UEFA CL 2L - Chelsea FC v FC Barcelona • 06 May 09

[JDB]

I didnt make it up...i'm just saying it is a question being asked on every forum and website..it was even asked to Guus after the game

The ref was horrible...

Jamie Redknapp on the sky after show asked a brilliant question

The ref is from Norway...what game in Norway can compare to the massive nature of a CL Semi Final...he wants to know how UEFA could pick a guy who is not accustomed to these games...he was the ref for United vs Roma last season..we were up 2-0 on aggregate after winning in Rome( we know what it's like to win there  ) and at Old Trafford he gave Roma a absolute bullshit penalty and thankfully De Rossi missed it

but maybe a top Ref from Italy could have done the game today? I'm just glad we didnt have that guy yesterday..Even though the ref made a mistake in sending off Fletch I would take him over that egg head anyday...

That egghead is gonna have at least 50 death threats by the time he reaches home... at least 22 from Drogba and 7 from Ballack

Because it is a question being asked on message boards doesn't make it any less of a sour grapes whinge.

FIFA and UEFA pull their refs from everywhere. These refs work hard in the FIFA system and earn their assignments. he is a CL ref so he manage big games before. And most importantly EVRY ref, even the big game ones like Collina and Poll did ref shit when they ready.

This ref was bad but I am sure that Barcelona get a rough rub too and I am sure they feel that the one last week was just as bad for not giving Henry a penalty and not sending off Ballack.

Shit happens in these games, even so it is a weak argument to say that Chelsea were hard done by. They had more chances, Barca had more possession at the end of the day it is goals that count and on that score Barca win.

Also the Fletcher talk have to die down now. He get called for a foul as the last man, that is a sending off, happens all the time. It is a contentious call but the laws of the game support the call. The fact that it happen before a final is unfortunate but nothing new.

[Jah Gol]

If there were a conspiracy to prevent another "English" final then Ballack would have been sent off in the first leg and we would have gotten that penalty after Henry was pulled down in the box.  

[Toppa]

Interesting conspiracy on every football website and forum :

Referee and UEFA on the same wave length to avoid another EPL clash in the CL Final?

It sure looked so but UEFA arent that f**king stupid...they are pretty stupid but not that dumb...

It would suck to be a rent boy now but it's done


Onto a great final...May the best team win...Oh I like the way everyone will be expecting a Barca win... we like to prove people wrong..the situation suits us well..

Cant wait for Fergie to hit Pep with a mind game...YOUR JUST A SKINNY SPANISH WAITER! lol

You could talk real shit when you ready. Yuh now post how 'everyone' find the ref and UEFA tief to get Barca in the final. And in the same post you go also write how 'everyone' expects Barca to win. 'everybody' is a schizophrenic or what. ah boy. And add that to an absolute masterclass yesterday to dispatch Arsenal, and ManU is the defending champs, and yuh still trying hard to play underdog. kix yes.

Barca's win was a f**king disgrace.... 3 clear penalties....not given... that Ref was definitely payed off! Sad day for football, when arguably the supposed best team in the world, with the messi player, have to get the ref to help them win. Echoing the Drogba "It's a f**kING" disgrace!

Oh, shut up. What do you have to say about Abidal's sending off? That wasn't even a foul much less a red card!

Even a man up Chelsea was still defending like crazy instead of pressuring Barca. Good fuh dem.

[Daft Trini]

Interesting conspiracy on every football website and forum :

Referee and UEFA on the same wave length to avoid another EPL clash in the CL Final?

It sure looked so but UEFA arent that f**king stupid...they are pretty stupid but not that dumb...

It would suck to be a rent boy now but it's done


Onto a great final...May the best team win...Oh I like the way everyone will be expecting a Barca win... we like to prove people wrong..the situation suits us well..

Cant wait for Fergie to hit Pep with a mind game...YOUR JUST A SKINNY SPANISH WAITER! lol

You could talk real shit when you ready. Yuh now post how 'everyone' find the ref and UEFA tief to get Barca in the final. And in the same post you go also write how 'everyone' expects Barca to win. 'everybody' is a schizophrenic or what. ah boy. And add that to an absolute masterclass yesterday to dispatch Arsenal, and ManU is the defending champs, and yuh still trying hard to play underdog. kix yes.

