UEFA Champions League Semis Preview: Chelsea v. Barcelona
Manchester United booked their place in the UEFA Champions League final by trouncing Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium yesterday, but who are they going to face? Will we have a rematch of last year’s final that ended with penalty shootout drama and a United celebration, or are we going to have the matchup that many fans, pundits, and punters are dreaming of?
Whether or not you dread or eagerly anticipate a second straight all-English final, Chelsea are in position to make it happen after a 0-0 draw at Barcelona last Tuesday.
While Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has received a great amount of criticism for a perceived ‘negative’ approach in the first leg, with these kinds of stakes, it’s about results, not entertainment or following the script. He sent his players out on a mission, and they accomplished it for the most part, short of getting a priceless away goal.
To say the least, it was a surprising result for a number of reasons, and not just because Barcelona wasn‘t able to get a victory that seemed to be a mere formality. Barcelona’s attacking prowess has carved up many an opponent this season, and to see them not able to find the net even once at home was almost shocking. And, given the potential that each side has to find the net at any time, for there to be no goals from either side in 90 minutes is something few could’ve predicted.
It appears that Barcelona, bitter as they may have been after the stalemate, have quickly put last week behind them, judging by how they took out their frustrations in a big way on archrivals Real Madrid on Saturday. Real Madrid went in with a chance to close the gap in the La Liga title race, playing at home and having won 17 and drawn one in their last 18 league matches, but they left humiliated and all but finished after an incredible 6-2 victory by Barcelona.
Chelsea didn’t quite make it to six on the weekend, but they made it halfway in a 3-1 win over Fulham at home. The Premier League title might be a little out of the question, but they are still very much in the race for second, and they also have the FA Cup final against Everton to look forward to.
So will we get to see the exciting, attack-filled showdown this evening at Stamford Bridge? UEFA Champions League betting odds are more in favor of the under, but that was also the case yesterday, and the end result was a 3-1 scoreline. When it comes to Barcelona and attacking, it’s going to be a question of how much, not if or when, and if the question of goals goes from if/when to how many, then it’s trouble time for Chelsea. Chelsea’s going to have to be resolute at the back again, but at the same time, they will have to create some opportunities in attack.
As with the Arsenal-Manchester United match, the early stages will be important in this one, and if Barcelona can quickly score an away goal (or two, like United did), that will force Chelsea into having to attack, attack, attack, and that could open them up to get slaughtered. If it’s Chelsea, then it’d be nice to think that they could sit back and hope that they can hold on for dear life, but given that Barca’s response to falling behind at Real Madrid was an unforgettable onslaught,
Chelsea surprised Barcelona in the first leg, and I think they can do it again. But will they? It’s hard to see Barcelona being kept off the scoresheet again, and I also don’t see them losing.
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