Last 4: CL Semifinals - Barcelona vs Chelsea

[Magus]

Opinions here! 2 weeks until the clash and everybody wants a win! This is going to be a very interesting match between the best teams in the quarters and not to mention the clash between two of the best coaches of the season: Pep Guardiola vs Guus Hiddink!!

[Art Deco]

Cashly is out. Essien at leftback?

Anyone know if Bosingwa will still be out? Henry will steamroll Ivanovic.

We basically can't give away freekicks/corners. If we limit those, we'll breeze through.

[WhiteFacedAssasin]

Are we playing our home leg first? Why dun we get to play away first!!!?!?!?!?

[Magus]

Because there is a draw that everybody respects!

[kristjan21]

Anybody know what the best way to get tickets to the second leg at Stamford Bridge is??

[WhiteFacedAssasin]

Because there is a draw that everybody respects!

Yes i know, just bitching. hahha sorry

[Magus]

FC Barcelona vs Chelsea FC

First leg: 29th April - Barça vs Chelski
Second leg: 5th May - Chelski vs Barça
same hour on both: 20:45 GMT

I know that somebody previously said on the other thread that we are playing on the 28th but according to the draw, we're playing the second semi, and that's on a Wednesday. I also saw this mistake on the official FCB site... probably I'm the one mistaking, but the draw said different! Probably I'm mistaking and if so the legs will look like this:

First leg: 28th April - Camp Nou
Second leg: 6th May - Stamford Bridge

semis draw: QF2 vs QF1(28th April, 6th May) and QF4 vs QF3(29th April, 5th May)

final draw: SF2 vs SF1 (27th May)

Every road leads to Rome!

[Viva_Ronaldo]

Beware the Drog.

Honestly, you might be playing well at the moment and I think you are favourites to go through, if only slightly, but Drogba tore Liverpool apart at Anfield and he did it again at Stamford Bridge last night. The key for Barca at the Camp Nou will be defending well. If Drogba has a mad spell of say 15 minutes, you could be all but out. So I guess that's the biggest warning and threat for you guys. If you can keep Drogba quiet and stifle the supply to him, I can see you getting a 2.0 home win which should be enough of an advantage going into the second leg.

But anyway, players get injured, drop form, gain form, etc, between now and then. It's certainly a great tie and I personally hope Barca get through.

[Galning]

This is going to be hard.

[The Special One]

Controlling the midfield, as always, will be our key to success. Chelsea's midfield is stronger than any midfield we have come up against this season, very dynamic. Physically we have no chance, but they aren't particularly pacy or technically gifted if I may say that, so it's brains over brawn for us. We can't outmuscle them, but we can more than certainly outsmart and outpass them. Chelsea will not give up the whole pitch and defend inside and around their penalty area like many teams do at Camp Nou but instead try to crowd the midfield and destroy our game. They will get extremely physical and take down the player with the ball as soon as they get anywhere near him, that's why it's absolutely vital to move the ball as quickly as possible, even if it means playing a bunch of empty horizontal passes that have no immediate territorial effect. If they approach the game like I expect them to tactically, they will focus on the player with the ball and those who support him to cut off all the options he has and either catch him in possession or force him to pass the ball back. They know they have a better chance of scoring if they hit us on the break so they won't try to take possession away from us but merely make our possession useless by keeping it in areas where it can't hurt them. That can be very effective against Barca, but it often leaves major gaps in other areas for us to exploit. Blind spots if you will. To make use of those it is fundamental to get there quickly of course, first by making the run and then by playing the ball into that area before Chelsea's defense can cover it. That requires a high level of pace, vision, and incisiveness though - good thing our players have all that.

[joker_C]

The main problem is that we will face a hectic period very soon, culminating with 8 days in which we have to play Chelsea home and away and Real away...vital matches that may decide if we get any piece of silverware. Hopefully, Real will drop some points be4 the direct confrontation, putting us in a more comfortable position. Fingers crossed...i'm going to sit back and enjoy the ride!

[Magus]

The other semi is between ManUtd and Arsenal. I bet that we'll meet Arsenal in the final.

[Mgz]

good thing for us, chelsea defenders are lousy and cech since his head trauma is now worst than Valdes

and this is the 4th time in the last 5 years that we have to face Chelsea ... I miss Morinho and his big mouth

and it is a 2nd year in a row that 3 English teams vs the lone Barca again

[Magus]

It's the third year in a row! in 2007 we had ManUtd, Chelsea and Liverpool in the semis along Ac Milan. In 2008 we had the same teams along Barça and now, we don't have Liverpool but we have Arsenal. But yeah... 2nd year in a row where there are 3 brit teams and Barça... but 3 years in a row with 3 brit teams in the semis.
I can see a final between Arsenal and Barça! ManUtd will not beat Arsenal and Chelsea won't beat us! Both semis will be tough but that's the final that I see! I hope I won't be wrong regarding our game.

[Magus]

Ok... so...
first semi-final
FC Barcelona vs Chelsea FC

First leg: 28th April - Camp Nou
Second leg: 6th May - Stamford Bridge

second semi-final
Manchester United FC vs Arsenal FC

First leg: 29th April - Old Trafford
Second leg: 5th May - Emirates