Barca's win was a f**king disgrace.... 3 clear penalties....not given... that Ref was definitely payed off! Sad day for football, when arguably the supposed best team in the world, with the messi player, have to get the ref to help them win. Echoing the Drogba "It's a f**kING" disgrace!

Oh, shut up. What do you have to say about Abidal's sending off? That wasn't even a foul much less a red card!

Even a man up Chelsea was still defending like crazy instead of pressuring Barca. Good fuh dem.

Looking at that lil clip that Jah Goal put up... chelski was putting everyman behind the ball and got caught exposed... Rather see barca in the finals... easier team for us to play...

but you must admit.... all 4 games had poor officials. This man disallowed a Totti goal in 2006 that was clearly a goal and was his first Cl semis...

[Small Magician aka Wazza]

Toppa arent you a Madrid fan?  you think any real R.Madrid fan supported Barca today?

[Arazi]

Interesting conspiracy on every football website and forum :

Referee and UEFA on the same wave length to avoid another EPL clash in the CL Final?

It sure looked so but UEFA arent that f**king stupid...they are pretty stupid but not that dumb...

It would suck to be a rent boy now but it's done


Onto a great final...May the best team win...Oh I like the way everyone will be expecting a Barca win... we like to prove people wrong..the situation suits us well..

Cant wait for Fergie to hit Pep with a mind game...YOUR JUST A SKINNY SPANISH WAITER! lol

You could talk real shit when you ready. Yuh now post how 'everyone' find the ref and UEFA tief to get Barca in the final. And in the same post you go also write how 'everyone' expects Barca to win. 'everybody' is a schizophrenic or what. ah boy. And add that to an absolute masterclass yesterday to dispatch Arsenal, and ManU is the defending champs, and yuh still trying hard to play underdog. kix yes.

Barca's win was a f**king disgrace.... 3 clear penalties....not given... that Ref was definitely payed off! Sad day for football, when arguably the supposed best team in the world, with the messi player, have to get the ref to help them win. Echoing the Drogba "It's a f**kING" disgrace!

Oh, shut up. What do you have to say about Abidal's sending off? That wasn't even a foul much less a red card!

Even a man up Chelsea was still defending like crazy instead of pressuring Barca. Good fuh dem.

steups...yet still they managed to have all the clear cut chances and should have been up by 3 goals before abidal was sent off...
you people act as if ALL chelsea did was play negative football..they played defensively to nutralise barca..as opposed to your real madrid and IT WORKED...until the 93rd ..but instead people wanna nit pick and say chelsea play defensive...

 

[takenoprisoners]

 Piquet's handball looks clearcut, S*it happens.

[D.H.W]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA  GOOD NIGHT!

[Observer]

Interesting conspiracy on every football website and forum :

Referee and UEFA on the same wave length to avoid another EPL clash in the CL Final?

It sure looked so but UEFA arent that f**king stupid...they are pretty stupid but not that dumb...

It would suck to be a rent boy now but it's done


Onto a great final...May the best team win...Oh I like the way everyone will be expecting a Barca win... we like to prove people wrong..the situation suits us well..

Cant wait for Fergie to hit Pep with a mind game...YOUR JUST A SKINNY SPANISH WAITER! lol

You could talk real shit when you ready. Yuh now post how 'everyone' find the ref and UEFA tief to get Barca in the final. And in the same post you go also write how 'everyone' expects Barca to win. 'everybody' is a schizophrenic or what. ah boy. And add that to an absolute masterclass yesterday to dispatch Arsenal, and ManU is the defending champs, and yuh still trying hard to play underdog. kix yes.

Barca's win was a f**king disgrace.... 3 clear penalties....not given... that Ref was definitely payed off! Sad day for football, when arguably the supposed best team in the world, with the messi player, have to get the ref to help them win. Echoing the Drogba "It's a f**kING" disgrace!

Oh, shut up. What do you have to say about Abidal's sending off? That wasn't even a foul much less a red card!

Even a man up Chelsea was still defending like crazy instead of pressuring Barca. Good fuh dem.

Only Pique's hand ball was a penalty. Eto knew nothing of it, especially the distance it was hit from and at first glance, it looked like it hit him in the back, After 18 camera angles and 12 slow mo people could argue hand ball.
Malouda would you really call that a penalty?? Please! Chelsea have no one to blame. Barca without their back line and Henry and yuh playing defensive football. take yuh dam licks.

