when the ball fell invitingly for Busquets on 77 minutes but he shot over wastefully.
Two minutes later Torres came on for Drogba who had worked tirelessly up front with his team-mates mostly a long way behind. He had also played his part as ever in clearing opposition corners.
Barcelona did have the ball in the net on 80 minutes through Sanchez but Alves who supplied the cross was offside. Then Messi shot on-target and it was turned onto the post by the finger tips of Cech.
We were inside the final 10 minutes and now every Barça mistake was drawing a frustrated reaction from the crowd. When Chelsea won the ball, we by and large cleared it into the open spaces up the field, although Torres missed one chance to counter attack by taking a heavy touch.
With 88 minutes of the game played Meireles picked up his fifth booking of the campaign for a trip so he too was now suspended.
Cech pushed a Mascherano shot round the post and we were into stoppage time. It was time for the most dramatic of endings.
Barcelona were so committed forward that when the ball was cleared up field by Ivanovic, Torres was in his half with no-one between him and Valdes. He took the ball on and went past the keeper before slotting in, as he had done so many times in the past against this opposition - and it was good night Barcelona!
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill (Bosingwa 13), Terry (c), Cole; Lampard, Mikel, Meireles; Mata (Kalou 57), Drogba (Torres 79), Ramires.
Unused subs Turnbull, Essien, Malouda, Sturridge.
Scorers Ramires 45+2, Torres 90+2.
Sent-off Terry 36.
Booked Mikel 31, Ramires 44, Ivanovic 47, Cech 58, Lampard 71, Meireles 88.
Unused subs Turnbull, Essien, Malouda, Sturridge.
Scorers Ramires 45+2, Torres 90+2.
Sent-off Terry 36.
Booked Mikel 31, Ramires 44, Ivanovic 47, Cech 58, Lampard 71, Meireles 88.
Barcelona (3-1-4-2): Valdes; Puyol (c), Pique (Alves 25), Mascherano; Busquets; Cuenca (Tello 67), Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas (Kieta 73); Sanchez, Messi,
Unused subs Pinto, Adriano, Thiago, Pedro.
Scorers Busquets 34, Iniesta 43.
Booked Iniesta 49, Messi 70.
Referee Cüneyt Çakir from Turkey.
Crowd 95,845.
Crowd 95,845.
MatchDay 11 : Semi-Final 1st. Leg
Wednesday 18th. April 7.45 pm. BST
Chelsea |
1-0
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SummaryA pulsating encounter at Stamford Bridge sees the Blues head to Spain next week with a slender 1-0 advantage after Didier Drogba's strike late in the first half proved the difference on the night.
It was a remarkable defensive performance by the Blues, carrying out Roberto Di Matteo's instructions to a tee, and while we lived dangerously at times, it was a result our bravery merited in the end.
Alexis Sanchez and Cesc Fabregas had gone close to opening the scoring for the visitors in the first half, while after the break Petr Cech saved well from Carlos Puyol. Right at the death, Thiago was denied by the post, but we held on for a famous win.
Ultimately, it was a fantastic result which stands us in good stead for the return leg next week, but our immediate attention now turns to a crucial league match away at Arsenal on Saturday.
Team newsFollowing Sunday's impressive 5-1 drubbing of Tottenham in the FA Cup semi-final, Roberto Di Matteo made only two changes to the side which started the game at Wembley. With David Luiz unavailable after aggravating his hamstring at the weekend, Gary Cahill made his first start in the Champions League since the away leg in Napoli, while there was also a start for Raul Meireles, who came in for Salomon Kalou, with Frank Lampard playing further forward. Drogba, so often the man for the big occasion, started up front for the Blues, with Fernando Torres named among the substitutes.
For Barcelona, Puyol, an injury doubt prior to the game, was passed fit and captained the side in central defence alongside Javier Mascherano, who was preferred to Gerard Pique.
First half With the visitors enjoying plenty of possession in the opening stages, Chelsea defended deep and looked to utilise the threat of Drogba on the break, and it almost paid dividends on two separate occasions, firstly when he failed to control a Cech kick, and soon after when he opted to take Puyol on instead of holding the ball up and waiting for support.
The Spanish side's ability to open teams up at will was all too apparent, however, when Andres Iniesta played a ball over the top of the Blues' back-four and Alexis Sanchez raced on to it before lifting his strike beyond Cech, only to see it bounce back off the bar.
It was a frenetic opening to the game, and while Drogba was penalised for a tackle on Sergio Busquets, the home crowd quickly became aggrieved as decision after decision went Barcelona's way.
Lionel Messi had been a peripheral figure for the opening 10 minutes, but a trademark run saw the Argentinian tee up Iniesta whose shot was parried by Cech. The rebound fell directly into the path of Cesc Fabragas, but as the former Arsenal man looked destined to break the deadlock, he scuffed his strike and allowed Chelsea to clear.
The ability of Pep Guardiola's side to retain possession before finding a killer pass was beginning to tell, and Cech had to be alert twice in quick succession to prevent Messi from opening the scoring, while Iniesta felt he was pulled down in the penalty area by Cahill, one of the few decisions that went our way early on.
Xavi, so often the man who makes the holders of the trophy tick, was dictating the pace of the game, with one particular pass seeking out Daniel Alves requiring a last-ditch clearance from Ashley Cole.
While we defended desperately, albeit resolutely, at times, as an attacking force we'd been virtually non-existent , with Victor Valdes not having a save to make.
Three minutes before the break, Mikel lost out to Messi on the halfway line, and as the forward broke at speed, he slipped in the advancing Fabregas to his left who cleverly lifted the ball beyond Cech, but as the away fans began to celebrate, Cole, once again, made a wonderful clearance off the line to keep the scores at bay.
Amazingly, and against the run of play, the Blues took the lead in added time of the first half with our first real attempt. Lampard sprayed it out wide to Ramires, and as the Brazilian fizzed a cross to the back post, Drogba was on hand to force his strike beyond the despairing dive of Valdes to give us a priceless advantage,his fifth goal in this season's tournament.
Second halfBarcelona, clearly stung by that late first-half sucker punch by Drogba, came out for the second half on the front foot, and Cech was forced into an impressive early save from a curling Adriano effort, while Cahill made a fantastic block from a Messi strike.
Minutes later we rode our luck once more when Sanchez fired wide after exchanging passes with Messi, before Alvez blazed high over the bar from an Iniesta cross.
It was Cahill again who brought a roaming Messi run to a halt as the Argentine exposed three Blues defenders, and our January acquisition was enjoying one of his most impressive games in a Blue shirt.
As the game wore on, Messi's influence on proceedings began to increase, and another marauding run required an expertly timed block from John Terry.
Guardiola, sensing an opening, made the first change of the evening, replacing Sanchez with Pedro in a straight swap, while both Ramires and the Barcelona substitute found themselves booked in the space of a couple of minutes for late, albeit fairly innocuous challenges.
Salomon Kalou was introduced to the action with just under 20 minutes, replacing a tired Juan Mata as Di Matteo sensed the necessity for fresh legs in a side who had been overrun for large parts of the game.
Fabregas made way for Thiago with 10 minutes left to play, but it was backs to the walls for the Blues as we came under an inevitable flurry of pressure from the European champions.
Much like the first 45 minutes, there was an impotency about our attacking play, with clear-cut opportunities few and far between, not that the home fans were bothered, as they sung their hearts out, willing their team on.
Cech made a stunning save with five minutes left on the clock, as Puyol flicked on a teasing Messi free-kick which was delivered at pace, making the stop all the more special.
Di Matteo replaced Ramires with Bosingwa in an attempt to shore things up in the closing stages, while Drogba became the second Chelsea player to have his name taken by Felix Brych.
Barcelona looked to have stolen a late equaliser in the dying seconds when Thiago's effort beat Cech, only to bounce back off the foot of the post, while Busquets could only smash the rebound high up into the Shed End.
It was to be the last chance of the game as the Blues recorded a famous victory.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill,Terry (c), Cole; Lampard, Mikel, Meireles; Mata (Kalou 73), Drogba, Ramires (Bosingwa 86).
Unused substitutes: Turnbull, Essien, Malouda, Torres, Sturridge.
Scorer: Drogba 45
Booked: Ramires 67, Drogba 85
Unused substitutes: Turnbull, Essien, Malouda, Torres, Sturridge.
Scorer: Drogba 45
Booked: Ramires 67, Drogba 85
Barcelona (4-3-3): Valdes; Alves, Puyol (c), Mascherano, Adriano; Xavi (Cuenca 85), Busquets, Iniesta; Messi, Sanchez (Pedro 65), Fabregas (Thiago 78).
Unused sustitutes: Pinto, Pique, Batra, Keita.
Booked: Pedro 69, Busquets 75
Unused sustitutes: Pinto, Pique, Batra, Keita.
Booked: Pedro 69, Busquets 75
Referee: Felix Brych
Crowd: 38,039
Crowd: 38,039
MatchDay 10 : Wednesday 4th. April 2012
Chelsea |
2-1
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Summary
It took a late Raul Meireles goal to settle Chelsea nerves after a game that was drifting towards a comfortable if unspectacular home win was brought back to life by an 84th minute Benfica goal.
It was a much stronger performance by the Lisbon club than had been witnessed on their home turf but after Frank Lampard had put his side ahead from the penalty spot and the visitors had been reduced to 10 men by a sending off for Maxi Pereira, Chelsea were well on course for the semi-finals.
Roberto Di Matteo's men should have put the tie beyond all doubt in the second half but missed a handful of good chances and were then punished for poor set-piece defending by a Benfica side that had always carried a threat. Javi Garcia made it 1-1.
Fortunately with the Portuguese outfit committing men forward in stoppage time for the goal that would have sent them into the semi-final, Chelsea landed the sucker punch.
Team news There was just one change from the weekend win at Villa. Ramires, such a problem to Benfica left-back Emerson in the first leg, returned with Daniel Sturridge making way. Scorer in Portugal Salomon Kalou was on the other flank and Fernando Torres continued in attack. Didier Drogba was fit enough to return to the bench, while David Luiz, who came off on Saturday, was able to start.
