Champions League - Match facts: Barcelona v Chelsea

[Lazie]

Facts and figures ahead of Barcelona's Champions League semi-final first-leg clash with Chelsea at the Camp Nou.

This will be the 12th competitive meeting between these two sides in Europe. Chelsea have won four and Barcelona have prevailed in five of these.
The Catalans have managed just one win in their last five games against Chelsea in Europe - this did come at Stamford Bridge however.
Didier Drogba scored in both legs of the last Champions League tie that these two sides met.
Drogba has scored in each of Chelsea's last five Champions League matches.
Frank Lampard has managed to score in three of the last five meetings between these two teams.
Lionel Messi has managed eight goals in his last eight Champions League appearances and is the competition's top goalscorer.
Barcelona have scored in each of their 10 Champions League games this season - the only side left in the competition to do so.
Chelsea are unbeaten in their last seven Champions League matches against Spanish opposition.
Barcelona are one of only three away sides to manage a win at Stamford Bridge in the Champions League (along with Lazio and Besiktas).
Of the sides left in the competition, Barcelona have the oldest squad; each player is 26.1 years old on average.
Josep Guardiola's side have only managed to win once in their last six Champions League matches against English opposition.
Barcelona have been knocked out of the competition by an English side in the last two seasons - last term they exited at the semi-final stage to Manchester United.
The Spanish side have only won three of their last seven Champions League matches.
Chelsea have only suffered one defeat in their last 14 games in the Champions League.
Chelsea are unbeaten in 17 Champions League matches at home. The last time to defeat them at Stamford Bridge in this competition was Barcelona in February 2006.
Barcelona have scored more goals (29) and attempted more shots (141) than any other side in the competition this season.
Xavi has assisted six goals in the Champions League so far this season - more than any other player.
Chelsea keeper Petr Cech is the only player left remaining in the competition to have played every single minute so far (900).
Eurosport

[Lazie]

After looking at this, I'm starting to wonder if its as easy for Barca as I'd anticipated. Still have Barca as the team to win this tie.

[Lazie]

Chelsea v Barcelona preview: How Hiddink and Guardiola measure up

Published: Monday, 27 April 2009, 2:21PM

Josep Guardiola (Age: 38)
Playing career: A product of Barcelona’s youth system, Guardiola spent 11 years with the Catalans before moving to Italy in 2001 where he played for Brescia and had a brief spell at Roma. He was banned for four months at the start of his Serie A career after testing positive for nandrolone, an offence for which he was finally cleared of in 2007. He then moved to Qatar before ending his playing career in Mexico.
Management career: It’s been a meteoric rise for Guardiola who returned to his first club to coach their second team in June 2007 and just a year later was thrust into the spotlight as first-team coach replacing Dutchman Frank Rijkaard. Despite taking over a squad containing a host of world-class players, Barca were in decline and by the time the summer sales had ended Guardiola had rejuvenated his side with a host of new signings.
This season: After finishing last season a huge 18 points behind champions Real Madrid last season, Guardiola’s impact has been instant leading his side to a seven-point lead at the top of La Liga, a Spanish Cup final and the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea.
Guardiola’s greatest achievement so far has been to get Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry and Samuel Eto’o to play and score goals together, while also turning Barca from a collection of world-class individuals into a team.
Playing style: Attack, attack, attack. Barca have scored an incredible 140 goals already this season with their three strikers bagging 90 of them. They defend from the front and give teams little time on the ball. Behind the front three, Andreas Iniesta, Yaya Toure and Xavi provide the platform for the strikers, while they remain solid at the back.
Guus Hiddink (Age: 62)
Playing career: A midfielder back in the day, Hiddink spent much of his career at De Graafschap. He spent two seasons at PSV Eindhoven and also played in the now defunct North American Soccer League.
Management career: One of football’s great travellers, Hiddink has never been afraid to try his luck in some of football’s outposts – usually ending in great success.
He won the European Cup and three league titles with PSV before short spells at Fenerbahce and Valencia. In 1994 he was appointed Dutch national team coach and after failure at Euro 96, he led the Oranje to a World Cup semi-final in 1998 where they lost on penalties to Brazil.
Rare failures at Real Madrid and Real Betis led to a return to international football where he took charge of South Korea and led the co-hosts to the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup.
Another success, this time with Australia at the 2006 competition, led to him taking on the job as Russian team coach – with his team being the surprise package of Euro 2008. Still in this job, he was also appointed Chelsea boss in February.
This season: Hiddink has rejuvenated the Blues since taking charge of Stamford Bridge, securing their place in the Premier League’s top three, an FA Cup final appearance and a Champions League semi-final.
After the seeming chaos of the final months of Luiz Felipe Scolari’s reign, Hiddink has reunited the dressing room and, much like Guardiola with his star strikers, has got the best out of Didier Drogba. But he won’t be staying (or so he keeps telling us)
Playing style: Despite coming from the home of Total Football, Hiddink is a pragmatist doing whatever it takes to secure a result. He protects his defence with both Michael Essien and, to an extent, Michael Ballack, and is not afraid to play just one up front.
But it would be wrong to label Hiddink as a defensive coach. Frank Lampard is given free reign to bomb forward while there is always width provided by the full-backs. However, should the Blues take a 1-0 lead in the Nouc Camp they would be unlikely to look for two.