[Toppa]

Toppa arent you a Madrid fan?  you think any real R.Madrid fan supported Barca today?

And you care because?

[Arazi]

Interesting conspiracy on every football website and forum :

Referee and UEFA on the same wave length to avoid another EPL clash in the CL Final?

It sure looked so but UEFA arent that f**king stupid...they are pretty stupid but not that dumb...

It would suck to be a rent boy now but it's done


Onto a great final...May the best team win...Oh I like the way everyone will be expecting a Barca win... we like to prove people wrong..the situation suits us well..

Cant wait for Fergie to hit Pep with a mind game...YOUR JUST A SKINNY SPANISH WAITER! lol

You could talk real shit when you ready. Yuh now post how 'everyone' find the ref and UEFA tief to get Barca in the final. And in the same post you go also write how 'everyone' expects Barca to win. 'everybody' is a schizophrenic or what. ah boy. And add that to an absolute masterclass yesterday to dispatch Arsenal, and ManU is the defending champs, and yuh still trying hard to play underdog. kix yes.

Barca's win was a f**king disgrace.... 3 clear penalties....not given... that Ref was definitely payed off! Sad day for football, when arguably the supposed best team in the world, with the messi player, have to get the ref to help them win. Echoing the Drogba "It's a f**kING" disgrace!

Oh, shut up. What do you have to say about Abidal's sending off? That wasn't even a foul much less a red card!

Even a man up Chelsea was still defending like crazy instead of pressuring Barca. Good fuh dem.

Only Pique's hand ball was a penalty. Eto knew nothing of it, especially the distance it was hit from and at first glance, it looked like it hit him in the back, After 18 camera angles and 12 slow mo people could argue hand ball.
Malouda would you really call that a penalty?? Please! Chelsea have no one to blame. Barca without their back line and Henry and yuh playing defensive football. take yuh dam licks.

ask real and bayern what happen when they try to play them regular nah?
I actually think Yaya Toure added some stability to their defence eh...

[Jah Gol]

It's quite amusing to hear some fans assert that Chelsea 'dominating' the game should have qualified them for success and that by some bizarre twist of luck and officiating Barcelona are through to the final. Ironically , as a Barca fan who's endured disappointments of that kind , I do not enjoy those kind of victories. I never endorse 'lucky' victories , unless is T&T playing of course. The thing is its difficult for me to agree with the idea the Chelsea dominated when they had so little possession against a team playing with fewer players. Clearly the gaps would have allowed them further opportunities to score.

What about the fact that Chelsea were lucky to start this game at 0-0 on aggregate in the first place. I guess the 'dominance' argument is a convenient one even though we really shouldn't apply in this case.  

[Toppa]

Interesting conspiracy on every football website and forum :

Referee and UEFA on the same wave length to avoid another EPL clash in the CL Final?

It sure looked so but UEFA arent that f**king stupid...they are pretty stupid but not that dumb...

It would suck to be a rent boy now but it's done


Onto a great final...May the best team win...Oh I like the way everyone will be expecting a Barca win... we like to prove people wrong..the situation suits us well..

Cant wait for Fergie to hit Pep with a mind game...YOUR JUST A SKINNY SPANISH WAITER! lol

You could talk real shit when you ready. Yuh now post how 'everyone' find the ref and UEFA tief to get Barca in the final. And in the same post you go also write how 'everyone' expects Barca to win. 'everybody' is a schizophrenic or what. ah boy. And add that to an absolute masterclass yesterday to dispatch Arsenal, and ManU is the defending champs, and yuh still trying hard to play underdog. kix yes.

Barca's win was a f**king disgrace.... 3 clear penalties....not given... that Ref was definitely payed off! Sad day for football, when arguably the supposed best team in the world, with the messi player, have to get the ref to help them win. Echoing the Drogba "It's a f**kING" disgrace!

Oh, shut up. What do you have to say about Abidal's sending off? That wasn't even a foul much less a red card!

Even a man up Chelsea was still defending like crazy instead of pressuring Barca. Good fuh dem.

Only Pique's hand ball was a penalty. Eto knew nothing of it, especially the distance it was hit from and at first glance, it looked like it hit him in the back, After 18 camera angles and 12 slow mo people could argue hand ball.
Malouda would you really call that a penalty?? Please! Chelsea have no one to blame. Barca without their back line and Henry and yuh playing defensive football. take yuh dam licks.