Team news There was just one change from the weekend win at Villa. Ramires, such a problem to Benfica left-back Emerson in the first leg, returned with Daniel Sturridge making way. Scorer in Portugal Salomon Kalou was on the other flank and Fernando Torres continued in attack. Didier Drogba was fit enough to return to the bench, while David Luiz, who came off on Saturday, was able to start.
In contrast, Benfica were missing both centre-backs from the first leg, captain Luisão and Jardel, so Emerson moved more across and Spanish World Cup winner Joan Capdevila came in on the left of their defence. Former Chelsea man Nemanja Matic was handed a start in midfield.
First half Chelsea had to defend almost non-stop for the first four minutes as Benfica, attacking the Shed End containing their fans, started with a high tempo. There were important block tackles from Lampard and John Terry on the edge of our area before we eventually took the ball inside the opposition half.
The Blues won our first corner on seven minutes, flicked on to David Luiz in space who rifled a shot goalwards, blocked well by the leg of Capdevila.
The Blues threatened to cut through the Portuguese side on the break soon after but Mata got his angles wrong in attempting to find Torres ahead of him. Mata had the ball in the net seconds later, but had run offside in the move.
The Slovenian ref wasn't slow to whistle up physical contact and on 18 minutes he produced a yellow card for the first time. David Luiz had anticipated well, nipping between Oscar Cardozo and the ball and receiving a kick on the ankle from the Benfica striker as a reward.
A minute later the ref was reaching for his card again, this time in the aftermath of awarding Chelsea a penalty. Cole had just taken down a lofted ball forward when he was bundled to the floor by the stand-in centre-back Garcia. Bruno Cesar and Maxi Pereira were booked in the aftermath.
The keeper went the correct way with his dive but Lampard found the bottom corner with his spot kick. Chelsea were 2-0 up on aggregate with 20 minutes of the second leg played.
Five minutes later, there was more vulnerability at the back from Benfica when everyone missed a Cech long punt . Torres ran clear but wide and then picked out no one in blue with his ball across.
Aimar made it three Benfica bookings for dissent and four overall before his side came close to a goal with that rarest of sights in the modern game, a free-kick routine. Initially played out wide, it was eventually nodded down to Carodozo who beat Cech with his shot but Terry blocked on the line and Ivanovic cleared.
Ivanovic was the first Chelsea name in the book on 37 minutes for a trip on Gaitan after the previously high-standard Mikel and Ramires conspired to give away the ball. The Benfica free-kick that followed was played straight into the Chelsea wall.
The cards kept coming on this stop-start evening and when Pereira slid his studs into Mikel's shin, he saw his second yellow and had to walk early down the tunnel.
Ramires was cautioned for a late tackle on Bruno Cesar who was now right-back. Prior to that the Brazilian made what was one of very few first-half Chelsea chances, firing across the area but just out of the reach of Torres and Kalou.
Second half
Three minutes after the restart, Cech needed to produce his best save of the game after Cardozo swung a leg at a bouncing ball and sent it towards the top corner. Our keeper dived, extended one of those long arms and sent the ball over.
Second half
Three minutes after the restart, Cech needed to produce his best save of the game after Cardozo swung a leg at a bouncing ball and sent it towards the top corner. Our keeper dived, extended one of those long arms and sent the ball over.
A minute later and up the other end, Ramires somehow missed the chance for a Chelsea second after Kalou had deceived Bruno Cesar at the far post and shot for the opposite corner. His Brazilian team-mate slid in and made contact but the player rather than the ball ended up in the net.
Torres turned sharply inside the area and looked to have placed his shot inside the post but it was deflected just wide and Kalou headed a Mata cross wide. Chelsea had started the second half much better than the first.
A second goal was coming but Artur saved acrobatically from Mata before Benfica made a surprising substitution, taking off Cardozo and bringing on Oliveira. Chelsea made a sub too, replacing Terry with Cahill. The skipper went straight down the tunnel for treatment.
Chelsea's grip on the half loosened a little when Ivanovic misdirected a header and another substitute, Djalo, had a goal-bound shot deflected wide by Cahill, but then Kalou, who was seeing plenty of ball on the left, should have scored but couldn't beat the keeper from close-range.
Mata was next to shoot wide, having been teed-up by a skilful Kalou pass but although there was more of a goal threat about Chelsea this half, we were looking less secure at the back. Djalo headed a cross just over Cech's crossbar.
On 74 minutes, MIkel spread the play out to Cole who crossed low. Kalou controlled it, spun but shot wide again.
The card count was much reduced in the second half and Cole and David Luiz managed to avoid bookings that would have ruled them out of the first game against Barcelona, but Mikel did pick up a caution for tripping Matic.
On 84 minutes came the Benfica goal. Cech had only just saved well to prevent Djalo heading in but from the corner that followed, Garcia ran unmarked to flick home with his head.
Drogba was quickly introduced for Torres in attempt to keep more of the ball but Chelsea had not been the same defensively since Terry went off.
Happily, inside the four minutes of stoppage time that were played, another substitute, Meireles was able to charge from his own half against a depleted Benfica backline, stretched even further by a supporting run from Ramires. The Portuguese international, once again much booed by the Benfica fans, smashed the ball into the net and Chelsea were through.
A repeat of the 2009 Champions League semi-final awaits, although this time Barcelona visit us first.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry (c) (Cahill 59), Cole; Mikel, Lampard; Ramires, Mata (Meireles 79), Kalou; Torres (Drogba 87).
Unused subs Turnbull, Ferreira, Essien, Sturridge,.
Scorers Lampard pen 20, Meireles 90+1.
Booked Ivanovic, Ramires 43, Mikel 78.
Unused subs Turnbull, Ferreira, Essien, Sturridge,.
Scorers Lampard pen 20, Meireles 90+1.
Booked Ivanovic, Ramires 43, Mikel 78.
Benfica (4-1-3-2): Artur; Pereira (c), Garcia, Emerson, Capdevila; Matic; Bruno César (Rodrigo 72), Witsel, Gaitán (Djalo 61); Cardozo (Oliveira 56), Aimar.
Unused subs Subs: Eduardo, Almedia, Nolito, , Saviola.
Scorer Garcia 84.
Sent off Maxi Pereira 39.
Booked Cardozo 18, Bruno Cesar 19, Maxi Pereira 19, Aimar 26.
Unused subs Subs: Eduardo, Almedia, Nolito, , Saviola.
Scorer Garcia 84.
Sent off Maxi Pereira 39.
Booked Cardozo 18, Bruno Cesar 19, Maxi Pereira 19, Aimar 26.
Referee Domir Skomina from Slovenia.
Crowd 37,264.
Crowd 37,264.
MatchDay 9 : Tuesday 27th. March 2012
Benfica 0-1 Chelsea
Matchday 8 : Wednesday 14th. March 2012
Chelsea 4 v 1 Napoli
Chelsea through 5-4 on agg.
MATCH REPORT on a Historic Night
Summary What a night! Plenty of talk before the game was about the possibility of another European classic at the Bridge and that is exactly what those watching enjoyed.
It needed extra time and a Branislav Ivanovic goal to win it but the Blues showed bags of character to turn this tie around.
We went ahead on the away goals rule just a minute into the second half of normal time, Didier Drogba having scored in the first half and then John Terry adding the second - both goals headers.
But then Napoli, who played their part in the occasion with a very watchable style of football, netted to take them back in front on aggregate, only for Frank Lampard to make the tie absolutely level from the penalty spot.
Goals looked possible at either end as the minutes ticked on but happily, it was the Blues who did the business to make the quarter-finals and maintain an English challenge in the competition.
Team news It was a new formation selected by Robbie Di Matteo, a 4-4-1-1 as Chelsea went for solidity with Juan Mata playing behind lone striker Didier Drogba.
David Luiz returned to central defence with Gary Cahill making way. In midfield Michael Essien replaced John Mikel Obi and Frank Lampard dropped back from his advanced role against Stoke, with Raul Meireles suspended. Daniel Sturridge took the place of Salomon Kalou but played on the right flank with Ramires unusually on the left.
Napoli were unchanged from the first leg.
First half Although Chelsea dominated possession at the very start, the game soon settled into the predicted pattern - the home team probing away in front of a well-manned opposition defence but then stretched from time to time by the rapid Napoli attacking play.
Lampard challenged Edinson Cavani hard in the opening seconds but conceded a free-kick on that occasion and Terry sent a header well off-target from a Chelsea free-kick, taken by Mata. The first proper effort was by Sturridge, a shot along the deck that the keeper scrambled past the post.
On nine minutes Napoli for the first time caused trouble for Chelsea, a Hamsik shot deflecting off Terry and needing Cech to quickly shift his weight and save with his legs. Three minutes later the Neapolitan side unleashed just the type of counter-attack that had hurt Chelsea in the first game - Maggio charging into space on the right and firing low to the far post where on this occasion, Cavani shot wide.
It was worrying times for the Blues and Cech was soon asked to save again, this time from Ezquiel Lavezzi after a very good pass had beaten the offside call.
The coveted early goal for Chelsea hadn't come. Midway through the half Ramires did well to take a Mata pass and spin into the area but the reputedly suspect Napoli rearguard was defending well.
It was hard to spot where a Chelsea breakthrough could come from but then Ramires was given the ball out by the left touchline and worked it onto his right foot for a cross. It was perfect for Drogba to head down into the bottom of the Shed End net. We were ahead on the night with 27 minutes played.
We could have been ahead in the tie just a minute later had Hugo Campagnaro not reached the ball just in front of Drogba who looked certain to tap in a Sturridge cross.
The Napoli threat remained and Cavani dragged a shot wide after Inler had sent him clear to the frustration of the Napoli fans, but then Sturridge headed not too far wide at the other end.
There was a forced change for the Italian side 10 minutes before the break. Right wing-back Christian Maggio, so lively in the first leg, had not recovered from an early challenge from Ramires whose selection on that wing might have been to use his running against the Italian international. Maggio was replaced by former Liverpool man Andres Dossena.
