₦airaland Forum

Brilliant from Salah.

Holy shit

He missed.

Ah. Salah missed too

That was pretty poor technique

Lmao
Kill of Madrid you still miss PK

Raumdeuter's Salah missed awoof penalty.

Goal!

Done dusted

They finally redeemed themselves from being Madrid's bitch

Game over
Madrid will probably play play offs

Gakpo!!

iamoyindamola:
Game over
Madrid will probably play play offs

Before that chief their next away match is Atalanta

drisham:
How many matches in this league form format

Ccbluemann

8 matches. Then top 8 qualify automatically, while 9-24 compete in the playoffs (which I think is double legged).

BlueMann:
It's been shocking. Losing 3-0 to your rivals in a potential title decider AT HOME is a disaster.

And they were wasting big chances before Botafogo scored their first goal.

A draw would've sufficed. Shame.

Modified: They've pulled one back deep in added time. They now need Botafogo to lose at least one of their last two games while they themselves win both.

Still possible sha.

Botafogo also bottled it at this point last season, throwing away over 10 points lead before palmeiras caught up with them and won it, so they probably came in with their all not to let lighting strike at the same spot

iamoyindamola:
Lmao
Kill of Madrid you still miss PK

No be today boss 😂

Courtois can hold his head high

Menace

Kilishihunter:
Botafogo also bottled it at this point last season, throwing away over 10 points lead before palmeiras caught up with them and won it, so they probably came in with their all not to let lighting strike at the same spot

Ah really?

Lol two games left, let's see if indeed affliction will not rise a second time.

airmark:
Raumdeuter's Salah missed awoof penalty.

awoof ...

. What did you smoke 😕😕

God bless GodX and anyone associated with him.

Zubimendi is good but that's not who or what City need. Whatever he provides is not what City lacks. He could have played in some of the games City still lost or drew in.

I've seen the usual useful idiots celebrating too soon. Why do you fools always do this every season?

By the way, I know Mboobie is getting all the flak but Jude Bellingham was awful again today in midfield. But nobody is talking about it, right?

Silentgroper:
awoof ...

. What did you smoke 😕😕

JJC.

Android17:
God bless GodX and anyone associated with him.

Raumdeuter, see your guy praying for himself. No wonder he dey support Fraudiola and his fraudulent club.

popizaino:


Let us ask Swiz123 and Android17 because it is not clear to them.

Foden is having a below average season so far. Same as Manchester City. See what I did? I defended Foden when he was good and have to accept he has not been good enough in this season.

My poser back to you is, I assume Saka will elevate Arsenal into the winning the EPL at least this season right? And he will be EPL player of the year abi?

iamoyindamola:
Game over
Madrid will probably play play offs

Hmm, that will be tough. With three games remaining, their chances look slim. Their first match is away to Atlanta, who boast an impressive record, 11 goals scored and only 1 conceded, with no losses in the competition, ( not yet concede at home) and their final match is also away to Brest. Madrid's away record in this competition is abysmal, having failed to score a single goal, talkless of getting a draw.

oliverano:
I told you that gundo is beyond washed. Like he's so done at this level. He looks so lazy on and off the ball.

Pep being stubborn will continue to start him(Gundo) because he doesn't wanna feel wrong for bringing back a beyond washed player.

Walker has been washed for some time now. Rico Lewis is better in this moment.

Gundo is washed but he is not the one forcing himself into the team hence why I said fvck Pep.

Gundo was signed to be the deputy 8 (not the starter). According to Pep, injuries to other key players is the reason he has to rely on him a little too much.

Bernardo Silva is not physical enough in midfield as well (and Zubimendi will suffer same fate). I actually prefer the Ederson of Atalanta or Wharton of Crystal Palace.

airmark:
Raumdeuter, see your guy praying for himself. No wonder he dey support Fraudiola and his fraudulent club.

So creative. How long did it take you to come up with this?

By the way, you were discussing 115 charges last season and City still won the league. Maybe it did not affect the players then right?

Raumdeuter, i remember your 'when they met, who did better' today.

VVD and Rudiger, who did better?

airmark:
Ramdeuter, i remember your 'when they met, who did better' today.

VVD and Rudiger, who did better?

Rudiger don win CL on top VVD head abi you get amnesia

raumdeuter:
Rudiger don win CL on top VVD head abi you get amnesia

I asked you a simple question - who did better between Rudiger and VVD today?. It's not about the team or the scoreline but individual performance of the two.

airmark:
I asked you a simple question - who did better between Rudiger and VVD today?. It's not about the team or the scoreline but individual performance of the two.

In the CL final the biggest game of club competition, This was VVD carrying nyansh

Android17:
God bless GodX and anyone associated with him.

Zubimendi is good but that's not who or what City need. Whatever he provides is not what City lacks. He could have played in some of the games City still lost or drew in.

I've seen the usual useful idiots celebrating too soon. Why do you fools always do this every season?

By the way, I know Mboobie is getting all the flak but Jude Bellingham was awful again today in midfield. But nobody is talking about it, right?

