Michael Essien scores a wonder goal to put Chelsea 1-0 up against Barcelona
HEARTBREAKER ... Andres Iniesta fires in a 93rd minute equaliser to end Chelsea's European dreams
JUST when it seemed Chelsea would get a chance for sweet revenge against Manchester United, Andres Iniesta wrecked their dreams.
They were shattered by last season’s penalty shootout defeat in Moscow and this time Barcelona left them in tears.
Michael Essien’s stunning ninth-minute volley had put them en-route for the final in Rome.But in a dramatic finale, Essien failed to clear and Lionel Messi fed Iniesta to fire into the top corner from the edge of the box in the third minute of added time.
Chelsea had numerous penalty appeals turned down, while Barca barely had a shot. But they beat Petr Cech in the end, despite finishing with 10 men after the dismissal of Eric Abidal.
Didier Drogba was fuming with Norwegian referee Tom Ovrebo at the final whistle and had to be dragged away before he stuck one on the official.
You could understand the Blues’ frustration but Drogba’s actions crossed the line.
Now it will be Barca who face United on May 27.
The Spaniards, without former Arsenal skipper Thierry Henry because of a hamstring strain and missing regular centre-backs Carles Puyol and Rafael Marquez, found themselves under pressure early on.
They had whinged after the first leg about Chelsea’s containing game at the Nou Camp and their failure to come out and play. But the home side took the game to the opposition this time.
The Blues were right in the mood, fired by boss Guus Hiddink’s pre-game assessment that many could be looking at their last chance to win Europe’s biggest club prize.
Although Jose Bosingwa had to hook away an early deflected Xavi shot from beside a post, the Blues looked the more dangerous and their goal was an absolute stunner.
After good build-up play involving Ashley Cole and Florent Malouda, Frank Lampard’s ball into the box hit makeshift centre-half Yaya Toure and looped in the air.
In an instant, Essien latched on to it with his left boot and crashed a magnificent volley over Victor Valdes and in off the underside of the bar. What a start it was.
For Barca, it still meant if they scored one they would go through by virtue of the away goal. And Daniel Alves hit a dipping 30-yard free-kick inches past a post, though Cech had it covered.
Chelsea were finding holes in Barca’s suspect back four and a brilliant ball over the top by Lampard found Drogba marauding through the middle.Drogba blew his one chance in the first leg, when Valdes foiled him, and again as he bore down on goal the keeper just got there in time to clear the danger.
There followed two controversial decisions by Danish referee Ovrebo, which denied Chelsea a couple of penalties in the space of three minutes.
First Malouda was clearly shoved over by Alves and it appeared to be inside the area. But the official awarded a free-kick right on the line, much to Chelsea’s frustration.
Drogba smashed the ball at goal from a narrow angle and Valdes kept it out with his left knee.
Then came Abidal’s challenge from behind on Drogba as he shaped to shoot from 12 yards.
Even if Drogba does have a reputation for diving, there was no way he was going to ground in that position unless he had been fouled. But the ref waved play on.
On the law of averages, Chelsea should have got one of them.
As tempers overheated, Alves crashed into Cole by the touchline and was booked to rule him out of the final.
Very little had been seen of the much-vaunted Messi, who did not do a great deal in the first leg either.
He could not get away from the dogged Cole and, if he cut inside, there were John Terry and Alex to shut the door.
But Barca were always in it while Chelsea only had the one-goal advantage and you felt sooner or later the Spanish League leaders would create a decent chance.
So Hiddink was cursing just after the break when Nicolas Anelka fed Drogba on the right and, after the big Ivory Coast striker had left Gerard Pique on his backside, had the goal at his mercy.
He sized up the opening but his left-foot shot was too close to Valdes and the keeper saved with his outstretched right leg.
Drogba was destined never to score in this tie and, when he shook off Toure again, the defender got back to take ball then man in the area.
There were screams for a spot-kick for a third time and Drogba was on the ground pleading profusely. Once more, though, Barca got the benefit of the doubt — correctly on this occasion.
The visitors were really up against it on 66 minutes, as Abidal was dismissed for allegedly clipping Anelka’s heel with the Frenchman heading towards goal. The defender was very unlucky. If he caught his fellow countryman at all, it was an accident.
But the 10 rose to the occasion and the previously anonymous Iniesta stunned the Bridge with that cracker into the top corner that sealed Chelsea’s fate.