Lampard was the first player cautioned, for a 42nd minute foul on Zuniga. It was a stop-start, whistled-filled end to the opening period. In stoppage time David Luiz hammered the ball into the six-yard box and Cannavaro stretched to cut it out, very much running the risk of an own goal in the process.
Second halfThe half was barely a minute old when Cannavaro carelessly headed over his own goal to give Chelsea a corner to cue up a time-honoured combination. Lampard placed his set-piece delivery towards the near-post area where Terry was running towards and the skipper flicked the perfect header over De Sanctis and in.
Napoli had conceded a third of the goals against them this season from headers and it was proving their Achilles heel tonight. Now they had to score.
Cannavaro was booked for a foul on Lampard but the Napoli response was good as Chelsea were soon asked to do plenty of work back in our own area. We conceded an away goal on 54 minutes when Terry initially headed clear a cross but Inler controlled the ball on his chest and sweetly struck it into Cech's net from the edge of the area. Now Chelsea needed a goal.
Just prior to Napoli scoring, Di Matteo had been about to bring on Jose Bosingwa, possibly to play on the wing rather than at full-back, but that moment had passed. Instead Torres entered the action with just over an hour played.
The Spaniard was soon foraging hard inside the Napoli area and the ball broke to Ivanovic who smashed a shot that the keeper hurriedly blocked. Then after another Chelsea corner, Drogba battled, spun and unleashed a volley that needed the save of the game from De Sanctis to keep it out of the net.
Dossena was booked on 67 minutes for catching Essien on the thigh before Zuniga came off the flank to force another save from Cech. Some of the Chelsea defending was by now falling into the last-ditch category.
At the other end the corners kept coming, each one bringing hope, and there was a scramble after a sliced Napoli clearance when Drogba had headed on.
The Blues kept the pressure on and Napoli cracked, Dossena clearly handling an Ivanovic header and on this occasion it was spotted by a Champions League ref - Felix Brych from Germany pointing to the spot.
Lampard smashed the penalty in to make the scores level on aggregate with 74 minutes played.
The challenges from both sides strengthened. It was a night of blood and thunder, thrills and spills. The Stamford Bridge crowd responded.
With 86 minutes played, David Luiz did well to juggle the ball away from a lurking Cavani and moments later Walter Gargano launched an ambitious effort onto the roof of the Chelsea net. Before the 90 minutes were up, Drogba was wanting a penalty after he and Aronica tangled but this time the ref wasn't interested. Another 30 minutes was to be played.
Extra time first half The Chelsea threat in the air continued on unchecked - Ivanovic this time heading a corner a yard wide, but then Napoli counter-punched with a fierce Hamsik volley that went equally close.
Malouda was the second Chelsea substitute introduced, replacing Mata four minutes into extra time with Bosingwa on three minutes later, a forced change due to a Terry injury. Rather than bring Cahill on, Ivanovic moved into central defence. Moments before that switch, Cole had been shown a yellow card for fouling Campagnaro.
Malouda was the second Chelsea substitute introduced, replacing Mata four minutes into extra time with Bosingwa on three minutes later, a forced change due to a Terry injury. Rather than bring Cahill on, Ivanovic moved into central defence. Moments before that switch, Cole had been shown a yellow card for fouling Campagnaro.
De Sanctis in the Napoli goal had done well on the night but completely misjudged a long punt forward by Drogba, running underneath it to allow Torres in behind him, but the angle was always against the Spaniard finding the target.
A minute before the interval Chelsea did go ahead - Drogba the craftsman and Ivanovic applying the gleaming finish. In a tight space, the Ivorian wriggled clear enough to cross low and the Serbian turned it in first time from 12 yards out.
Extra time second half Ahead on aggregate, now Chelsea could play on the counter-attack and Torres made De Sanctis sprawl to save his long-range shot after Ramires had broken forward.
It was desperate times for the Italian side and Inler and Campagnaro were both booked. One goal for them would turn the tie from a Chelsea win to a Napoli one however, and football doesn't get any more tense than that.
It was desperate times for the Italian side and Inler and Campagnaro were both booked. One goal for them would turn the tie from a Chelsea win to a Napoli one however, and football doesn't get any more tense than that.
We could have made it safe with less than a minute left on the clock after Malouda nicked possession high up the pitch and fed Drogba but he volleyed wide. But the four goals proved to be enough. It was time for 'One Step Beyond' as Chelsea took another step forward.
We will discover our next opponents when the draw is made on Friday.
Chelsea (4-4-1-1): Cech; Ivanovic, D Luiz, Terry (c) (Bosingwa 97), Cole; Sturridge (Torres 62); Essien, Lampard, Ramires; Mata (Malouda 94); Drogba.
Unused subs Turnbull, Cahill, Mikel, Kalou.
Scorers Drogba 27, Terry 46, Lampard pen 74, Ivanovic 104.
Booked Lampard 42, Cole 97.
Unused subs Turnbull, Cahill, Mikel, Kalou.
Scorers Drogba 27, Terry 46, Lampard pen 74, Ivanovic 104.
Booked Lampard 42, Cole 97.
Napoli (3-4-3): De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro (c), Aronica; Maggio (Dossena 36), Inler, Gargano, Zuniga; HamsÃk, Cavani, Lavezzi.
Unused subs Rosati, Vargas, Dzemaili, Fernandez, Pandev, Britos.
Scorer Inler 54
Booked Cannavaro 52, Dossena 67, Inler 111, Campagnaro 114.
Unused subs Rosati, Vargas, Dzemaili, Fernandez, Pandev, Britos.
Scorer Inler 54
Booked Cannavaro 52, Dossena 67, Inler 111, Campagnaro 114.
Referee Felix Brych from Germany.
Crowd 37,784.
Crowd 37,784.
Matchday 7 : Tuesday 21st. February 2012
Last 16 Knockout Stage 1st. leg
Napoli |
3-1 Chelsea
|
SummaryA spirited display could not prevent the game turning on its head following Juan Mata's opener in Italy, yet we remain very much in this Champions League tie.
At the Stadio San Paolo against a Napoli side that has played its best football on the European stage this season, and after surviving a couple of early scares, we went ahead through Mata's controlled volley, only to see the lead turn into a deficit before half-time.
First, Ezequiel Lavezzi stroked home from the edge of the area and then in injury time Edinson Cavani turned the ball home as Chelsea failed to deal with a whipped cross across the box.
The second half began brightly too, but optimism faded when Lavezzi converted his second of the evening just after the hour, and although Chelsea continued to look for a way back into the game, it was Napoli who could have added to the score when Ashley Cole, a substitute on for the injured Jose Bosingwa early on, cleared Christian Maggio's effort off the line.
So we return to London with a two-goal deficit, but knowing we can do damage against Walter Mazzarri's side. The scene is set for one of those famous nights at Stamford Bridge.
Team news John Terry failed in his race to be fit for the game, and will now undergo an arthoscopy in order to determine the extent of his knee problem. Fellow injury doubt Ashley Cole was rated fit enough only for the subs' bench, meaning Jose Bosingwa started at left-back with Gary Cahill keeping his place in the centre of defence.
In midfield Andre Villas-Boas selected Florent Malouda ahead of both Frank Lampard and Michael Essien, with Raul Meireles chosen to sit deep, while Didier Drogba returned to lead the attack at the expense of Fernando Torres, who was among the substitutes.
Hosts Napoli were unchanged from their last Champions League group game, including defender Hugo Campagnaro who had been rated as a doubt.
First half Cahill, making his Champions League debut, had to be alert to cut out a clever Lavezzi reverse pass just into the second minute and shortly afterwards Petr Cech was quick off his line to punch clear with the diminutive Argentine giving chase.
It was the other South American that brought the first proper save from the Chelsea man however, Cavani the Uruguayan was found in space by Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler, and with time to bring the ball down and pick his spot fired fairly straight and low, Cech blocking well with his feet.
Shortly afterwards Bosingwa required treatment and was forced to withdraw. On in his place came Cole with only 11 minutes on the clock.
After Walter Gargano won possession and fed Lavezzi, who in turn played in an offside Cavani, it looked as though the hosts were going to carve open the visitors at will and Maggio brought another cat-like stop from Cech before the 20-minute mark.
Chelsea were still getting forward and finding spaces in which to play on a sizeable San Paolo surface, but it was Napoli carrying all the threat, so imagine the surprise when Chelsea went in front before the half-hour.
A hurried passing move ended with Sturridge sending a loose pass into the home side's area, where Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro scuffed his clearance to allow Juan Mata the opportunity to side-foot his volley home from 10 yards past the helpless Morgan De Sanctis.
Despite all the pressure, all the negative publicity and recent poor results, Chelsea were in front against the odds. But could we hang on to the lead?
In the 10 minutes following the goal, Napoli failed to fashion any more chances, and the Blues, in black, went close through a David Luiz header from Mata's corner. That chance came about after a Daniel Sturridge break, where had he crossed with his weaker right foot rather than trying to go outside his marker, he may well have found an unmarked Mata for a second goal.
But, just when Villas-Boas's men may have been gaining confidence, Lavezzi struck, turning on the edge of the box and sending two Chelsea men the wrong way before curling neatly into the bottom corner beyond Cech.
Wounded, Chelsea came back and Ramires found himself with a decent chance almost immediately, but fired over with his left foot having accelerated past a Napoli defender on the area's edge.
The midfielder would have been rueing his miss by half-time, as it was he who had conceded the throw-in that eventually led to Napoli's second goal.
The ball was eventually worked from left to right where the cross was not prevented, and nor would it be cut out in flight, allowing Cavani the simplest of bundled finishes at the far post.
Awful timing, yet having scored once Chelsea must surely have felt it possible again in the second period, so long as we could tighten up.
Second halfFour minutes into the second period Napoli's defence almost contrived to give us another slice of luck, a low corner diverted goalwards but cleared off the line before we could claim an equaliser.
Drogba, Mata and Malouda linked up to force a save, possibly a first of the game, from De Sanctis yet at the other end incisive passes were still too frequent to see, with Ramires and Meireles, forming a shield in front of the back four, too easily bypassed.
