To commemorate 6 years of winning the champions league



THE GREATEST NIGHT
In every individual’s life, there are special nights, that special moment that would change a person’s story forever. For a club like CHELSEA FC, 19th may 2012 would forever remain in the heart of its supporters. The club recently embarked on a throwback from the game at Allianz arena in Germany from the heroes on the night and I would follow their steps to share the journey, thoughts and reaction from the game.
Call it fate or pure coincidence? Saturday may 19 2012, was a day of destiny, a day destined for Chelsea fc to win and lift the much coveted champions league trophy.
The journey which started months ago will come to an end in a couple of hours. The journey started when Chelsea fc was paired alongside Germanys Bayern Leverkusen, Spain’s fc Valencia and Belgian side racing Genk. At the end of the group stage, Chelsea fc topped the group with 11points having won three (3), drew two (2) and lost just one (1). Chelsea fc were paired in the round of 16 against Italy’s fc Napoli in a two legged affair which showcased one of the greatest game in the history of the game as well as one of the greatest comeback ever recorded in the competition. Chelsea fc lost the first leg 3-1 away in Naples. However, a brilliant display and goals from Didier drogba, john terry, frank lampard and barnislav ivanovic ensured Chelsea qualified for the quarter finals. After the historic and heroic triumph over Napoli, Chelsea fc was paired against fc benfica of Portugal and the club progressed 3-1 on aggregate.
After defeating benfica in the quarter finals, Chelsea fc got Barcelona in the semis in what seems like a repeat of the 2009 semi final match against the same opposition with Andre’s iniesta scoring a die minute goal to send Chelsea parking. Chelsea fc got the advantage in the first leg through a Didier drogba goal. In the return leg at camp nou, Barcelona score two unreplied goals before ramires pulled one back through a sublime goal. Barcelona Lionel messi look to further dent the hope of Chelsea fc but all thanks to the cross bar as lionel messi saw his penalty saved by the crossbar. Here comes the minute, after much pressure from Barcelona, Chelsea were able to clear their lines and someway, somehow, the ball found fernado torres in Chelsea’s half and all he had on him was Barcelona’s goalkeeper and countryman victor valdes, before one could say jack Robinson, the ball was in the net and that sent Barcelona out in what looks like a repeat match.
THE JOURNEY OF FATE
For the second time in the club history, they would play in the champion’s league final for the second time and hope to lift the trophy for the first time after losing on penalties to arc rivals Manchester united in Russia just four years ago.
Chelsea fc in the final was clearly the underdog following the suspension of captain and legend john terry and star players barnislav ivanovic and Raul meireless. The skepticism and fear of the fans increased when the teams sheet were out and young Ryan Bertrand was included in a 4-2-3-1 formation which included veteran goalkeeper petr cech in goal, José bosingwa, David luiz, Gary Cahill and Ashley Cole as the back four. The midfield consists of captain on the night frank lampard, mikel john obi, Juan Mata, Salomon kalou and young Ryan Bertrand with Didier drogba as the lone man upfront. A fairly strong bench which includes Michal essien, florent malouda, Paulo Ferreira, Daniel sturridge and Fernando Torres was included.
The match started after the closing ceremony which included beautiful displays and the champion’s league anthem being rendered. The referee on the night was Pedro proenca from Portugal and after the blast of his whistle, the games proper started. The match started with kickoff from Chelsea fc in the traditional blue jersey and Bayern Munich in the traditional red jersey. After 2 minutes of play, Bayern’s Bastian schweingsteiger was booked for a deliberate handball. The game from start has been all about Bayern Munich and in the 21st minute, they hit the post after winger arjen robben had delivered a special delivery from the left side of the pitch.
Chelsea best chance of the game came in the 37th minutes when a precise ball from the left was flicked in by left back Ashley Cole to the standing leg of Didier drogba on the edge of the box before falling to the path of salomon kalou whose curling shot towards the near post was held by Manuel neur.
A curse or Chelsea’s day? Striker Mario Gomes again missed a seater in the 42nd minutes after missing his first in the 39th minute of the game.