Ah know that was for Arazi.  

[Daft Trini]

It's quite amusing to hear some fans assert that Chelsea 'dominating' the game should have qualified them for success and that by some bizarre twist of luck and officiating Barcelona are through to the final. Ironically , as a Barca fan who's endured disappointments of that kind , I do not enjoy those kind of victories. I never endorse 'lucky' victories , unless is T&T playing of course. The thing is its difficult for me to agree with the idea the Chelsea dominated when they had so little possession against a team playing with fewer players. Clearly the gaps would have allowed them further opportunities to score.

What about the fact that Chelsea were lucky to start this game at 0-0 on aggregate in the first place. I guess the 'dominance' argument is a convenient one even though we really shouldn't apply in this case.  

I felt despite the poor officiating... chelski sould have taken more opportunities to go for goal... especially N.A. who should have scored... and my wife still asking how D.D. miss.... they kinda needed that second goal and resorted to a cheep game.

[Arazi]

Interesting conspiracy on every football website and forum :

Referee and UEFA on the same wave length to avoid another EPL clash in the CL Final?

It sure looked so but UEFA arent that f**king stupid...they are pretty stupid but not that dumb...

It would suck to be a rent boy now but it's done


Onto a great final...May the best team win...Oh I like the way everyone will be expecting a Barca win... we like to prove people wrong..the situation suits us well..

Cant wait for Fergie to hit Pep with a mind game...YOUR JUST A SKINNY SPANISH WAITER! lol

You could talk real shit when you ready. Yuh now post how 'everyone' find the ref and UEFA tief to get Barca in the final. And in the same post you go also write how 'everyone' expects Barca to win. 'everybody' is a schizophrenic or what. ah boy. And add that to an absolute masterclass yesterday to dispatch Arsenal, and ManU is the defending champs, and yuh still trying hard to play underdog. kix yes.

Barca's win was a f**king disgrace.... 3 clear penalties....not given... that Ref was definitely payed off! Sad day for football, when arguably the supposed best team in the world, with the messi player, have to get the ref to help them win. Echoing the Drogba "It's a f**kING" disgrace!

Oh, shut up. What do you have to say about Abidal's sending off? That wasn't even a foul much less a red card!

Even a man up Chelsea was still defending like crazy instead of pressuring Barca. Good fuh dem.

Only Pique's hand ball was a penalty. Eto knew nothing of it, especially the distance it was hit from and at first glance, it looked like it hit him in the back, After 18 camera angles and 12 slow mo people could argue hand ball.
Malouda would you really call that a penalty?? Please! Chelsea have no one to blame. Barca without their back line and Henry and yuh playing defensive football. take yuh dam licks.

Ah know that was for Arazi.  

how is this for me?
I not fighting down the penalties..i posted LONG ago we only had a case for one...

I just trying to show all the people who love to say chelsea play negative and only defend needs to PROPERLY watch the game?
Yes we play all men behind the ball which was necessary to stp barca..BUT WE HAD MORE CHANCES?
how we manage to have so many so many penalty appeals..we hoof it to drogba in barca penalty area and tell him dive or hit off a man hand?

BARCA'S first shot on target was iniesta's goal geez...valdez was the busier keeper in this tie..and dare I say..he was very close to being barca's man of the match..

we counter attacked  and did intelligently for the most part..

people just like to see what THEY want to see yes..


“Chelsea are a great team with a lot of good players who are all much stronger than us. We were losing the game and they did very well to shut us out and did not allow us to play our football," - Leo Messi after the game..

here's Guardiola
""It's fair to say they created chances on the counter but they were still a bit conservative," Guardiola said about Chelsea.

"I expected them to press up more but they didn't. Even against 10 men Chelsea still stayed back. They knew we always have a threat and they respected us until the last minute."

yet men wanted chelsea to go desparado and get dismantle like real and bayern...tisk....at least my team could say they DID NOT lose to barca...

[RedDevils]

in all honesty Barca didnt deserve to reach the finals judgeing from that game today, but they got a chance and took advantage of it, chelski had chances to put the game out there reach but didnt take advantage so in the end they pay for it. no one to blame but themself..............oh well. Barca vs United finals, and barca missing defenders again lololol............... Messi cant do shit against english opposition.