Mata fizzed another shot straight at De Sanctis while Lavezzi dragged a golden chance wide. Malouda then spurned a decent-looking volley before almost setting Drogba free with a lofted pass on the hour.
Chelsea were taking the game to Napoli, admirable in a hostile atmosphere, but the task became a whole lot harder on 64 minutes as the hosts doubled their advantage.
David Luiz was beaten by Cavani following a long ball from Campagnaro, and the forward then squared the ball to Lavezzi, taking an advanced Cech out of the game and allowing the Argentine to sweep home his second goal of the evening.
Villas-Boas called for Lampard and Essien, replacements with experience aplenty. With Meireles and Malouda withdrawn, Chelsea switched to a diamond midfield with Mata at its head, and Sturridge joined Drogba in attack.
This also prompted a slight change in approach, with more direct balls played up to Drogba in the hope that others would be able to support the target man. With men committed forward though we were more open than ever at the back.
Another Napoli break saw the ball squared by Marek Hamsik and Maggio poke towards goal only for Cole to be covering with a two-footed clearance right on the line. It was an intervention that may just have kept us alive.
Drogba turned over on the stroke of 90 minutes, and Lampard saw a long-range effort held by De Sanctis as we pushed for a late goal to tighten things up, but there was no breakthrough and so we return home needing a sizeable but not impossible victory.
Napoli (3-4-2-1): De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro (c), Aronica; Maggio, Inler, Gargano, Zuniga; Hamsik (Pandev 81), Lavezzi (Dzemaili 73); Cavani.
Unused subs Rosati, Grava, Dossena, Fernandez, Britos.
Goals Lavezzi 37, 64 Cavani 45+1
Booked Cavani 39
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, David Luiz, Bosingwa (Cole 11); Ramires, Meireles (Essien 69); Sturridge, Mata, Malouda (Lampard 69); Drogba (c).
Unused subs Turnbull, Mikel, Kalou, Torres.
Goals Mata 26
Booked Meireles 40, Cahill 55
Referee Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain)
Attendance 52,495
At the Stadio San Paolo against a Napoli side that has played its best football on the European stage this season, and after surviving a couple of early scares, we went ahead through Mata's controlled volley, only to see the lead turn into a deficit before half-time.
First, Ezequiel Lavezzi stroked home from the edge of the area and then in injury time Edinson Cavani turned the ball home as Chelsea failed to deal with a whipped cross across the box.
The second half began brightly too, but optimism faded when Lavezzi converted his second of the evening just after the hour, and although Chelsea continued to look for a way back into the game, it was Napoli who could have added to the score when Ashley Cole, a substitute on for the injured Jose Bosingwa early on, cleared Christian Maggio's effort off the line.
So we return to London with a two-goal deficit, but knowing we can do damage against Walter Mazzarri's side. The scene is set for one of those famous nights at Stamford Bridge.
Team news John Terry failed in his race to be fit for the game, and will now undergo an arthoscopy in order to determine the extent of his knee problem. Fellow injury doubt Ashley Cole was rated fit enough only for the subs' bench, meaning Jose Bosingwa started at left-back with Gary Cahill keeping his place in the centre of defence.
In midfield Andre Villas-Boas selected Florent Malouda ahead of both Frank Lampard and Michael Essien, with Raul Meireles chosen to sit deep, while Didier Drogba returned to lead the attack at the expense of Fernando Torres, who was among the substitutes.
Hosts Napoli were unchanged from their last Champions League group game, including defender Hugo Campagnaro who had been rated as a doubt.
First half Cahill, making his Champions League debut, had to be alert to cut out a clever Lavezzi reverse pass just into the second minute and shortly afterwards Petr Cech was quick off his line to punch clear with the diminutive Argentine giving chase.
It was the other South American that brought the first proper save from the Chelsea man however, Cavani the Uruguayan was found in space by Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler, and with time to bring the ball down and pick his spot fired fairly straight and low, Cech blocking well with his feet.
Shortly afterwards Bosingwa required treatment and was forced to withdraw. On in his place came Cole with only 11 minutes on the clock.
After Walter Gargano won possession and fed Lavezzi, who in turn played in an offside Cavani, it looked as though the hosts were going to carve open the visitors at will and Maggio brought another cat-like stop from Cech before the 20-minute mark.
Chelsea were still getting forward and finding spaces in which to play on a sizeable San Paolo surface, but it was Napoli carrying all the threat, so imagine the surprise when Chelsea went in front before the half-hour.
A hurried passing move ended with Sturridge sending a loose pass into the home side's area, where Napoli captain Paolo Cannavaro scuffed his clearance to allow Juan Mata the opportunity to side-foot his volley home from 10 yards past the helpless Morgan De Sanctis.
Despite all the pressure, all the negative publicity and recent poor results, Chelsea were in front against the odds. But could we hang on to the lead?
In the 10 minutes following the goal, Napoli failed to fashion any more chances, and the Blues, in black, went close through a David Luiz header from Mata's corner. That chance came about after a Daniel Sturridge break, where had he crossed with his weaker right foot rather than trying to go outside his marker, he may well have found an unmarked Mata for a second goal.
But, just when Villas-Boas's men may have been gaining confidence, Lavezzi struck, turning on the edge of the box and sending two Chelsea men the wrong way before curling neatly into the bottom corner beyond Cech.
Wounded, Chelsea came back and Ramires found himself with a decent chance almost immediately, but fired over with his left foot having accelerated past a Napoli defender on the area's edge.
The midfielder would have been rueing his miss by half-time, as it was he who had conceded the throw-in that eventually led to Napoli's second goal.
The ball was eventually worked from left to right where the cross was not prevented, and nor would it be cut out in flight, allowing Cavani the simplest of bundled finishes at the far post.
Awful timing, yet having scored once Chelsea must surely have felt it possible again in the second period, so long as we could tighten up.
Drogba, Mata and Malouda linked up to force a save, possibly a first of the game, from De Sanctis yet at the other end incisive passes were still too frequent to see, with Ramires and Meireles, forming a shield in front of the back four, too easily bypassed.
Mata fizzed another shot straight at De Sanctis while Lavezzi dragged a golden chance wide. Malouda then spurned a decent-looking volley before almost setting Drogba free with a lofted pass on the hour.
Chelsea were taking the game to Napoli, admirable in a hostile atmosphere, but the task became a whole lot harder on 64 minutes as the hosts doubled their advantage.
David Luiz was beaten by Cavani following a long ball from Campagnaro, and the forward then squared the ball to Lavezzi, taking an advanced Cech out of the game and allowing the Argentine to sweep home his second goal of the evening.
This also prompted a slight change in approach, with more direct balls played up to Drogba in the hope that others would be able to support the target man. With men committed forward though we were more open than ever at the back.
Another Napoli break saw the ball squared by Marek Hamsik and Maggio poke towards goal only for Cole to be covering with a two-footed clearance right on the line. It was an intervention that may just have kept us alive.
Napoli (3-4-2-1): De Sanctis; Campagnaro, Cannavaro (c), Aronica; Maggio, Inler, Gargano, Zuniga; Hamsik (Pandev 81), Lavezzi (Dzemaili 73); Cavani.
Unused subs Rosati, Grava, Dossena, Fernandez, Britos.
Goals Lavezzi 37, 64 Cavani 45+1
Booked Cavani 39
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, David Luiz, Bosingwa (Cole 11); Ramires, Meireles (Essien 69); Sturridge, Mata, Malouda (Lampard 69); Drogba (c).
Unused subs Turnbull, Mikel, Kalou, Torres.
Goals Mata 26
Booked Meireles 40, Cahill 55
Referee Carlos Velasco Carballo (Spain)
Attendance 52,495
Matchday 6 : 6th. December 2011
Chelsea |
3-0
| Valencia |
SUMMARYWhat was all the fuss about? Chelsea are through to the last 16 of the Champions League after a brilliant home win, with goals courtesy of a Didier Drogba pair and Ramires.
It had all looked so dangerous before the game, with victory needed to absolutely guarantee qualification, but nerves were quickly settled when after two minutes Drogba had put us in front when he danced around a defender inside the box and smashed low into the bottom corner.
The same player turned creator for the second when he sent Ramires through, though the goal owed as much to the midfielder's persistence in chasing a speculative through ball as it did the slide-rule pass in behind the defence.
It was not all plain sailing though, as in between Valencia struck a post and Petr Cech pulled off a save of world-class proportions to deny David Albelda an equaliser, but Chelsea rarely looked threatened afterwards.
Drogba rolled in a third 15 minutes from time to make three huge points safe, and the Stamford Bridge party could begin.
Genk's draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen only served to improve the mood, as we sneak through top of the group into next Friday's draw for the last 16.
BEST MOMENTA minute after netting the third, Drogba was withdrawn to huge applause around the Bridge having turned in one of his best displays in memory, a performance quickly acknowledged to the 33-year-old by every member of Chelsea's backroom team and substitutes.
TEAM NEWSThere was one change from the side that started at Newcastle on Saturday, Frank Lampard replaced in midfield by Raul Meireles which meant Drogba kept his place in attack having scored the first of our three at the weekend.
Oriol Romeu continued at the base of the midfield for his fourth consecutive start having impressed over the past 10 days, so that meant John Mikel Obi joined Lampard and Fernando Torres among the subs.
Only Michael Essien and Josh McEachran were unavailable for selection ahead of this one, though Andre Villas-Boas had stated at the weekend that while the futures of Alex and Nicolas Anelka were in doubt, they would not be taking part in first-team activity.
FIRST HALFAndre Villas-Boas and his men knew a win would guarantee a place in the last 16, but anything else would throw qualification into serious doubt.
A goalless draw would suffice provided Genk did not beat Bayer Leverkusen in the group's other game tonight, but a score draw would see Chelsea eliminated on goals scored to the benefit of our Spanish opposition.
If ever there was cause for nerves, this was it, yet it was the visitors who succumbed to the pressure. Inside three minutes Valencia had given the ball away needlessly four times, and after Meireles had tested Diego Alves with a bending effort, we went in front through Drogba.