Zubimendi is what city needs with Rodri not available

But it seems like city fans are also stubborn like pep

Android17:
Gundo is washed but he is not the one forcing himself into the team hence why I said fvck Pep.

Gundo was signed to be the deputy 8 (not the starter). According to Pep, injuries to other key players is the reason he has to rely on him a little too much.

Bernardo Silva is not physical enough in midfield as well (and Zubimendi will suffer same fate). I actually prefer the Ederson of Atalanta or Wharton of Crystal Palace.

Zubimendi Will suffer same fate as Bernardo Silva ? Lol

When you think about rivalries in football, Barcelona and Real Madrid immediately come to mind.

But according to football's greatest Lionel Messi, there’s one Premier League club that stirs up even more tension among Barcelona players: Chelsea FC.

Yes, the same Chelsea that has locked horns with Barça in some of the most dramatic Champions League clashes in history.

“There are players here who hate Chelsea more than Real Madrid,” Messi revealed in a surprisingly honest interview.

“I never thought I’d hear myself say that. I also never thought I’d experience something more intense than Boca vs River Plate or Brazil vs Argentina—but this rivalry is different.

"We’d rather face Arsenal, Manchester United, or any other English team than step onto the pitch with Chelsea.”

So, what makes Chelsea such a thorn in Barcelona’s side? Let’s dive into the history.

Where It All Began

The tension between these two clubs started brewing in the early 2000s. Things really heated up during the 2006 Champions League Round of 16 when Messi became the victim of a reckless challenge by Chelsea defender Asier Del Horno.

The tackle was so brutal that Del Horno was sent off immediately, and Messi narrowly escaped a serious knee injury.

That year, Barcelona had the last laugh. They eliminated Chelsea and went on to lift the Champions League trophy, beating Arsenal in the final with memorable goals from Samuel Eto’o and Juliano Belletti.

But this was only the beginning of a rivalry that would grow fiercer with time.

Chelsea’s Revenge

Fast forward to 2012, and the tables had turned. In one of the most dramatic semi-finals in Champions League history, Chelsea knocked Barcelona out with a heroic performance at Camp Nou.

Despite being reduced to 10 men and under relentless pressure, Chelsea managed to secure a 2-2 draw, advancing 3-2 on aggregate.

Fernando Torres’ iconic late goal sealed the deal, and Chelsea went on to win their first-ever Champions League title.

“The semi-final loss to Chelsea is one of my biggest regrets in a Barcelona shirt,” Leo Messi admitted.
"It’s a game I’ll never forget, and I think we could have won another Champions League that year.”

Messi vs Chelsea: A Tough Nut to Crack

When it comes to Messi’s personal record against Chelsea, it’s not as dominant as you might expect.

Over the course of 10 matches, he managed just 3 goals—remarkably low for someone who terrorized defenses across Europe.

In fact, it wasn’t until the 2017-18 season that Messi finally scored his first goal against the Blues during a Round of 16 clash. He followed it up with two more goals in the second leg to inspire Barcelona through to quarter-final.

Chelsea’s defensive tactics, especially under managers like José Mourinho and Roberto Di Matteo, often frustrated Messi and Barcelona’s attacking style. It’s no wonder GOAT grew to view these encounters as some of the toughest of his career.


The Champions League Rivalry: Barcelona vs Chelsea

Few matchups in European football have been as dramatic as Barcelona vs Chelsea. Here’s a quick look at their head-to-head record in the Champions League:

2000 Quarter-finals: Barcelona triumphed 6-4 on aggregate, coming back from a first-leg loss.

2005 Round of 16: Chelsea edged Barça 5-4 on aggregate in a controversial tie.

2006 Round of 16: Barcelona knocked out Chelsea 3-2 on aggregate and went on to win the Champions League trophy.

2009 Semi-finals: Barcelona advanced on away goals (1-1 aggregate), thanks to Andrés Iniesta’s legendary last-minute strike at Stamford Bridge.

2012 Semi-finals: Chelsea stunned Barcelona 3-2 on aggregate, en route to their maiden Champions League title.

2018 Round of 16: Barcelona got their revenge, winning 4-1 on aggregate with Messi playing a starring role.

These matches have been filled with controversy, unforgettable goals, and high-stakes drama, which would forever cement this rivalry as one of the fiercest in the Champions League era.

Messi’s Reflection

When Messi left Barcelona in 2021, he spoke openly about his regrets and what might have been.

“I would have liked to win another Champions League,” he said. “We had so many opportunities, but teams like Chelsea and Liverpool stopped us. Those semi-finals with Pep [Guardiola] were especially painful.”

While Real Madrid remains Barcelona’s eternal rival, it’s clear that Chelsea holds a unique place in the minds of players like Messi.

The battles between these two clubs were not just games—they were wars that left an indelible mark on football history.

For Lionel Messi and many of his former teammates, the Blues were more than just opponents—they were their ultimate challenge.


More Messi & Barça articles at: upbarca.com