[capodetutticapi]

now lookin at de game,how drogba waste that chance in de 53rd.,they desevre to lose.

[sammy]

People don't waste time making those animations do they?

Dat is the most active I have seen Ballack in a Chelski uniform, man actually buss a sweat!

lol

all we need is some benny hill music to go with that and we ornnnnn. 

[Filho]

Interesting conspiracy on every football website and forum :

Referee and UEFA on the same wave length to avoid another EPL clash in the CL Final?

It sure looked so but UEFA arent that f**king stupid...they are pretty stupid but not that dumb...

It would suck to be a rent boy now but it's done


Onto a great final...May the best team win...Oh I like the way everyone will be expecting a Barca win... we like to prove people wrong..the situation suits us well..

Cant wait for Fergie to hit Pep with a mind game...YOUR JUST A SKINNY SPANISH WAITER! lol

You could talk real shit when you ready. Yuh now post how 'everyone' find the ref and UEFA tief to get Barca in the final. And in the same post you go also write how 'everyone' expects Barca to win. 'everybody' is a schizophrenic or what. ah boy. And add that to an absolute masterclass yesterday to dispatch Arsenal, and ManU is the defending champs, and yuh still trying hard to play underdog. kix yes.

Barca's win was a f**king disgrace.... 3 clear penalties....not given... that Ref was definitely payed off! Sad day for football, when arguably the supposed best team in the world, with the messi player, have to get the ref to help them win. Echoing the Drogba "It's a f**kING" disgrace!

Breds..your opinion doh change de fact that was an absolutely jokey post by Small Mag. Real Hype

Anyway, what is really a disgrace tho is Barca put out a Copa Del Rey team tonight and Chelsea still played 10 men behind the ball  

[100% Barataria]

i keep saying this. no one man in the world can mark messi. it takes 3. seriously it does. barca fan or not  chelsea  tried their best to get atleast 2 players close to him at all times

I counted 3 on most possessions that he had and he was still not hustled off the ball.  Barca had to make alot of adjustments w/notable absences and though they had most of the possession, being pegged back early by Essien's beautiful strike and Chelsea being able to sit back and soak up their attacks lead to practically nothing in the final 1/3, coupled w/the fact that Alves truly looked like Evans Wise as someone pointed out earlier.  That said, big teams find ways to do it, tough luck on the no calls but as pointed out earlier as well the same can be said about the 1st leg, all roads lead to Rome, looking forward to an exciting final.

PS:  Curious to see who will slot in the RB and LB positions

I think Puyol will play RB and Sylvinho the LB...I would prefer Yaya going back in the midfield but I dont think it would be wise to put Caceres as the CB in the final. Busquets or Keita will compliment Iniesta and Xavi and Henry coming back as LF.......I wonder if Fergie is going to use the same strategy he used against us last yr?

Sense, the player gap between DM and CB is seemingly minor but making up that gap in one game can be challenging as Toure proved today, but I agree w/your suggestion though, will see what Pep does

[Mango Chow!]

I didnt make it up...i'm just saying it is a question being asked on every forum and website..it was even asked to Guus after the game

The ref was horrible...

Jamie Redknapp on the sky after show asked a brilliant question

The ref is from Norway...what game in Norway can compare to the massive nature of a CL Semi Final...he wants to know how UEFA could pick a guy who is not accustomed to these games...he was the ref for United vs Roma last season..we were up 2-0 on aggregate after winning in Rome( we know what it's like to win there  ) and at Old Trafford he gave Roma a absolute bullshit penalty and thankfully De Rossi missed it

but maybe a top Ref from Italy could have done the game today? I'm just glad we didnt have that guy yesterday..Even though the ref made a mistake in sending off Fletch I would take him over that egg head anyday...

That egghead is gonna have at least 50 death threats by the time he reaches home... at least 22 from Drogba and 7 from Ballack

Because it is a question being asked on message boards doesn't make it any less of a sour grapes whinge.

FIFA and UEFA pull their refs from everywhere. These refs work hard in the FIFA system and earn their assignments. he is a CL ref so he manage big games before. And most importantly EVRY ref, even the big game ones like Collina and Poll did ref shit when they ready.

This ref was bad but I am sure that Barcelona get a rough rub too and I am sure they feel that the one last week was just as bad for not giving Henry a penalty and not sending off Ballack.