Daniel Sturridge nicked the ball inside the Valencia half and crossed deep to former Valencia man Mata, who brought the ball down and pulled it back for the forward to control and fire home with his left foot into the far corner.
Valencia were quickly on the lookout for an equaliser though, and before five minutes were up they had struck the woodwork when attacking left-back Jordi Alba had broken into the Chelsea box and cracked an effort against Petr Cech's near post with the goalkeeper beaten.
Minutes later David Albelda, the captain, had produced a stunning drive from range destined for the top corner until Cech extended every inch of his 6ft 5ins frame to tip it behind for a corner.
There had not yet been time to pause for breath and this was perhaps just as well, because when respite did come the vulnerability of Chelsea's position came immediately to mind. One Valencia goal would still knock us out.
There was enough experience in this Chelsea side to stand strong though, Cech had done his bit, John Terry was clearing everything inside the box, and then Drogba created a second, killer goal.
The Ivorian showed pace and power to run at the away defence before adding a little guile too, slipping a ball through for Ramires in behind the defence, and while defender Victor Ruiz was favourite, the Brazilian had determination to succeed, got round his man and slotted it calmly beyond Diego Alves. This had been the perfect start, with 21 minutes on the clock.
Sturridge had a right-footed drive pushed around the post and Meireles flashed one wide while at the other end Tino Costa drove two yards off target with Chelsea looking comfortable despite Valencia enjoying the majority of possession.
The Blues went in at the break looking in complete control, though Villas-Boas will have warned that one slip would allow Valencia straight back into contention.
SECOND HALFA low-key start to the second half came to life when Romeu set Sturridge away on a counter-attack after winning the ball on the edge of his own box, and having skinned his marker, Sturridge forced Diego Alves into a decent stop at his near post.
Cech was called into action when Sofiane Feghouli broke into the box but the keeper was on fine form and able to palm the shot away, before defensive reinforcement arrived in the form of John Mikel Obi who replaced Ramires in midfield. He would sit deep alongside Romeu, allowing Meireles to go foraging further forward in what effectively became a 4-2-3-1.
Valencia still searched but it was Drogba who should have netted to kill the contest. Sturridge produced some classy footwork and sent the forward away in a tussle with a defender, and having beaten his man should have hit the net but, under pressure, dragged wide across goal.
Even at that stage, with a little under 20 minutes still to play, it did not look like mattering too much. Then, when Drogba went through once more, he made it absolutely sure that his previous miss could be forgiven, rolling the ball calmly beyond Diego Alves after Mata had been gifted the ball in dangerous territory.
Moments later Drogba departed the field, with Torres on in his place, to rapturous applause from an adoring Stamford Bridge.
Cech had to palm away an Aritz Aduriz header and clutch onto a Pablo Hernandez drive as the minutes ticked away, but the win was never in doubt and the Blues go marching into the knockout rounds.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, David Luiz, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires (Mikel 64), Romeu, Meireles; Sturridge, Drogba (Torres 77), Mata (Malouda 82).
Unused subs Turnbull, Ferreira, Lampard, Kalou.
Goals Drogba 2, 75 Ramires 21
Booked Romeu 67
Valencia (4-2-3-1): Diego Alves; Barragan, Rami, Victor Ruiz, Jordi Alba (Aduriz 54); T Costa (Parejo 75), Albelda (c); Feghouli (Pablo Hernandez 64), Jonas, Mathieu; Soldado.
Unused subs Guaita, Mehmet Topal, Piatti, Dealbert.
Goals
Booked Tino Costa 68
Referee Gianluca Rocchi (Italy)
Crowd 41,109
Genk |
0-1
| Leverkusen |
Chelsea Win The Group With Levekusen in Second Place
Group E
Home | Away | Total | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clubs | P | W | D | L | W | D | L | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | Pts | |
1 | Chelsea FC | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 4 | 9 | 11 |
2 | Bayer 04 Leverkusen | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 10 |
3 | Valencia CF | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 8 |
4 | KRC Genk | 6 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 16 | -14 | 3 |
Matchday 5 : 23rd. November 2011
Leverkusen |
2-1
| Chelsea |
Summary With 90 minutes played, it looked as if Chelsea were to draw away 1-1 for the third time in this group stage but then the home team struck a sickening blow, scoring from a corner to leave just a point covering the top three sides going into the final games.
After a largely forgettable first half in which Michael Ballack had hit woodwork for the Germans, again from a corner, it was Didier Drogba who fired the Blues ahead early in the second half. Cech then kept Ballack out with two fine saves but it still proved a lead Andre Villas-Boas's side could not hold onto, Leverkusen equalising with 72 minutes played of what had been a fairly even encounter. Chelsea had chances to restore the lead but it was Leverkusen who tool theirs. A win or a 0-0 draw at home to Valencia in two weeks' time is now imperative. Team news Ashley Cole suffered an ankle injury in training so did not take part. He is rated as a 60 per cent chance of making the game against Wolves at the weekend. Ryan Bertrand is ineligible for the Champions League squad so Jose Bosingwa was asked to play left-back with Branislav Ivanovic on the right. Raul Meireles came in for John Mikel Obi in midfield and Daniel Sturridge replaced Florent Malouda in attack. Didier Drogba began his first Champions League game of the season. Bayer Leverkusen made four changes from the side that lost at Stamford Bridge, three in defence where only Michal Kadlec remained. Gonzalo Castro came in on the right of midfield. Michael Ballack started complete with Cech-style nose mask. First half Leverkusen had the early territorial advantage but with little menace to their attack. Chelsea's first foray forward floundered on a lack of understanding between Lampard and Bosingwa down the left. On 12 minutes Sturridge escaped into space in the box and hammered the ball square but Leno in the home goal caught well. There was an interruption just past the quarter-of-an-hour mark when David Luiz went down hurt having challenged for an aerial ball that had come back off Bosingwa. The stretcher came on but wasn't need as the Brazilian walked off the pitch for treatment. He continued soon after. The cagey start to the game continued past the halfway mark in the first period. Chelsea won a free-kick over 30 yards from goal but Lampard's ambitious attempt had far too much height on it. Chelsea's first shot on target came in the 29th minute - a Drogba free-kick but it was comfortable for the keeper. Three minutes later Chelsea were far more concerned when Ballack got to a corner first and from close range, headed against the bar. The former Chelsea midfielder's aerial prowess is not diminished. The home side's centre-forward Kiessling had been losing out to Terry in the physical contest so far and when he dropped deeper, his foul on Bosingwa earned him a booking. It had been an even contest for a while but as half-time approached there was the promising sign of Chelsea finishing the half the stronger side. Drogba had the best Chelsea chance so far when he was put through on the right side of the area by a touch of Sturridge class but from out wide the Ivorian shot over. It wasn't a straightforward chance but was one well within his capabilities. Then with three minutes remaining Sturridge held the ball in an advanced position, allowing Mata the chance to shot but without the power to beat the keeper. That was another presentable chance. Chelsea moved forward quickly once more and after Lampard had been halted in front of goal, Sturridge tried to curl one in from distance but Leno claimed. Late on Ballack was shown a yellow card for dissent, Kadlec having earlier gone in the book to make it 3-0 on cautions at the interval. Second halfDrogba may not have made the most of it the first time Sturridge had set him up with an opening but he was making no mistake second time. In possession with his back to goal 15 yards out, he was initially well policed but then turned inside in trademark style and found the bottom corner. Ivanovic then tried to hammer home the advantage but his shot from distance was too straight, The Serbian then became Chelsea's first booked player for a foul on Sam. For a minute just before the hour, the game turned into a duel between the two masked men, first Cech tipping over at full stretch after an adept bicycle kick by Ballack, and then when the same player got on the end of a ball into the six-yard box, it looked for all the world a goal but Cech somehow parried from point-blank range. There was an escape soon after as substitute Schurrle headed straight into the Chelsea keeper's arms. It was a strong few minutes by Bayer but when Terry cleared a Ballack cross, Sturridge was able to use his pace to run from his own half past his marker. He made space outside the last defender but couldn't then beat the keeper. Malouda and Alex were introduced in quick succession, Mata and David Luiz making way. Bayer made a change too, Derdiyok coming on and it paid off almost immediately for the home team. Sam was the player who was found in space on the left and with Cech exposed and covering the potential shot, the winger chipped the ball over to Derdiyok at the far post who headed in. There were 72 minutes played. Drogba thought he should have had a penalty when he was tumbled in the box as Chelsea looked for a response but there was nothing given. The game was very much in the balance. It looked to be opening up for Chelsea when Malouda floated a ball over to Drogba who was not tightly marked but he volleyed wide. Instead it was the home side who snatched it as stoppage time began. From a corner, Friedrich got above Alex on the penalty spot to head in off the underside of the bar. Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Ivanovic, D Luiz (Alex 68), Terry (c), Bosingwa; Ramires, Meireles (Mikel 79), Lampard; Sturridge, Drogba, Mata (Malouda 65). Unused subs Turnbull, McEachran, Kalou, Torres. Scorer Drogba 47. Booked Ivanovic 54, Meireles 71. Leverkusen (4-2-3-1): Leno; Schwaab (Schürrle 56), Friedrich, Toprak, Kadlec (Derdiyok 70); Bender, Rolfes (c); Castro, Ballack, Sam; Kiessling (Oczipka 81). Scorer Derdiyok 72, Friedrich 90. Unused subs Giefer, Reinartz, Ortega, Jørgensen. Booked Kiessling 35, Kadlec 39, Ballack 43. Referee Viktor Kassai from Hungary. Crowd 29,285. | ||||
Valencia |
7-0
| Genk |
Matchday 4 : 1st. November 2011
Genk |
1-1
| Chelsea |
SUMMARY
Chelsea surrendered a first-half lead once more as we could only draw at Genk despite controlling long periods of our Champions League Group E game.
It had all looked so straightforward when Ramires had advanced through a static home defence to fire Chelsea into a 26th minute lead, an advantage that should have been doubled when David Luiz took responsibility before the break, the Brazilian's spot kick saved by Genk goalkeeper Laszlo Koteles.
