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Barcelona fume as Michael Ballack vows to finish them off
Simon Johnson in Barcelona29 Apr 2009
Angry Barcelona players have accused Chelsea of adopting negative tactics last night as Michael Ballack warned he would help to end the Spanish club's season next week.
The first leg of their Champions League
semi-final ended in a goalless draw as Chelsea became the first team this season to stop Barca from scoring at the Nou Camp.
The result drew strong criticism from midfielder Andreas Iniesta, who claimed Guus Hiddink's team “did not try to play any football”.
But Ballack feels Barcelona, who lead La Liga by four points from Real Madrid with the sides meeting at the Bernabeu this weekend, will have their interests at home and in Europe ended over the next seven days.
He said: “We know they have a really difficult game against Real before they play us again. If you see what has happened to them in the last week and what they face next week, it is really difficult for them. They can win a lot but they can also lose a lot.”
The second leg is in a week's time and while Chelsea can afford to rest some players against Fulham at the weekend, Pep Guardiola must select his strongest team. Ballack feels this will only benefit Chelsea, who are now prioritising the Champions League. Ballack added: “We had this problem ourselves a couple of years ago against Liverpool when they rested eight players. Now we have to look at ourselves. The League is very difficult for us to get back on top so we are focused on the Champions League.
“We don't just want to reach the final, we want to win it. You could see by the team spirit we showed that everyone wants to get to the final again.”
But Iniesta insisted Chelsea don't deserve to be in the final in Rome next month because of their lack of attacking threat at the Nou Camp. He said: “We tried to play our football but when the team in front of you do not want to play football, it becomes complicated.”
Right-back Daniel Alves added: “They will have to sweat blood if they want to eliminate us.”
Guardiola also felt Ballack was lucky to stay on the pitch.He added: “Ballack played in an aggressive way throughout but we are a clean team. The referee didn't have his best night.”
Reader views (18)
if Chelsea are a so called big club(couldnt sell out 4,000 tickets) not even their jump on the bandwagon coorperate support went then..why didnt they try and take on Barca,with the money they have spent and size of squad they have why did they Not have a go,maybe they felt inferior to Barca and knew they were up against a top passing,quality side who should have stuffed them,at the end of the day Chelsea will have to attempt in the 2nd leg,we`ll see or will they go for pens,the away goal may be the king.More footy was played in the first two mins last night than Chelsea put together in 90 the other night
- Evs, herts, 30/04/2009 09:38
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I am true blue and i was dismeyed the way Chelsea played, it was awaful football, it was shameful performance of team that has best paid players in the world and it is suppose to playing beautiful game . Drogba - he will never be great as he's time waster uneccessary rolling on the pitch, etc. Where was Frank Lampard in Bracelona?? NOWHERE to be seen. Ivankovic = 0, Ballack - does anyone knows what he's doing or playing??
I wanted Chelsea to go out and play like a big boys do, this was hard on the eyes to watch, and as Bridge regular for past 28 years, if they play like in Barcelona I hope they are beaten 0:3 by Barcelona and thought a lesson.
Terry's comment this was great result - yes but the way you achieved it shame on YOU!
- Mario Lance, London, 30/04/2009 09:33
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I thought Chelsea manager said before the game they are better than Bacelona and are going to play teh beautiful game. So why did they not attack and were playing negative football? They defended the whole ninety (90) minutes and were lucky the referee didn't award the penalty when everyone could see Thiery Henry was pulled down. Now, we shall see if they will be defending in Stamford Bridge as well. That is when they will punish.
COME ON BACA.
- Mitchell, Barking, England, 29/04/2009 17:44
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Its just a sad fact of life that some people making these comments have no idea what they are talking about so they just start spitting out the same old anti-Chelsea lines that have been around for years since Chelsea became a more prominent force in London football. Its just the way of the footy world that when one team does very well and the others are struggling it breeds contempt and jealousy. When Ian Porterfield or David Webb were in charge never heard this stuff, then Hoddle came in it started to build, Gullit, Vialli, Ranieri, Mourinho even Grant. Its been a gradual progression, people forget that before Roman came we still had the late great Matthew Harding who invested heavily in talent from around Europe and we played some entertaining stuff - Zola, Di Matteo, Hughes, Petrescu, Poyet, Desailly, Gullit etc - then people were saying - not enough English players so what happens we change tact a little invest in - Lampard, J Cole, W-P, Stamford, A Cole (J Terry comes through the ranks) and then people say our style is too negative. Its just a fact Chelsea for more than 10 years now are continually striving for bigger & better things while some London clubs (Spuds!) are still spending the big money and languisghing in mid-table challenging for nothing. Keep it going Chelsea others will always be jealous (Spuds!)- just keep doing what your doing and continue making history while others stay in history (Spuds)!
