‘An ageing squad’, they were being branded by the media and pundits alike for the past two seasons. With an average age of 29 yrs for the starting 11, it would have been too harsh to call them ‘Old’, but yes, ageing definitely.
And under Andre Villas Boas, they looked just that, judging by their tired-looking performances. Lampard was benched, Cech and JT seemed mere shadows of their former selves and Didier Drogba seemed to be least interested in on-the-field matters.
Chelsea’s famous ‘spine’ had become brittle. AVB had somehow managed to turn Chelsea’s greatest strength into it’s biggest weakness.
AVB was sacked after the 3-1 1st leg Round-of-16 defeat at Napoli . In stepped Roberto Di Matteo, assistant to AVB, but a Chelsea legend and a proven club loyalist. As the job suggested, he was appointed as ‘Interim Manager’. And his job, most importantly was to make sure that Chelsea qualified for next season’s Champions League.
At that time, the best way possible was via a top-four finish Premier League finish. Some say it was written in their destiny, maybe so, yet a lot remained to be achieved in the games to follow.
The first thing RDM did, and probably his best decision in the time to come, was that he restored the ‘spine’ of the team. Lampard was hungry to prove himself, JT and Cech had to regain their lost reputations and Drogba, maybe just wanted to depart on a high.
It surely worked, and how! A morale boosting 4-1 win in front of a vociferous Stamford Bridge against Napoli in the return leg sent the Blues into the quarter finals 5-4 on aggregate. Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry – all on the score-sheet on that eventful night. Although the main focus for the team was a top-four finish, premier league fixtures and the corresponding results didn’t seem to fall in favour of the team.
Then came the quarter finals draw, pitting Chelsea against Benfica, the same Benfica who had knocked Manchester United out of the competition. And in that 1st leg away in Portugal, Chelsea scraped through with a 1-0 win courtesy a match-winning performance from Fernando Torres. Yes, even he had his sharpness. The tie was wrapped up then in the return leg courtesy a late Raul Meireles screamer and the Blues marched into the semi-finals to face their biggest challenge, the Champions league holders, mighty Barcelona.
There was a lot of talk about this explosive semi-final being a ‘Revenge’ of sorts for everyone around Chelsea; after the injustice they had endured in that fated semi-final three years ago, courtesy a certain Mr. Tom Henin Ovrebo. The build-up was calm, with players and managers of both teams showing mutual respect for their opponents. Although everyone had seen the ruthless nature of Barca’s play, this time somehow it seemed possible that Chelsea could do the unthinkable. “It was written”, as they say!
As the old saying goes, ‘cometh the hour, cometh the man’, up popped Didier Drogba with two of the best performances of his life in that semi-final tie, home and away. Chelsea, for obvious reasons, were forced to defend for 90% of the game, and to pose an attacking threat like Drogba did in that tie, certainly deserves massive respect. He was Chelsea’s single faced attack, scoring the lone goal in the 1-0 home win. Not that he only attacked, as he was spotted many times in his own box defending crosses and egging his team on.
The first leg 1-0 win at Stamford Bridge gave inhibited belief to the players and specially to the fans, who had already started dreaming of a place in the finals.
With the 2nd leg came massive pressure, firstly because it was going to be played at the Camp Nou, and secondly ‘coz they knew that Barca would come out all guns blazing to defend their crown and their pride and just after 20 odd minutes into the 2nd leg came the equaliser from Sergio Busquets. Everything was level now and all the hard work of the first leg win had been undone. Then followed a moment of madness from the unlikeliest of sources, John Terry, as he felt a need to check out Alexis Sanchez’s ass, albeit with his knee.
And a hard task became harder as he was shown a straight red for that. A vital defensive clog, sent off. Adding insult to injury was seeing Gary Cahill being stretchered off. And immediately it showed, as Barca slotted in another goal, thereby taking a 2-0 lead in the game and leading the tie 2-1 on aggregate.
With their backs to the wall, and facing countless walls of attack in front of them, a moment of brilliance from Ramires, arguably Chelsea’s player of the season, out of nowhere brought Chelsea back in front as per the away goal rule. That sublime finish will definitely be etched in the minds of Chelsea fans for years and years to come. But the drama had just begun.
Another momentary lapse from Drogba awarded Barca a penalty, and surely a chance to seal the tie. The ball was placed on the spot by none other than Lionel Messi, who, for the record, had not yet scored against Chelsea. And maybe he was destined not to, as his spot-kick was saved by Cech.
Wave after Wave of Barca attacks followed, and a goal looked imminent. But, well no one would have imagined it to come from Chelsea. Fernando Torres (yes, again!) ran half the pitch without any player in sight and coolly rounded Valdes to score Chelsea’s 2nd and book their place in the finals. Another moment of magic!
Fresh from this massive victory in the Champions League, Chelsea then wrapped up Liverpool in the FA Cup finals with Mr. Wembley – Didier Drogba again on the score-sheet.
Out of nowhere, a down-and-out Chelsea had reached the finals of the Champions League and won the FA Cup!