The miss would come back to haunt the Blues on the hour mark when striker Jelle Vossen levelled from close range, Genk's first goal in this competition, to earn his side an unlikely point.
The introduction of Frank Lampard to central midfield shortly after Genk's goal handed the initiative back to the Blues, but it was the England midfielder who would miss the best opportunity to win the game, getting his footing wrong as he failed to connect with a low Daniel Sturridge cross just feet from the Genk goal line.
Florent Malouda almost snatched it for Chelsea at the death, but in the end we had to settle for a draw, and further question marks over our defending under pressure.
The draw is no disaster in the context of Champions League qualification however, with Bayer Leverkusen beaten at Valencia, leaving us still in command at the top of Group E.
TEAM NEWS
Such was the strength of our position in this group, Andre Villas-Boas was again able to rotate his squad and still feel confident of achieving a result.
John Terry and Frank Lampard were both rested but available from the bench with David Luiz recalled to defence, while Raul Meireles started in midfield with Oriol Romeu in for the injured John Mikel Obi.
In attack, Fernando Torres continued with Didier Drogba left at home following a medical procedure on his arm, with Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka on the flanks.
Chelsea were in the all black away kit, which for the first time featured the Right to Play logo across the back, a feature recently permitted by Uefa.
FIRST HALF
In spite of their 5-0 thrashing at Stamford Bridge a fortnight earlier, Genk started the game playing the better football but visibly lacked the killer edge that Robin van Persie had shown against the Blues just a few days earlier. As a result it was Koteles, the home goalkeeper, who was called into action first when Ramires poked a shot goalwards from the edge of the box in the ninth minute.
That move prompted Chelsea to take a better grip on the game, threatening down the left through the old combination of Malouda and Cole, with Meireles gaining plenty of ball-time in central midfield.
While Meireles sat in the centre, his midfield partner galloped forward and it was Ramires who would open the scoring for Chelsea after 25 minutes, taking control of a loose ball after some sloppy Genk play and driving on, exchanging passes with Torres before shooting low through the legs of the keeper from a tight angle.
As at the Bridge, the Belgians had created their own problems, and they nearly worsened on the half-hour when Torres flashed an effort just wide from 25 yards, and Ramires headed a Cole cross wide of the post.
An exquisite Chelsea move involving Cole and Meireles sent Malouda into the area with space to pick his pass, but his Torres-bound ball was cut out by Khaleem Hyland, who had to hold his breath to see the ball drop wide of the post for a corner. Villas-Boas's side were in complete control as half-time approached.
Wave after wave of Chelsea attack continued. Meireles struck the angle of post and bar after David Luiz and Torres had teed him up, and then came a chance to kill the game.
Malouda attempted a cross but at close quarters the ball struck Thomas Buffel's arm - penalty to Chelsea.
David Luiz stepped up confidently and struck cleanly, but Koteles guessed correctly and palmed the ball away low to his right. It would prove a frustrating moment after half-time.
SECOND HALF
Genk's Kevin De Bruyne passed up the opportunity to advertise himself to potential suitors when he scuffed a decent chance five minutes after the break, following patient right to left build-up from the home side. Chelsea were rumoured to be interested in the winger this summer, having already signed his former team-mate, the goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Cech had to dive bravely at the feet of Kennedy Nwanganga to preserve Chelsea's lead a couple of minutes later after the back four went missing with the ball bouncing around the away side's penalty area.
A couple of corners had the home fans in the mood too as they willed their side forward once more, and their reward would arrive on the hour.
Fabien Camus, absent at the Bridge, strode into the area down Chelsea's right and pulled back into the danger area where forward Jelle Vossen stroked the ball beyond Cech and into the net.
Villas-Boas cannot have been impressed with his side's second-half output, and wrung the changes with 25 minutes remaining, introducing Lampard and Daniel Sturridge for Ramires and Anelka.
Whether it was the shock of conceding or the changes brought by the manager, Chelsea began to wrestle control back from the hosts and Meireles could have headed us back into the lead when he met a Malouda cross, instead heading straight at the goalkeeper.
Lampard missed an even easier one on 78 minutes when Sturridge ploughed into the box and crossed low, the midfielder failing to make contact with the ball despite having a good view of the incoming delivery.
At the other end Cech had to advance off his line again to stop substitute Anthony Limbombe sliding Genk into an unlikely lead after De Bruyne had weighted a smart pass through the channel, but as the clock ticked over the 90-minute mark it was Malouda who could have snatched a win for the visitors.
The Frenchman did everything right, lifting the ball over Koteles from the tightest of angles, but between them the two covering defenders managed to scramble the ball behind for only a corner.
It was the last chance in a game Chelsea will feel we should have won, but could still have lost. The task for the manager is to rebuild confidence before Saturday's awkward-looking trip to the Premier League's bottom side, Blackburn.
Genk (4-4-2): Koteles; Vanden Borre, Hyland, Nadson, Ngongca; Buffel (Ndabashinze 68), Tozser (c), Camus, De Bruyne; Vossen (Barda 86), Nwanganga (Limbombe 81).
Unused subs Sandomierski, Sarr, Durwael, Ofori-Appiah.
Goals Vossen 60
Booked De Bruyne 75
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech (c); Bosingwa, Ivanovic, David Luiz, Cole; Ramires (Lampard 65), Romeu (Mata 76), Meireles; Anelka (Sturridge 65), Torres , Malouda.
Unused subs Turnbull, Terry, McEachran, Kalou.
Goals Ramires 25
Booked Meireles 90
Attendance 22,584
It had all looked so straightforward when Ramires had advanced through a static home defence to fire Chelsea into a 26th minute lead, an advantage that should have been doubled when David Luiz took responsibility before the break, the Brazilian's spot kick saved by Genk goalkeeper Laszlo Koteles.
The miss would come back to haunt the Blues on the hour mark when striker Jelle Vossen levelled from close range, Genk's first goal in this competition, to earn his side an unlikely point.
The introduction of Frank Lampard to central midfield shortly after Genk's goal handed the initiative back to the Blues, but it was the England midfielder who would miss the best opportunity to win the game, getting his footing wrong as he failed to connect with a low Daniel Sturridge cross just feet from the Genk goal line.
Florent Malouda almost snatched it for Chelsea at the death, but in the end we had to settle for a draw, and further question marks over our defending under pressure.
The draw is no disaster in the context of Champions League qualification however, with Bayer Leverkusen beaten at Valencia, leaving us still in command at the top of Group E.
TEAM NEWS
Such was the strength of our position in this group, Andre Villas-Boas was again able to rotate his squad and still feel confident of achieving a result.
John Terry and Frank Lampard were both rested but available from the bench with David Luiz recalled to defence, while Raul Meireles started in midfield with Oriol Romeu in for the injured John Mikel Obi.
In attack, Fernando Torres continued with Didier Drogba left at home following a medical procedure on his arm, with Florent Malouda and Nicolas Anelka on the flanks.
Chelsea were in the all black away kit, which for the first time featured the Right to Play logo across the back, a feature recently permitted by Uefa.
FIRST HALF
In spite of their 5-0 thrashing at Stamford Bridge a fortnight earlier, Genk started the game playing the better football but visibly lacked the killer edge that Robin van Persie had shown against the Blues just a few days earlier. As a result it was Koteles, the home goalkeeper, who was called into action first when Ramires poked a shot goalwards from the edge of the box in the ninth minute.
That move prompted Chelsea to take a better grip on the game, threatening down the left through the old combination of Malouda and Cole, with Meireles gaining plenty of ball-time in central midfield.
While Meireles sat in the centre, his midfield partner galloped forward and it was Ramires who would open the scoring for Chelsea after 25 minutes, taking control of a loose ball after some sloppy Genk play and driving on, exchanging passes with Torres before shooting low through the legs of the keeper from a tight angle.
As at the Bridge, the Belgians had created their own problems, and they nearly worsened on the half-hour when Torres flashed an effort just wide from 25 yards, and Ramires headed a Cole cross wide of the post.
An exquisite Chelsea move involving Cole and Meireles sent Malouda into the area with space to pick his pass, but his Torres-bound ball was cut out by Khaleem Hyland, who had to hold his breath to see the ball drop wide of the post for a corner. Villas-Boas's side were in complete control as half-time approached.
Wave after wave of Chelsea attack continued. Meireles struck the angle of post and bar after David Luiz and Torres had teed him up, and then came a chance to kill the game.
Malouda attempted a cross but at close quarters the ball struck Thomas Buffel's arm - penalty to Chelsea.
David Luiz stepped up confidently and struck cleanly, but Koteles guessed correctly and palmed the ball away low to his right. It would prove a frustrating moment after half-time.
SECOND HALF
Genk's Kevin De Bruyne passed up the opportunity to advertise himself to potential suitors when he scuffed a decent chance five minutes after the break, following patient right to left build-up from the home side. Chelsea were rumoured to be interested in the winger this summer, having already signed his former team-mate, the goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Cech had to dive bravely at the feet of Kennedy Nwanganga to preserve Chelsea's lead a couple of minutes later after the back four went missing with the ball bouncing around the away side's penalty area.
A couple of corners had the home fans in the mood too as they willed their side forward once more, and their reward would arrive on the hour.
Fabien Camus, absent at the Bridge, strode into the area down Chelsea's right and pulled back into the danger area where forward Jelle Vossen stroked the ball beyond Cech and into the net.
Villas-Boas cannot have been impressed with his side's second-half output, and wrung the changes with 25 minutes remaining, introducing Lampard and Daniel Sturridge for Ramires and Anelka.
Whether it was the shock of conceding or the changes brought by the manager, Chelsea began to wrestle control back from the hosts and Meireles could have headed us back into the lead when he met a Malouda cross, instead heading straight at the goalkeeper.
Lampard missed an even easier one on 78 minutes when Sturridge ploughed into the box and crossed low, the midfielder failing to make contact with the ball despite having a good view of the incoming delivery.
At the other end Cech had to advance off his line again to stop substitute Anthony Limbombe sliding Genk into an unlikely lead after De Bruyne had weighted a smart pass through the channel, but as the clock ticked over the 90-minute mark it was Malouda who could have snatched a win for the visitors.
