Chelsea v Barca 2nd Leg

[donny1013]

Chelsea could drop striker Nicolas Anelka back to the bench for their Champions League semi-final second leg against Barcelona on Wednesday.
Michael Ballack will return after being rested and Ashley Cole is back after being banned for the 0-0 first leg tie.
Barcelona's Thierry Henry sat out a training session on Monday with a knee problem and he is a doubt to recover in time to play at Stamford Bridge.
Barca are without the suspended Carles Puyol and the injured Rafael Marquez.
Uruguayan Martin Caceres could partner former Manchester United youngster Gerard Pique at the heart of Barca's defence.Coach Pep Guardiola's other options include playing left-back Eric Abidal or midfielder Yaya Toure at the back.
Chelsea are set to revert back to their favoured 4-3-3 formation after experimenting with 4-4-2 in the 3-1 home win over Fulham on Saturday.
The Blues are still without Portuguese duo Deco and Ricardo Carvalho, as they are both struggling with hamstring problems.
Alex tweaked a groin against Fulham on Saturday but he will recover in time to play, though Joe Cole and Paolo Ferreira will both miss the rest of the season.
Chelsea (from): Cech, Hilario, Belletti, Bosingwa, A Cole, Terry, Alex, Ivanovic, Lampard, Obi, Ballack, Essien, Kalou, Malouda, Drogba, Anelka, Stoch, Di Santo, Mancienne.
Barcelona (from): Victor Valdes, Pinto, Jorquera, Victor Sanchez, Caceres, Pique, Daniel Alves, Abidal, Sylvinho, Busquets, Iniesta, Hleb, Keita, Toure, Xavi, Eto'o, Messi, Henry, Gudjohnsen, Krkic, Pedro.

It will be a lot closer than last night. I hope Pep goes with Abidal at CB over Caceres. If Henry doesn't make it i would play Iniesta in his position with Keita coming into the centre of midfield.

 

[srups34]

I actually believe, Barcelona will rip them apart.

1-3.

 

[mil1lion]

Really looking forward to tonight. Come on the Barca !!

My main concern is the defence. The two goals conceded against Real Madrid were very poorly defended. It might be a case of scoring as many or more than Chelsea tonight. A score draw would do it, but i believe Barca will be buzzing from their 6-2 win. The key men are Iniesta and Xavi tonight. I predict 2-3 to Barca. I think there will be goals in this one.

If Henry is out i'd go with.

Valdes​

Alves....Pique....Abidal....Sylvinho​

Toure....Keita​

Messi....Xavi....Iniesta​

Eto'o​

I dont see Chelsea having much threat from the wide right, so the ageing Sylvinho should cope at left back.​

 

[donny1013]

Yeah the LB position is one that will be addressed in the summer i think. For me Cole v Messi could be key to how this game goes.

 

[Garm]

Hoping for a Barca win tonight!

1-2

 

[Coyboy]

I hope Drogba and Lampard tear them apart.

 

[Kendall]

I like Frank

 

[SoulDog]

Come on Barcelona even tho i can see Chelsea nicking it. Hope it Barcelona man u final, Barcelona to win!!!

 

[spursandbarca]

HAVE YOU SEEN ABIDAL he is a walking disaster at cb. Id play Toure there(hed beat drogba in the air and has pace to neutralise him) and Busquets as the holder.

i predict 1-1. and barca through

 

[mil1lion]

HAVE YOU SEEN ABIDAL he is a walking disaster at cb. Id play Toure there(hed beat drogba in the air and has pace to neutralise him) and Busquets as the holder.

i predict 1-1. and barca through

I think that depends largely on how the game pans out. If Chelsea are able to get on the front foot then i agree, Abidal could struggle at centre back. But i anticipate Barca dominating possession and Chelsea trying to hit them on the counter. In which case i think Abidal will be fine, especially with his pace. I wont mind if we see Busquets though, but i do worry about the errors he makes at times. He's still learning and this is a big game. Although i'm fingers crossed that Henry will be fit.

 

[CaptainCat]

I'm going for a Chelsea win. Just.

 

[Coyboy]

I'm hoping that Chelsea hit them hard early on and get a couple of goals, then defend well. I can see them doing it but to be fair Barca are capable to putting three or four past them but with Chelsea at home and if Lampard and Drogba are on form, I don't see it.

 

[mil1lion]

Hopefully it will be an open attacking game like the Chelsea Liverpool game (4-4).

 

[Coyboy]

would prefer 5-4!

 

[Evolution]

Barcelona to win I think. I can see them scoring that all important away goal tonight in what will hopefully be an interesting free flowing game, especially if Barca score first, which I think they will :wink:

 

[ExpatFan]

I hope Drogba and Lampard tear them apart.

Why? Is your second team Real Madrid?
Apart from the fact that Barca play some sublime football (a word I would never associate with Chelski), why would you want a team of mercenaries bought with laundered Russian mafia money - and a London rival of ours to boot - to "tear them apart."
Surely you're not one of those "I'll always support an English team over any Johnny Foreigners any day" types?
Odd. Very odd.

 

[lishiyo]

Chelsea and Man City are like the bane - though not the only one, and more of a symptom than a cause - of the beautiful game (though I do thank Chelsea for keeping out the gooners), and I refuse to believe that any of the top 4 can count as remotely English when Liverpool has more Spaniards than Real Madrid. I'm annoyed by all this Barca wanking but they have a fantastic tradition and philosophy of football, an amazing academy and still have ties to their community and an 'identity' of sorts, so well done to them and I hope they win.

 

[Coyboy]

Why? Is your second team Real Madrid?
Apart from the fact that Barca play some sublime football (a word I would never associate with Chelski), why would you want a team of mercenaries bought with laundered Russian mafia money - and a London rival of ours to boot - to "tear them apart."
Surely you're not one of those "I'll always support an English team over any Johnny Foreigners any day" types?
Odd. Very odd.

Lampard wasn't bought by any Russian. I prefer Chelsea. Why is that odd? As I have said previously, they have a lot to admire and respect and I don't like Barcelona-partly because I do follow Madrid but that's not all of it. I don't consider Chelsea huge rivals, and certainly not in a competition we aren't in. They were also unlucky to lose last year.

How are they 'mercenaries' anyway?

And no, I don't support the English teams by default.

 

[Kendall]

It Barca do score first it should make it an excellent game. If Chelsea score first probably not so much

 

[Kendall]

Lampard wasn't bought by any Russian. I prefer Chelsea. Why is that odd? As I have said previously, they have a lot to admire and respect and I don't like Barcelona-partly because I do follow Madrid but that's not all of it. I don't consider Chelsea huge rivals, and certainly not in a competition we aren't in. They were also unlucky to lose last year.

How are they 'mercenaries' anyway?

And no, I don't support the English teams by default.

I have to say Chelsea have grown on me in the past year or so and have played some good football. I Bosingwa, Alex, Essien, Mikel, Deco, Lampard etc... and most of all I like Hiddink.