Mark Segal

[Dunny]

After looking at this, I'm starting to wonder if its as easy for Barca as I'd anticipated. Still have Barca as the team to win this tie.

Did you really believe Barcelona would have an easy game against Celsea?

[Lazie]

Did you really believe Barcelona would have an easy game against Celsea?

Easy may have been the wrong word, but I expect them to put away Chelsea. They're currently playing the BEST football in Europe and seeing what they did to score their first goal against Seville on Saturday ...Chelsea better walk wid dem coffin.

[Dunny]

Easy may have been the wrong word, but I expect them to put away Chelsea. They're currently playing the BEST football in Europe and seeing what they did to score their first goal against Seville on Saturday ...Chelsea better walk wid dem coffin.

There is no doubt they are a top side,however playing Sevilla and a top side from the English Prem is a totally different story,just ask Real Madrid.With the top teams from the EPL you get pace and power plus non stop running for ninety minutes,they are not gonna be able to slow and dictate the pace of the game like they do in Spain.I think it's gonna be a really close run thing over two legs.

[Lazie]

There is no doubt they are a top side,however playing Sevilla and a top side from the English Prem is a totally different story,just ask Real Madrid.With the top teams from the EPL you get pace and power plus non stop running for ninety minutes,they are not gonna be able to slow and dictate the pace of the game like they do in Spain.I think it's gonna be a really close run thing over two legs.

Its not just that they scored Dunny, its the passes that led to the goal. I recall a few seasons a ago, football fans including myself have knocked Arsenal for wanting to score the "perfect goal" ... well, Barca's first goal could be given such a description.

[Dunny]

Its not just that they scored Dunny, its the passes that led to the goal. I recall a few seasons a ago, football fans including myself have knocked Arsenal for wanting to score the "perfect goal" ... well, Barca's first goal could be given such a description.

I must admit,i've watch the majority of there games this season and they are no doubt the premier team in europe they've got threat coming from all angles,even thier right back Alves is a weapon,but i've got this feeling that Drogba might just be the difference.If Chelsea can stay in the game at the Nou Camp then the return leg could be very interesting.

[Lazie]

I must admit,i've watch the majority of there games this season and they are no doubt the premier team in europe they've got threat coming from all angles,even thier right back Alves is a weapon,but i've got this feeling that Drogba might just be the difference.If Chelsea can stay in the game at the Nou Camp then the return leg could be very interesting.

Hold on ... I said they're playing the best football ... how you reach "they are no doubt the premier team in europe " Whey Manu play? Asia? The premier team in Europe is Manchester United.

[Dunny]

Hold on ... I said they're playing the best football ... how you reach "they are no doubt the premier team in europe " Whey Manu play? Asia? The premier team in Europe is Manchester United.

I beg to differ,nothing against utd but i just believe Barca is the outstanding team this season and Messi is the man.Whoever beat them will win the Champions League.

[Karl]

Easy may have been the wrong word, but I expect them to put away Chelsea. They're currently playing the BEST football in Europe and seeing what they did to score their first goal against Seville on Saturday ...Chelsea better walk wid dem coffin.

Sometimes attacking teams like Barcelona look great because the opponents met thus far are not as well organised as that one opponent or those two opponents that are either so commited to attacking that the previously great looking attacking team has no time to be consistently attacking but finds itself constantly repelling attacks...

...or the opponent is so well organised on defense that the former great looking team on attack suddenly loks ordinary and mistake prone!

Can Chelsea be that team that brings the attacking Barcelona back down to earth...or will it still be sweet consistently attacking Barcelona?

Chelsea could do it. I think Chelsea's players are stronger mentally and physically than Barcelona's players. Chelsea needs great games from Ballack, Lampard and Drogba.

Ballack is more important to this Chelsea team than many realise. He works like hell! Is strong on disrupting opponents game! ...and often is a threat on goal.

He has not been scoring as regularly as we would like...but he demands attention from the opponents and plays a big part in stopping opponents and ensuring the supply line to the Chelsea goalscores is constantly being served.

[Dunny]

Well said Karl,Essien is gonna be the key for them in midfield,if he is able to keep xavi quiet then thats the supply line cut off then that would allow Lampard and Ballack to press further up the field and stifle their attacking threat.Cant wait should be a mouthwatering contest.Beauty against the Beast!