About Chelsea

 At last after 8 years Roman Abramovic has the championship trophy that he wanted so badly. This Champions League title ratifies his investment and gives Chelsea a tangible reason to claim a spot among the “big clubs” of Europe. Just like the Europa League, the winner of this Champions League was the club that not many would have guessed back in December. An impeccable defensive order and a sublime Drogba carried them throughout the tournament allowing them to defeat every team that, on paper at least, was better than Chelsea.

Is there merit in what they did? Absolutely. I won’t be the one to say that they don’t deserve the title. This team walked on the tight rope at all phases of this championship and yet they never gave up. They capitalized in the very few chances they created. There is merit in that. However, I can never support anti-football: the art of not wanting to go for the victory. Inter did it two years ago, Greece did it in the Eurocup 2004 and now Chelsea has done it too. They all have won without attempting to win but rather focusing in not losing.

Chelsea display in the final was horrible in my opinion. It feels more like Bayern lost rather than Chelsea won.  Compare their display to Barcelona last year or compare them to the Real Madrid team that won the 9^th Champions League 10 years ago. It almost a sin to play like Chelsea did. In fact, the real sin is that Chelsea, until the 1-0, did not want to play. Two defensive lines of 4 and 5 players respectively at the grandest stage in European football is something I don’t expect from a team that wants to be crowned “the best”.

Listen to what Mata, Torres, Di Matteo, and other players were saying at the end of the game about how Bayern played better and you can see even they know luck was a huge element in their title win. Again, I think that “never give up” attitude is fantastic but to renounce any effort to go an win the game is not a good thing for a club that wants to enter into that “best clubs of Europe” category.

That football philosophy is valid sure but 8/10 times you will be eliminated by a team that wants to play for the win. If you want proof of this just look where Chelsea ended in the Premier League: in a Europa League place where their game belongs. I’m not saying that defensive football is a bad thing or that it isn’t valid. But being a defensive team doesn’t mean that you have to forget about attacking.

I doubt any good midfielder or striker who’s looking to play in another club would dream about playing for Chelsea, at least Di Matteo’s Chelsea. How could they? No striker wants to spend the whole game alone waiting for a long pass, a bad defense, and luck to score a goal. No midfielder wants to be constantly playing in a center-back role just to get the ball and have nobody to make a pass. Even as a fan, I would rather pay to see Arsenal or Tottenham play before paying to see Chelsea.

The funny thing is that Chelsea deserved this title long ago but won it when they least played for it. However, I will give credit where credit is due. Both, Drogba and Cech, were out of this world. That header from Didier was one of the best headers I’ve seen. They alone won this cup for Chelsea.  The years will pass and this final will be remembered for the wrong reasons. It will be the final that Bayern Munich couldn’t win, or lost to Chelsea.  

Champions League Hangover (Part II)

The round of 16 is over with very little surprise. Most of the outcomes were very visible after the first games so let’s look at them one by one:

Barcelona VS Lyon: for the first time in Barça’s history they eliminate a French team in a K.O round of a European tournament. Barcelona was very loyal to their principles and their game playing with the lines very close to one another and pressuring the rival and playing very fast. The first 45 minutes were the complete opposite from the first 45 minutes at Lyon. Pure perfection by the Catalans that scored 4 goals; however, it is quite intriguing how this team can be so good and so mediocre in just one game. The first 25 minutes of the second half were quite bad and if Benzema had scored at least one goal then I’m not so sure what would have happened. In the end, Barça was clearly superior but there is still tons of work to do.

Manchester VS Inter: I predicted that Inter was going to eliminate the current and very possible next champions but only with a tie and with horrible game. I wasn’t that far off as Inter sent to balls to the post. In the end the best team advanced and there is no surprise whatsoever. Manchester may be in its way to become the first team to win back to back.

Roma VS Arsenal: Roma is a rollercoaster; some days it can be the best team playing at home and other the worst. Today, they battled until the very last second but in the penalty kicks it is always a lottery. With this win the premier showed once again to be the best league in Europe…unfortunately.

Oporto VS Atletico: if today Oporto didn’t win is not because they didn’t have the chance but because the gods from above were rutting for Atletico; they had so many chances that for whatever reason didn’t become goals. The biggest mistake by Abel was leaving Forlan in the bench. Honestly, in a KO round you have to go for the game from the very first moment. Shameful.

Chelsea VS Juve: Juventus is a team that is very hard to beat at home and Chelsea can give testimony of that. Unfortunately they also need new players, a fresh air so to speak. Juventus is at the moment a team that needs a re-building summer. I don’t expect to see Chelsea going to semi-finals if they have to face a big team.

Panathinaikos VS Villareal: The only surprise of the round was to see the yellow submarine advance to the next round. Definitely the Cinderella team of the tournament; it is nice to see them among the 8 best of Europe.

Liverpool VS Madrid: yes, the first goal was a foul on pepe, the second one wasn’t a penalty but you just cannot justify a 4-0. Benitez gave a lesson of how to win a game from minute one. Real Madrid was never a threat in this game and only Casillas is saved of the media backlash.

Bayern VS Sporting: not much to say here expect that Bayern showed no mercy and gained a lot of respect for the next round.

Championship Contenders:
- Liverpool: strong contender after their dominance display against Madrid. Definitely a semi-finalist

- Bayern: This team needs to face a big team to prove how good there are; in my mind a final contender.

- Manchester: one of my best friend described them the best; he said “they are team with most discipline in the world” I couldn’t agree more. Serious contender for the first ever back to back.

- Barça: when they are good they are the best. But the have gaps that in this tournament can represent the end.

Matches that I want to see:

Manchester VS Bayern
Barça VS Arsenal
Oporto VS Villareal
Liverpool VS Chelsea