It was a dramatic match at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night as Chelsea FC edged out defending champions, Barcelona FC, from the UEFA Champions League.
Chelsea, with one man down from the first half, put up a spirited display to earn a deserved 2-2 draw and a ticket to the finals billed for the Alliance Arena in Germany.
Barca drew the first blood through Sergio Busquets in the 35th minute.
Two minutes late,r Chelsea’s captain, John Terry, lost his head and committed a needless foul that saw him receive a straight red card.
In the 44th minute, Barca doubled their lead through Iniesta and were already looking good to go on and defend their title.
It was not to be as Chelsae gave an instant response when Brazilian Ramires chipped the ball over Barca’s keeper Valdes to make the score 2-1 and restore Chelsea’s advantage on the away goal rule.
On resumption of the second half, world best player, Lionel Messi, was given a chance to break a jinx that has seen him not score a goal against Chelsea when he was gifted a penalty kick. Messi however failed to convert the kick as the ball hit the goal post.
With both teams striving to get one more goal to be assured of safety, it was Chelsea that was lucky as substitute, Fenardo Toress, who made it two for Chelsea and took the game beyond Barca. Chelsea thus qualified on a 3-2 aggregate.
Mikel chasing history
With this victory, Nigerian midfilder, Mikel Obi is set to feature in his second Champions League final.
Mikel will be hoping to join the duo of Nwankwo Kanu and Finidi George, the only Nigerians that have lifted the coveted Champions League trophy.