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| Chelsea celebrate their victory over Benfica Photo: SkySports |
Chelsea have just booked their spot into the UEFA Champions
League Semi-finals and a tie with FC Barcelona. But first here is how the Blues
got to their sixth Champions League semi-final in nine seasons.
Chelsea got to a great start in Andre Villas-Boas UEFA
Champions League (UCL) debut with a 2-0 victory over German runners-up Bayer
Leverkusen.
Branislav Ivanovic and David Luiz at the back defended well
in the first-half which had two goals disallowed.
The Luiz showed promise of why some say the Brazilian should
play in midfield. The former Benfica defender pushed forward before Brazilian
finished brilliantly.
Mata finished off the Germans in stoppage-time when the
Spaniard finished after Torres squared to Chelsea’s number ten.
After starting well with a victory of Bayern Leverkusen the
Blues couldn’t hold onto an early second-half lead to tie 1-1 with Valencia at
the Mestalla.
Diego Alves for the Spanish side put in a man of the match
shift to deny Chelsea that created many chances.
However the Brazilian couldn’t deny Frank Lampard who opened
the scoring early into the second-half.
Lampard’s substitute Saloman Kalou was at fault late on when
the Ivorian conceded a penalty for handling inside the box. Roberto Soldado
stepped up and grabbed an 86th minute equaliser.
Belgian side Genk was next to visit Stamford Bridge but the
Belgians went home with no points after Chelsea demolished the Belgians 5-0.
Raul Meireles and Torres, yes the Torres, scored inside the
opening ten minutes before the Spaniard scored his brace. Ivanovic and Saloman
Kalou finished off the outstanding win with the other goals.
Not only did the Blues dominate the score line but also with
62% of possession and 13 to zero shots at goal.
Chelsea next travelled to Belgium to face Genk in the return
fixture but only left with one point.
The Blues were in a rough patch after defeats to QPR and
Arsenal and Villas-Boas was really feeling the pressure of being a Premier
League manager.
Ramires gave the visitors the lead on 26 minutes but Luiz
from the spot couldn’t convert which would bite the Blues on the behind.
Jelle Vossen volleyed home the equaliser with a fantastic
finish with just half-an-hour to go.
Chelsea than travelled to Leverkusen for probably their
toughest away trip in the group stage and flew back to London with no points as
Leverkusen stole all three points in stoppage-time.
Didier Drogba gave the visitors the lead at the start of the
second-half as the Ivorian held the ball up before turning and finishing
excellently into the net.
However Eren Derdiyok headed home after Sidney Sam played a
nice floated cross.
Manuel Friedrich leapt high at a stoppage-time corner to
head superbly past Cech into the top corner to frustrate the Blues.
After Chelsea’s defeat to Leverkusen the Blues needed all
three points or a nil-all draw to secure top spot in Group E. That is exactly
what they did with 3-0 win over Valencia.
Despite the Valencian’s controlling the majority of
possession the hosts took the lead through Drogba on 3 minutes before Ramires
doubled the lead thanks to a great Drogba through-ball.
Cech was on form though to deny David Albelda before Jordi Alba
smashed the post.
But it was all over when Drogba slide an effort past Alves
in goals to give the Blues top stop in Group E ahead of Bayer Leverkusen.
After finishing top of Group E Chelsea were drawn with
Italian side Napoli who finished runners-up to Bayern Munich in Group A. But
the first-leg in Napoli didn’t go the Blues way.
Chelsea struggled and it may have been down to Villas-Boas’
decision to leave Michael Essien, Cole and Lampard all on the bench, a decision
which played a part in the Portuguese’s eventual sacking.
The first-half was very entertaining as both sides pushed
and created chances but Cech in goals stood firm before Mata gave the visitors
the lead after a poor Paolo Cannavaro clearance.
In a six minute period before half-time Napoli took the lead
through Ezequiel Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani.
Chelsea couldn’t get their passing game working as Ramires,
Meireles and Malouda were ineffective in midfield and the visitors failed to find
the net.
The first-leg was all over when Lavezzi scored his second
after Luiz hesitated and Cavani found Lavezzi to finish with Cech nowhere to be
seen.
If Chelsea wanted to progress they needed to play their best
on their home pitch under Interim boss Roberto Di Matteo, after Villas-Boas’
sacking, and that is what happened.
Headers from Drogba and then Terry just after break gave the
hosts the lead on away goals before Gokhan Inler on 55 minutes scored an
outstanding volley to give the Italians the lead.
But Andrea Dossena handled Ivanovic’s header in the box
before Lampard stepped up to beat Morgan De Sanctis. The tie finished at 4-4 so
the clash needed extra-time to find a winner.
A minute before half-time in extra-time Ivanovic won the tie
with an impressive finish for a defender after Drogba picked out the Serbian.
Chelsea drew Portuguese side Benfica in the Quarter-finals
and defended well and played on the counter.
Terry, Luiz and Cech were in good form to deny chances by
tall forward Oscar Cardozo
Luiz would be important for the Blues as in the early parts
of the second-half the Brazilian denied Cardozo on the line.
Chelsea started to penetrate the Benfica defence more as
Mata rounded Artur but struck the upright.
Torres picked out Kalou inside the box with an inch-perfect
cross for the Ivorian to poke home the opening goal of the tie.
The tie wasn’t over as Chelsea lead 1-0 into the home tie
and Benfica threatened the Chelsea goal.
But Chelsea doubled the aggregate lead when Lampard
converted a penalty after Javi Garcia took down Cole.
Benfica were reduced down to ten men as Maxi Pereira was
given his second yellow card.
Cech denied Cardozo once again before Ramires missed a huge chance
to finish off the visitors which will hurt the Blues.
With six minutes to go Garcia rose, unmarked to head home
from a great corner, game on.
Benfica only needed one goal to go through on away goals Meireles
ran half the pitch before finished fantastically into the top corner.
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