- Melly, Cartagena, 29/04/2009 16:29
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James Hennessy, london england
"Yet they couldn't or made little attempt to score a goal on their home ground, even with the referee on their side."
What game were you watching James, Barca were at home NOT Chelsea.
- Dom, London, 29/04/2009 16:16
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For one I would not fault Chelsea if they did not play to Barca's strengths.. You would be a stupid to do that..
Now Ballack shuld go a little easy here.. Do we have a clean slate at SB all the time.. remember the 4 goals from Liverpool. and here we have Barca taht is atleast 50% better than the Liverpool from couple of weeks. Let us not get ahead of ourselves.. There is still a lot of work to be done, but the pendulum ever so slightly may be in Chelsea's favor
- Shanky, chicago, usa, 29/04/2009 16:12
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Who cares wether we parked the bus or not. Man U did thesame last season and there was no complaint. Wish some of this fans commentng here will put the clubs they support too then we can have a conversation..
- Brian, London, 29/04/2009 15:50
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Undercover Elephant - what planet are you on with a name and comments like that - its called tactics! Chelsea are the first team to stop them scoring at home ALL SEASON - its half time against one of the finest teams in all the sport and the score is 0-0. Now we can head home for the 2nd leg - and if we win at home we are through - so I think Guus went there played it more defensively and it worked - now 2nd leg its a one off game and if we cant win it then fair enough we dont deserve to go through, however if we do win it then Roman has spent his money wisely and we would have made our 2nd Champions League Final in a row! Now put that in your undercover elephant and smoke it! Chelsea are competing at the top of European Football year on year in the 21st Century and its just a pity that there are still people in London jealous of teams that are trying to win titles. Come on Chelsea one game and we are in Rome ..........
- Melly, Cartagena, 29/04/2009 14:54
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A German referee letting a German player away with murder.Surprise! Surprise! Ballack got away with murder during that game. What a dreadful advert for EPL Chelsea are? They were running scared of Barca, hence the 10 men behind the ball and the ever collapsing Drogba up front.Yet they couldn't or made little attempt to score a goal on their home ground, even with the referee on their side.
- James Hennessy, london england, 29/04/2009 14:52
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"It's not fair, senors, we want our ball back !" Grow up. The best team in Europe don't always win the Champions League - look at last year's final. Let's hope Chelsea put it right in Rome next month.
- Charlie, Nr. Crackpot, North Yorkshire, 29/04/2009 14:31
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Maybe Chelsea parked the bus, but I bet both the mancs & the gooners would have either parked the bus too, or got thumped!
- Dom, London, 29/04/2009 14:03
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As I said yesterday; 0-0 is fine.
You have to be pretty stupid to play the way the opposition wants you to play.
Chelsea did what nobody else has done this year; they stopped them scoring and got the draw.
If Barcelona were that great; they would have beaten Chelsea with their all-stars; but they did not; but they still can at Stamford Bridge if they are lucky and find the net.
I fancy Arsenal to upset United over the two legs; and 0-0 will do Arsenal tonight, as well.
On the bright side; two London clubs in the European Cup final would be nice to see.
- Mickyinlondon, london, 29/04/2009 13:44
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Abramovich must have been embarrassed by such a one-sided game. His team are still as boring to watch and negative as they were under Mourinho. Pray that Barcelona meet Arsenal or Man Utd in the final. A football lover's dream.
- James, London, 29/04/2009 13:22
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Chelsea play anti football, it is truly painful to watch 10 behind the ball looking to boot the it route one stylee to Drogba. The Russian has spent a reported £600m to get this far, ......... what a waste of money. When the Rouble tap gets turned off where will they be - back in the Makita Trophy!
- Undercover Elephant, London, UK, 29/04/2009 13:11
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Barcelona is wonderful team with classic players BUT chelsea in yesterdays match showed they can contain any pressure to the end KEEP IT UP chelsea we hope to meet you arsenal fan.
- Chegero, mombasa/kenya, 29/04/2009 13:01
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chelsea parked the bus!
- Tim, london, 29/04/2009 12:30
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i think it's not a probleme how to win if you keep playing according to rules so the most important in such match is to reach the final and we will surely see what DROGBA and others can do
- Hammouda, ALGERIA, 29/04/2009 12:22
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What a load of Tosh from this overpaid has-been,Chelsea murdered what should have been a class event but stifled the life out of the game with their non football negative tactics,along with Alves, Ballack was up to his usual cheating and diving around and was lucky to not get sent off..Hopefully next week Chelsea will have to play a bit,unless they play for penalties,and Barca can get the all important away goal,thus setting up a possible footballing final against Arsenal OR Utd who both play the game the right way,
- Evs, Ricks, 29/04/2009 10:27
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