Jose Has NEVER Lost Two Games in a Row
By BlueBlood
February 23 2005
Jose Mourinho has pulled out another blinder that Damien Duff is fit to start tonight. Duff came through a rigorous training session this morning has has been named in the starting line-up. The unfortunate Eider Gudjohnson makes way and is on the bench. Joe Cole is expected to fulfill the winger role on the left.
When the draw for the knockout stages was made and Barcelona v Chelsea came out of the hat, memories came flooding back of when the two teams last met in the competition. Then, it was Chelsea's first adventure in the competition under the competent guidance of then manager Gianluca Vialli. Even the most optimistic of Chelsea fans could not have imagined that Chelsea would have reached the quarter-final stage after competing through two group stages, winning won and runners up in the second. Imagine Barcelona at The Bridge and then playing Barcelona again at the Nou Camp. Games that dreams are made of. Of course we know that Chelsea won the first leg 3-1 in a fantastic night at Stamford Bridge and although Chelsea held a two goal lead, Chelsea fans knew did deep down in their hearts that a two goal lead would be difficult to hold in the return at the Nou Camp. And so it proved. But it took eighty three minutes for Barcelona to get the three goals that they needed to take the game into extra time. Yes! Chelsea were seven minutes away from reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League. Seven minutes. Sadly the game went into extra-time and Barcelona eventually won the game 5-1 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate. Patrick Kluivert, who was Chelsea's nemesis last Sunday, was also the instigator of our downfall that night too. Chelsea go into battle tonight at the Nou Camp without Duff, Robben, Bridge. Our beloved JM has saved me the job of predicting the team by announcing Chelsea's line-up yesterday and cheekily at the press conference telling the gob-smacked journalists, who were hanging on to every word, Barcelona's team as well. One tabloid hack reported this morning that if the press conference had been held in a theatre, Mourinho would have received a standing ovation and three encores. I still believe that JM was wrong to fiddle with the team for the game last Sunday. After all the players had a weeks rest before the game and after the Carling Cup final the players have another week rest. Why can't our top players play three games in a week. But that is another issue for another time. Tonight Chelsea have to deal with the likes of Ronaldinho, E'oto, Guily and the like. Any result other than a recurrence of the 5-1 from before, would in my eyes be considered to be a victory. The confidence in Mourinho is staggering as he boldly claimed yesterday that he has never lost TWO games in a row. I for one will be extremely happy for him if his personal record remains intact. Team: Cech, Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, Gallas, Makelele, Tiago, Lampard, Cole, Duff, Drogba COME ON CHELSEA!!!