Roberto Di Matteo hails old guard after historic Chelsea win against Barcelona
Drogba shows the way as Blues frustrate Barcelona to take one-goal lead to the Nou Camp
Stamford Bridge
Thursday 19 April 2012
Related articles
Roberto Di Matteo paid tribute to Chelsea's “old guard” for answering their critics last night after Didier Drogba's goal gave them a crucial 1-0 lead over Barcelona going into Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg.
In Chelsea's third win over Barcelona in the Roman Abramovich era, Drogba, John Terry and Ashley Cole summoned up a performance redolent of the best of the Jose Mourinho years to shut out the defending champions and clear favourites for the competition.
"In the past, a lot of the public opinion has been that these boys are over the line, too old to play two games, and to play at this level," the Chelsea caretaker manager said of witnessing excellent performances from his older players, three days after they turned on the style in the FA Cup semi-final win over Tottenham Hotspur.
"It wasn't just him [Drogba]. There were other players on the pitch that you regard as the old guard who can't play two games in such a short period of time," Di Matteo added. "But they gave an answer on the pitch tonight."
Chief among those who did not believe the likes of Frank Lampard and Drogba were capable of playing such high-intensity games so close together was Andre Villas-Boas, from whom Di Matteo took over last month, having previously been assistant manager.
The Italian was keen to acknowledge that every player had contributed to the performance. "I talk about the team," he said. "You talk about them as the old guard. We have a team, a good team spirit, a good team ethic. Young and old stay together in this team and fight for the same target. That's what I think."
Barcelona dominated possession in a tight game, but Drogba scored the only goal in first-half added time. Alexis Sanchez and Pedro both hit the woodwork but Chelsea's defensive 4-5-1 system was successful in limiting Barcelona's chances.
"It was almost perfect," Di Matteo said of his players' discipline and organisation. "The quality of Barcelona and their style of play is to keep possession. But we looked very organised and the boys were really determined not to let them through. I thought there was a tremendous effort tonight."
Di Matteo denied that Barcelona's domination meant that they deserved to win. "When you score a goal and you win the game, you deserve to win it," he argued. "Certainly, they have had more possession and a few more attempts on target, but they always have that. You need to be clinical to take your chances when you play against them. You know you'll get some chances, and you have to take them."
Despite having the lead, and not having conceded an away goal, Di Matteo said that the tie was still even. "I don't think it makes us favourites," he said. "It's 50-50 to go through to the final. You know what to expect when you play at Nou Camp. It'll be very, very difficult and we still have to believe that we might be able to score a goal there as well. It'll be a tough game. It is for any team going to Barcelona. We'll have to give our best again."
The Barcelona coach, Pep Guardiola, disagreed. "Now the favourites are Chelsea," he said. "They have a good result. But, at least we have a challenge to play 90 minutes. In that time, we'll create as many chances as possible. But 1-0 is a very, very good result for them. They're the favourites."
Guardiola predicted a similar contest in Catalonia. "It won't be simple," he said. "They'll have 10 men behind the ball, they'll defend, they're stronger than us, they run, run, run, they jump more than us. But we have to try and take the game under control and discover a way of scoring the goals."
Both sides have difficult games beforehand. Chelsea travel to Arsenal on Saturday, while Barça host Real Madrid in an el clasico that evening.
Latest in Sport
Sport blogs
iBet: A tight game between Northampton and Bradford
A tight game could be in prospect here. Northampton have been keeping things very tight of late and ...
by Gareth Purnell
18 May 2013 02:01 AM
On The Road at the Giro d’Italia: Feeling ill and racing in the rain must be pretty grim
I can’t ever watch games of football or rugby without wistfully wondering what it must be like to be...
by Martin Ayres
16 May 2013 05:10 PM
PSG and the French league must be more proactive in dealing with hooliganism
Since PSG’s exit to Barcelona in the Uefa Champions League quarter-final in April, PSG have been sur...
by Matthew Riding
15 May 2013 02:37 PM
-
Tears and cheers as David Beckham ends glittering career after helping PSG to final win
-
Video: Emotional David Beckham leaves the pitch for 'the last time' with PSG
-
Tottenham face nail-biting finish as Arsenal look to secure Champions League place on final day of the Premier League season
-
Boxing: Carl Froch slams fellow Brits for sparring with Mikkel Kessler
-
West Brom v Manchester United: Premier League match preview
- 1 Heading for America? Prepare for the longest US immigration queues ever
- 2 Notes from a small island: Is Sealand an independent 'micronation' or an illegal fortress?
- 3 You thought Ryanair's attendants had it bad? Wait 'til you hear about their pilots
- 4 'Swivel-gate': David Cameron goes to war with the press over 'swivel-eyed loons' slur
- 5 It’s official: thanks to Stephen Hawking's Israel boycott, anti-Semitism is no more
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
The price of pacifism
Jason Isaacs: Groupies, theatre bores and James Bond
Sealand: 'Micronation' or illegal fortress?
Legend of James Hunt has set Hollywood hearts racing
Macklemore: 'I don't have moderation'
Don't be shy: Bill Granger's Sri Lankan recipes
Gordon Ramsay's worst nightmare: A restaurant he cannot save



Comments