The Frenchman did everything right, lifting the ball over Koteles from the tightest of angles, but between them the two covering defenders managed to scramble the ball behind for only a corner.
It was the last chance in a game Chelsea will feel we should have won, but could still have lost. The task for the manager is to rebuild confidence before Saturday's awkward-looking trip to the Premier League's bottom side, Blackburn.
Genk (4-4-2): Koteles; Vanden Borre, Hyland, Nadson, Ngongca; Buffel (Ndabashinze 68), Tozser (c), Camus, De Bruyne; Vossen (Barda 86), Nwanganga (Limbombe 81).
Unused subs Sandomierski, Sarr, Durwael, Ofori-Appiah.
Goals Vossen 60
Booked De Bruyne 75
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech (c); Bosingwa, Ivanovic, David Luiz, Cole; Ramires (Lampard 65), Romeu (Mata 76), Meireles; Anelka (Sturridge 65), Torres , Malouda.
Unused subs Turnbull, Terry, McEachran, Kalou.
Goals Ramires 25
Booked Meireles 90
Attendance 22,584
Valencia |
3-1
| Leverkusen |
Matchday 3 : 18-19 October 2011
Chelsea |
5-0
| Genk |
SummaryAn impressive, ruthless performance from Chelsea saw us consolidate our position at the top of Group E, and register our best ever win in the Champions League at Stamford Bridge.
Two goals in the opening 10 minutes, from Raul Meireles and Fernando Torres set the tone for what was to come, and some devastating finishing, particularly in the first half, made it as comfortable an evening as Andre Villas-Boas is likely to enjoy all season. Torres netted again and Branislav Ivanovic and substitute Salomon Kalou also made the scoresheet.
A win in Belgium in a fortnight's time will all but ensure qualification from the group, but Villas-Boas will want his side to finish top of the pile in order to keep away from the big guns in the knockout stages of the competition.
While Barcelona, Real Madrid and the two Manchester clubs hog the limelight, Chelsea will relish their tag as dark horses of the tournament.
Best MomentGood or bad, Fernando Torres is simply a headline writer's dream, and while he will be disappointed not to have walked away with the match ball, his first-half brace was a timely reminder to his critics that the Spanish striker is slowly but surely recapturing the form which led to Chelsea paying £50million for his services.
Team NewsAndre Villas-Boas made six changes from the Chelsea side which beat Everton 3-1 on Saturday. David Luiz replaced captain John Terry in central defence, whilst Oriel Romeu and Raul Meireles came in for John Mikel Obi and the injured Ramires in midfield. Fernando Torres, still serving a domestic suspension, spearheaded the attack, with Florent Malouda on the left and Nicholas Anelka on the right.
Genk were severely depleted, particularly in defence, with captain David Hubert, Jose Nadson, Torben Joneleit and Jeroen Simaeys all missing through injury. On the plus side for manager Mario Been, creative midfielder Daniel Pudil and top-scorer Jelle Vossen, who were both expected absentees, were passed fit and started.
First HalfFernando Torres created the first opportunity of the game in the third minute with a fantastic turn which left two Genk defenders in his wake on the halfway line, before he found Malouda out wide, but the Frenchman's delivery was turned behind for a corner.
Only minutes later the Spaniard could, and probably should, have put the Blues in front, when he was put through by a fantastic flighted ball from Raul Meireles, but Torres could only nudge his effort onto the post.
Chelsea weren't to be denied a minute later, though, when a sublime Meireles effort from just outside the Genk box flew beyond the stranded Laszlo Koteles into the bottom corner to give the Portuguese midfielder his first goal for the Blues.
Four minutes later and the lead was doubled when Torres, intelligently played in by captain for the night Frank Lampard, finished in trademark fashion for his first goal in the competition since he, somewhat ironically, netted against the Blues for Liverpool in the 2008/09 quarter-final at Anfield.
Twenty-year-old Romeu, making his first start in the Champions League for Chelsea, was showing no sign of inexperience or fear in central midfield, orchestrating things effortlessly with a combination of tough tackling and simple, efficient passing.
Florent Malouda, so instrumental down the left in the opening exchanges, should have made it 3-0 in the 22nd minute but he could only steer Torres's cross just past the post.
The Spaniard had his second of the night and Chelsea's third a minute later, expertly getting in front of his man to head home from an exquisite Meireles cross from wide on the right.
The midfield trio of Romeu, Lampard and Meireles were completely running the show, and the injury-ravaged Belgians had no answer for the pass-and-move style of play which Villas-Boas is so keen to implement.
Lampard almost made it 4-0 just after the half-hour mark only to see his header from Torres's cross narrowly miss the target.
David Luiz was then on the receiving end of the type of tackle he is renowned for giving out, before dusting himself down and taking the resulting free-kick, but the flamboyant Brazilian's effort was comfortably saved.
Genk, to their credit, refused to cave in, but their rare attacks often broke down in the final third before they had a chance to test the virtual spectator Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal.
Five minutes before the break, a fantastic counter-attack involving Torres and Lampard came to nothing when Nicholas Anelka, a surprisingly peripheral figure up until this point, shot wide from just inside the penalty area when he should really have done better.
It was 4-0, however, a minute later when Branislav Ivanovic rose above the sloppy Genk defence to head home Malouda's free-kick to end the game as a contest.
Second HalfWith Sunday's west London derby against QPR in mind, Villas-Boas replaced Ashley Cole with Paulo Ferreira at the break, making full use of his favoured rotation policy and giving fringe players some much-needed game time.
Some neat interplay between Bosingwa and Anelka down the right-hand side almost resulted in a chance two minutes after the restart but the veteran forward's inviting delivery was turned behind for a corner.
Thomas Buffel had the visitors' first real sight of goal when he found himself unmarked at the far post, but he dithered on the ball and found his weak effort blocked by Ivanovic.
Torres opted for the spectacular in the 53rd minute when he attempted to turn and volley a floated pass from the technically-gifted Luiz, but the Spaniard failed to connect. Malouda should have scored soon after when he was clean through on goal, but his tame effort was easily stopped by Koteles.
Lampard was then penalised for his honesty in the 58th minute after attempting to stay on his feet when he was clearly fouled in the Genk penalty area. The Blues were again dominating possession but, unlike in the first-half, they lacked a cutting-edge in front of goal.
Jose Bosingwa then tested the palms of Koteles with a stinging effort from distance, but the keeper was equal to it, before Villas-Boas made his second change of the night, replacing Lampard with Salomon Kalou.
The Ivorian striker had to wait only four minutes for his first goal of the season, reacting first and finishing from close range, after Koteles had denied Torres his hat-trick.
Alex then went close with a trademark free-kick from distance with practically his first touch of the ball, but his effort fizzed wide of the post.
As the game petered out into what amounted to little more than a glorified training session for the home side, Malouda met a pinpoint Ferreira cross from out wide on the left, but his header sailed high over the crossbar.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa (Alex 77), Ivanovic, David Luiz, Cole (Ferreira h/t); Meireles, Romeu, Lampard (c)(Kalou 67); Anelka, Torres, Malouda.
Subs not used Turnbull, Mikel, Mata, Sturridge.
Scorers Meireles 7, Torres 10, 26, Ivanovic 41, Kalou 71.
Booked D Luiz 16.,
Subs not used Turnbull, Mikel, Mata, Sturridge.
Scorers Meireles 7, Torres 10, 26, Ivanovic 41, Kalou 71.
Booked D Luiz 16.,
Genk (4-4-2): Koteles; Ngongca, Masuero (Camus h/t), Tozser (c), Pudil; Buffel, Vanden Borre, Hyland, De Bruyne; Vossen (Nwanganga 80), Barda (Ndabashinze 70)
Subs not used Sandomierski, Derwael, Limbombe, Ogunjimi
Booked Hyland 14, Pudil 41.
Subs not used Sandomierski, Derwael, Limbombe, Ogunjimi
Booked Hyland 14, Pudil 41.
Referee Aleksei Nikolaev (Russia)
Crowd 38,518
Crowd 38,518
Leverkusen | 2-1 | Valencia |
Matchday 2 : 27-28 September 2011
Valencia |
1-1
| Chelsea |
After a tight first half of few opportunities created, both keepers put in star performances in the second half, Valencia's Diego Alves in particular with a strong claim to be man of the match. Fernando Torres was denied with one special stop and after the home team had levelled, Nicolas Anelka could have won it for the Blues but for the keeper's good form.
Best MomentOn his first start in three games and following his manager answering numerous questions on the player in the pre-match press conference, Lampard was always going to be a good bet for first goal in this game, and although he made it look simple, the accuracy achieved with a first-time srike on a ball coming across the pitch is worth appreciating.
Team news
Andre Villas-Boas made one change in each of the defence, midfield and attack, bringing in David Luiz for Branislav Ivanovic, Frank Lampard for Raul Meireles and Florent Malouda for Nicolas Anelka. Malouda played on the left with Juan Mata switching to the right.
Valencia were able to welcome back their captain David Albelda back into their midfield. He missed their weekend defeat at Sevilla.
First half Valencia looked to have anything but a solid defence in the opening five minutes. First they gifted the ball to Fernando Torres but the Spaniard took a strong touch as he raced towards goal and then couldn't win a chase with the last defender. Malouda then benefitted from similar generosity by Ever Banega and as he tried to thread the ball through to crowd to Ramires in the area, it was cleared for a corner that keeper Diego Alves punched away very unconvincingly.
Valencia put together a couple of promising moves with Sergio Canales at the heart of them but Petr Cech was able to deal with the end results before Chelsea broke from the back, David Luiz sending Ramires haring into their half. Having beaten one player, a great run was ended by a foul from centre-back Victor Ruiz who could have been judged last man by a harsher ref. Instead he was shown yellow and Chelsea didn't capitalise from the free-kick that Lampard hit too straight.
Chelsea survived a couple of Valencia corners midway through the half and although the home side were finding space with intelligent movement when they went forward, they weren't creating chances.