Shit happens in these games, even so it is a weak argument to say that Chelsea were hard done by. They had more chances, Barca had more possession at the end of the day it is goals that count and on that score Barca win.

Also the Fletcher talk have to die down now. He get called for a foul as the last man, that is a sending off, happens all the time. It is a contentious call but the laws of the game support the call. The fact that it happen before a final is unfortunate but nothing new.

  Good to see some sanity to counter the madness fellas does talk on this forum when they ready.

Now watching Bobby McMahon saying on fsc that the only red cards that can be reversed are ones of mistaken identity or excessive punishment.........Barca just may have a case for the latter. In the case of Abidal, of course. (before some men start biting off meh head about Alves.)

***correction***   

   On the recap the announcer now made a different statement saying that excessive punishment is NOT a grounds for a red card reversal. 

[nnyman18]

Barcelona coach Josep 'Pep' Guardiola claimed Chelsea had paid the price for their reluctance to push forward in search of a second goal in their UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg.

With the La Liga leaders reduced to ten men, after Eric Abidal's sending off, a goal three minutes into added time by Andres Iniesta was enough to send the Catalan side through on the away goals rule after it finished 1-1 on aggregate. 
You have to give us credit. We tried to win the game, we tried to take the ball and create chances.
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola after booking passage to the Champions League final

"You have to give us credit. We tried to win the game, we tried to take the ball and create chances. We did not create as much as I would have hoped, but I expected Chelsea to create a little bit more pressure.

"I have a lot of faith in my team and we kept going and we were persistent to the end. Don't forget we played 25 minutes 10 against 11 and Chelsea stayed back.

"It was difficult enough 11 against 11 so we are so happy to have scored," added Guardiola, whose first season in charge could yield three trophies including the domestic title, the Copa del Rey and now the Champions League.

Meanwhile, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique was quick to echo his manager's comments. "It was really hard when we had ten men," he said. "But finally in the last minute we scored a goal.

"A team like this is always attacking and cannot go for 180 minutes without scoring a goal, and as I said before it came in the last minute, but that was enough to qualify for the final.

"I have no words to describe how happy the team is."

[nnyman18]

To beat a team then expose them like that is just wrong man

[Peong]

I doh fault Drogba nah.  Let him cuss, he have money to pay a fine.
Chelsea get tief tonight.

[giggsy11]

Chelski had enough opportunities to kill of that game and did not, despite not getting the calls they were looking to get. When you have chances to increase a 1nil lead and don't, yuh end up playing Russian roulette and bam-Iniesta pull the trigger and a bullet come out! They could have also done a better job of killing time the few times they had the ball in Barca's end during injury time. How come nobody think they choke or cough up the lead?  Plus all that damn pantomining by Drogba probably influenced the ref into not giving shite! To much drama!

[Mr Fix-it]

People don't waste time making those animations do they?

Dat is the most active I have seen Ballack in a Chelski uniform, man actually buss a sweat!

lol

all we need is some benny hill music to go with that and we ornnnnn. 

Cosign

[freakazoid]

what barca show is how feared they r in europe with 10 men chelsea still werent pushing up  that much. they jus showed barca 2 much respect. 90 min goals does real hurt thats y chelsea men waNT to kill some1.

[Disgruntled_Trini]

The ref is from Norway...what game in Norway can compare to the massive nature of a CL Semi Final...he wants to know how UEFA could pick a guy who is not accustomed to these games...he was the ref for United vs Roma last season..we were up 2-0 on aggregate after winning in Rome( we know what it's like to win there  ) and at Old Trafford he gave Roma a absolute bullshit penalty and thankfully De Rossi missed it

Let meh guess. Howard Webb should've reffed the game??

[Disgruntled_Trini]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/Rmyp5NM78l8" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/Rmyp5NM78l8</a>

Anybody notice Sylvinho had to stop Pep from celelbrating and remind him bout the time and to make subs??

[jai john]

Fact is that Chelsea could feel they were robbed ....if they were given the obvious penalties none of this talk would have mattered. Whether they were defensive or not is not  the question ...whether they should have been awarded at least one penalty could hardly be challenged.
Barcelona fought well but their fate could have been different ...and who would have said that the referee was wrong if he gave a penalty for Pique's handled ball ?
But then again ...we know it was by failure to convert penalties that Chelsea lost last year .....