It was surprising to most football fans to know that at half time in the game the score line stands at 0-0 but Bayern had been the better side.
The second half started the way the first half ended but in the 53rd minute, what seems to be the first goal of the game was disallowed after winger frank ribery appeared to have fouled Chelsea fc goalkeeper before putting the ball into the back of the net.
“The moment of death” came in the 83rd minutes when frank ribery floated a cross from outside the box and the cross was met by the head of Thomas Muller who was only few yards away from goal and his header was straight into the net. With barely 7 minutes left of regulation time, Chelsea’s hope of lifting the trophy was going down the drain. A quick substitution saw Salomon kalou pulled out for fernado Torres
“The moment of revival” destiny as they say can never change but it might be delayed. Chelsea fc equalized in the 88th minute through a Didier drogba header after Juan Mata floated a corner in. little or less action was recorded after the goal as both teams were cautious not to concede a goal and at the end of 90 minutes, the score line was 1-1.
“Hero to zero” Didier drogba had just conceded a penalty just few minutes after saving the club with his header. Drogba appeared to have tripped frank ribery and the referee pointed immediately to the penalty spot. There are only two savior left for Chelsea fc in the game and that was petr cech and the cross bar. OH!!! Petr cech had just revived the hope of the club as he guessed right to save arjen robben penalty.
Bayern striker ivica olic missed an outstanding penalty after the penalty save. After the miss, both teams tried to stay cautious as they defended with their life’s and at the end of extra time, the shorelines remain 1-1 and its straight to penalties.
What comes to every Chelsea supporters mind was 4 years ago when the club lost on penalties to Manchester united in Moscow Russia after john terry lost the decisive penalty to give the club a victory. Now it’s time to go on to penalties
Bayern to go first as Philip lahm scores
Juan Mata penalty is saved. Goalkeeper Manuel neur guessed right to save Mata’s weak penalty.
Bayern scores a second through Mario Gomes as he send petr cech the wrong way.
David luiz scores for Chelsea to make it 2-1. The penalty seems like a funny one as luiz moved completely outside the 18 yard box to fire one to the top right corner.
Neur scores to make it 3-1 for Bayern. Petr cech guessed right but was unable to stop the penalty from going in.
Frank lampard scores for Chelsea to make it 3-2
Petr cech saves olic penalty, this time he guessed right and the score line remains 3-2
Ashley Cole comes on to level and bring Chelsea back on track as the scored his penalty to make it 3-3
Here come Bayern last kick and Bastian schweinsteiger hit the upright although petr cech had gone the right way
Baring what had happened in Moscow 4 years ago when terry lost the last kick, here come Didier drogba to erase that memory and he SCORES!!!!!!! Didier drogba had sent Manuel nuer the wrong way and for the first time in its history, Chelsea fc had won the much coveted uefa champions league becoming the first side from London to do so.
The excitement on the players’ faces was second to none as they are all over the p-itch celebrating as john terry is seen in a full match day kit.
REACTIONS
In his words, captain frank lampard says “we‘ve never wanted to say it too much but this is the one we really wanted”
Didier drogba says “I want to dedicate this to all the managers we have had before and all the players we have had before” he stops midway through the interview to celebrate
THOUGHTS
6 years after, the memory of the game is still fresh in my memory, I remember running out of the room I was watching the game, pulling my shirt and running down my street. Oh! What a happy day.
Chelsea fc lifting the champions league to me means destiny. First the club that season was very poor which led to the sack of Andres villas boas, also most of the players that were in the squad then were getting to the peak of their careers.
Looking at the journey, Chelsea fc should have been knocked out after the 3-1 lost to Napoli in the first leg of the round of 16 but some way somehow, the club remained in the competition. Also, in the quarter-finals, benfica threatened in the second leg before Raul meireless stunner ended the game. In the semis, Barcelona overturned a 1 goal deficit but a ramires goal coupled with Lionel messi penalty miss and a disallowed goal before Torres winner ensure the team progressed. In the final, Chelsea scored a goal late in the game when no one thought they could; concede a penalty which was saved couple with a penalty miss in the shoot outs. Truly it was Chelsea’s day of destiny.