That was until Alba got forward from left-back with Ramires briefly off the field for treatment. His ball into the near post was struck first time by Soldado but happily into the sidenetting. That was a close as either side came to scoring in the first 45 minutes.
Both sides enjoyed spells in possession and it needed Terry at his most defiant when centre-forward Soldado was threatening to find the room to shoot. Cech continued to gather speculative balls into his six-yard box.
Mata, who had been quiet on his return to the Mestalla, played one of the passes of the game so far as half-time approached, across the pitch to Cole who headed into what could have been the danger zone but for the lack of blue shirts.
Pablo Hernandez spun sharply and tested Cech from distance before the half came to a close but our keeper had not been truly extended by the interval, and Chelsea in what looked our toughest fixture at the start of the group stage could be satisfied with that.
Second halfIt was all about the Valencia keeper Diego Alves at the start of the second period. Firstly he pulled off a marvellous diving save to keep out Torres's firm header after Bosingwa's cross had found our number 9 just six yards out. Then moments later he stood up and saved from Ramires who had used great pace to make the most of a Lampard pass and really should have scored.
The one-man defence continued with another save from Torres followed by a stop with his foot when Valencia defender Victor Ruiz could only divert a hard, low cross at his own goal.
There was, however, nothing Alves could do except stand rooted on 56 minutes when Malouda's right-foot ball across the box fell to Lampard, just inside of the area, and the vice-captain was unerring in his low finish, as he has been so many times before.
That had most certainly been coming although the Valencia threat had also been greater than in the first half, one slightly over-hit cross having a less-than-full Mestalla gasping, and Cech dealing well with an angled shot with the game still scoreless.
Later in the half and with Chelsea by now ahead, Terry was in place to kick clear when Cech had left his goal to address danger and had been bypassed by a cross. Cech did very well on 70 minutes to save from substitute Piatti and Chelsea escaped when Rami planted a header just wide when a cross cleared David Luiz.
Cech saved again from Fegholi and Piatti shot wide with Valencia knowing they were only 15 minutes from defeat and piling on the pressure.
Chelsea could have eased it by scoring a killer goal when Lampard teed up Malouda but his low shot was saveable.
Cech's best save of the game came with just five minutes left on the clock, a full-length effort from Jonas's sweetly struck shot, but the deserved and overdue clean sheet was not to arrive.
Substitute Kalou who had not been long on the pitch was judged to have handled when a corner was delivered into a crowd. He might have been pushed. Soldado converted the penalty.
With 89 mins on the clock, it was Anelka's turn to be kept out by Diego Alves who one-on-one with the Chelsea substitute, saved from close range with his leg.
At the final whistle, Cole and Mata picked up bookings for protesting that a free-kick had not been allowed to be taken. It was a night when a point was not a bad return, but we could have easily taken more.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech; Bosingwa, D Luiz, Terry (c), Cole; Ramires (Meireles 65), Mikel, Lampard (Kalou 82); Mata, Torres (Anelka 72), Malouda.
Unused subs Turnbull, Ivanovic, Romeu, Drogba.
Scorer Lampard 56
Booked Kalou 86, Malouda 90+2, Mata 90+3, Cole 90+3.
Valencia (4-2-3-1): D Alves; Miguel, Rami, VÃctor Ruiz, Jordi Alba; Albelda, Éver (Jonas 72) ; Pablo (Feghouli 72), Canales, Mathieu (Piatti 58); Soldado.
Unused subs Guaita, Bruno Saltor, Maduro, Parejo.
Scorer Soldado pen 86
Booked Victor Ruiz 12, Albelda 46.
Attendance 33,791
Referee Nicola Rizzoli from Italy.
Leverkusen |
2-0
| Genk |
Matchday 1 : 13-14 September 2011
Chelsea |
2-0
| Leverkusen |
Summary David Luiz, with a fine strike midway through the second half, and Juan Mata in stoppage time gave Chelsea a firm foundation to begin the Champions League campaign. This always looked a tough opening game against the side that finished second in Germany last season and so it proved. Although a Blues side without some of our stalwarts were pretty secure at the back in an opening half in which Daniel Sturridge went closest to opening the scoring, that was not so much the case in the second half and it needed captain-on-the-day Petr Cech to come out on top in a one-v-one with Michael Ballack for the visitors not to take the lead. Once David Luiz had found the bottom corner of the Bayer net however, Chelsea were in the ascendancy on a night when it was shown that squad rotation is possible without detriment to our chances in Europe's number one competition. Best moment It would be too easy to say David Luiz's strike so topping that is the ecstasy of a celebration that showed how pleased the exuberant defender was to be making a difference again. A thigh injury that kept him out since returning for pre-season training had left the Brazilian in the shadows but now the limelight returns. There was an acknowledgement of the part Fernando Torres played. Team news In four changes to the side that began against Sunderland, David Luiz played his first football of the season in place of John Terry and Florent Malouda replaced Frank Lampard on the left of midfield. John Mikel Obi returned to the holding role with Raul Meireles pushing further forward on the right. Fernando Torres replaced Nicolas Anelka in attack and Petr Cech was captain. For Leverkusen, Michael Ballack started. First half The restored Torres found the ball landing on his foot inside the penalty area with just a minute of the Champions League season gone. Sturridge was the supplier but the recipient had his back to goal and did well to hook a dropping ball goalwards. It went over. Then came a tale of two disallowed goals, one at each end. First Leverkusen put the ball over the line at the far post but Mikel had been fouled in the build up. Then a move of class from Chelsea saw Mata strike the ball in from wide, Torres flick it on with his foot and Meireles continue the trend of back-heel finishes, but he was rightly flagged offside. Torres was booked on eight minutes for the type of challenge on Leverkusen centre-back and captain Rolfes that often gets punished in Europe. Moments later Torres was found by compatriot Mata inside the area again but after taking a touch past a defender, the German side's keeper Leno saved the shot with a dipped arm. The 19-year-old between the visitors posts would perform well throughout the game. There was almost a goal out of next to nothing when Ivanovic's long punt forward was punched out with two fists straight onto the head of Malouda but from a long way out, the Frenchman's hurried header went wide. Chances proved harder to find in the middle part of the half as Leverkusen settled. Ballack's endeavour won a couple of free-kicks in the Chelsea half but there was little threat to Cech. Then a mistake by Castro gave Malouda the ball in the danger zone. However Torres's control when a quick pass came his way was loose and although he kept possession, the space had disappeared and he was crowded out as he drove towards goal. On 31 minutes, Sturridge took possession out wide and as everyone was expecting the cross, he unleashed a surprise left-foot crack at the target to which Leno had to react quickly to claw it away from the bottom corner of his net. It was looking like a moment of inspiration like that might be required to break down last season's Bundesliga runners up, although they weren't without mistakes in defence tonight. For a minute the game became one of counter-attacks, Malouda giving the ball away but Meireles's sliding challenge halted a dangerous run by Kiessling. David Luiz sent Chelsea on the attack but Torres's cross was well defended. Castro was booked for reacting badly when a free-kick was given against the Leverkusen full-back as half-time approached and then Sturridge went close with a shot from outside the area after Meireles had taken a free-kick with Leverkusen unprepared. With the last action of the half, Ivanovic headed a Mata free-kick but it was easy for the keeper to claim. Second halfLeverkusen started the second 45 minutes on top but when a Mikel clearing header dropped Ballack's way, he volleyed it back high into the Shed Upper. It was not the end of the chances for the former midfielder of this parish. Chelsea changed shape briefly, Mata playing behind Torres, and a great David Luiz pass got his side attacking again and the crowd going once more, but Leverkusen came back strongly. Schurrle was able to find the space in the area to drill a shot past the post and then after Chelsea had lost the ball in our half, it was played forward to Ballack. The 34-year-old was suddenly in front of goal and had the best chance of the game so far, but Cech blocked as he so often does and the rebound fell safely. That was not the end of the visitor's chances and now Cech was truly earning his keep, saving from Schurrle after another passing move through our defence. Amongst all that Leverkusen attacking, Torres headed a Malouda cross firmly down but Leno saved it on the line. Chelsea also hit woodwork before the goal eventually came. It was Sturridge's shot that proved too hot to handle and Leno scrambled it against the post. The two managers began to make changes. Anelka and Lampard were introduced and Ballack's evening came to an end. David Luiz's earlier booking for pulling back Schurrle had been long forgotten by the time he both began and finished the 67th minute move that led to the breakthrough goal. Driving forward into the German half, the Brazilian slipped the ball out to Cole and then was in position to take Torres's lay-off and dispatch the ball into the far bottom corner from the edge of the area. It was a sweet, sweet strike. Mata's curler was creeping inside the post for a second goal soon after before Leno caught it with two hands, and the Spaniard fired on target again but this time the keeper tipped it over. The chances were all Chelsea's in the closing stages, Lampard warming Leno's hands and a foul ruling out a goal when Anelka headed in. With the final whistle just seconds away, Chelsea made the most of space down our left and Torres, with his second assist of the night, squared the ball for Mata to knock it past an exposed Leno. Chelsea (4-3-3): Cech (c); Bosingwa, Ivanovic, D Luiz (Alex 75), Cole; Meireles (Lampard 64), Mikel, Malouda; Sturridge (Anelka 64), Torres, Mata. Scorers David Luiz 66, Mata 90+2. Unused subs Hilario, Ferreira, McEachran, Kalou. Booked Torres 8, David Luiz 58. Leverkusen (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castro, Reinartz, Toprak, Kadlec; Bender (Balitsch 79), Rolfes (c); Schürrle, Ballack (Augusto 65), Sam (Derdiyok 72); Kiessling. Unused subs Yelldell, Friedrich, Bellarabi, Schwaab. Booked Castro 38, Bender 71, Derdiyok 75. Referee Stephane Lannoy from France Crowd 33,820.
Knock-Out StageRound of 16 : 14-22 February 2012Round of 16 : 6-14 March 2012Quarter FinalsQuarter-finals : 27-28 March 2012Quarter-finals : 3-4 April 2012Semi-FinalsSemi-finals : 17-18 April 2012Semi-finals : 24-25 April 2012Final19 May 2012
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