Torres celebrates v Barcelona
Torres celebrates v Barcelona

Ahead of their Champions League clash, we look at five of the best Chelsea v Barcelona matches


Barcelona host Chelsea on Wednesday night looking to progress to the quarter-final stage of the UEFA Champions League.

It was a 1-1 draw in the first-leg between the two sides, with Barcelona holding a crucial away goal heading back into the tie at Camp Nou.

They have come up against each other on numerous occasions at various stages of this competition, with results equal for both sides. In 16 games, Chelsea have won five, Barca have won five and there's been six draws.

Tom Carnduff looks back at five of the best games between Chelsea and Barcelona as the two prepare to face-off once again.

Zola scores v Barcelona in April 2000

Chelsea 3-1 Barcelona (Champions League quarter-final first leg, 5th April 2000)

A Barcelona side which possessed the talents of the likes of Xavi, Luis Figo, Patrick Kluivert and Rivaldo were thwarted by the forward duo of Gianfranco Zola and Tore Andre Flo as Chelsea would secure a 3-1 victory in their first-leg match-up.

Three goals in eight minutes rushed Chelsea into a 3-0 lead with just 38 minutes played. Zola would strike first on the half hour mark when his wonderful free-kick found the net before he turned provider for the second. The striker raced down the right wing and his cross was met by Flo who would score from close range.


Chelsea all-time record v Barcelona

Won: 5

Draw: 6

Lost: 5


Didier Deschamps would then play Flo in again just three minutes later and he chipped the ball over a helpless Ruud Hesp in the Barcelona net.

Sky Bet: Chelsea to win in 90 minutes against Barcelona on Wednesday night is 13/2

Barca would get themselves onto the scoresheet in the second-half when a move reflecting their true quality left the Chelsea defence stumped.

Rivaldo's clever pass sent Phillip Cocu clear on the left and his low, first-time cross was directed into the net by Figo's tidy finish.

Despite conceding an away goal, an excellent performance from Gianluca Vialli's side would see them carry a two-goal lead into the second-leg.

Rivaldo celebrates his goal v Chelsea in April 2000

Barcelona 5-1 Chelsea (Champions League quarter-final second leg, 18th April 2000)

Despite producing one of their finest European performances to date in the first leg, Chelsea would be stopped as Barcelona secured passage to the semi-final when the two sides met just two weeks later.

Vialli's men would come agonisingly close as they led with just seven minutes left, but extra-time at the Camp Nou was required which helped the La Liga side to progress.

Whilst Chelsea had produced the first-half performance in the first-leg, it was Barcelona's turn to produce a 45-minute masterclass in front of their 98,000 strong crowd.

Rivaldo got the first of the night when his free-kick from 30-yards out was deflected past Ed De Goey in the Chelsea goal.

Figo would then equal the aggregate score as he pounced just before the break. Kluivert's shot ricocheted off-the-post and the Portuguese forward was in the right place to curl the ball past two Chelsea defenders.

The Blues needed an away goal and got one on the hour mark. Hesp's attempted clearance from inside his own area was hit straight at Flo, who found the net before the goalkeeper could fully recover.

As time ticked away, nerves began to set in but Barcelona would level again as the game entered the final ten minutes.

Pep Guardiola's free-kick from the right was met by the head of the substitute Dani and the aggregate score stood at 4-4.

Barcelona had the opportunity to win it in normal time when Frank Leboeuf brought down Kluivert as the last man but Rivaldo could only hit his penalty wide.

Rivaldo would get another opportunity in extra-time and this time he made no mistake. Celestine Babayaro was shown a red card as he brought down Figo, Rivaldo made it 5-4 with the spot kick.

Barcelona would capitalise on the man advantage six minutes later when Kluivert headed home from close range to give Barcelona a thrilling 6-4 victory over the two-legs.

Chelsea score v Barcelona in March 2005

Chelsea 4-2 Barcelona (Champions League last-16 second leg, 8th March 2005)

The two sides would meet at the last-16 stage of Europe's elite club competition and Barcelona would go into this one with a controversial 2-1 lead from the first-leg.

Following the first-leg, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claimed that he saw his Barca counterpart Frank Rijkaard enter referee Anders Frisk's dressing room at half-time of the first encounter.

Didier Drogba would also be shown a debatable red card for a second-half challenge on goalkeeper Victor Valdes and would miss the second-leg tie at Stamford Bridge.

Despite being a goal-behind from the first-leg, Chelsea would score three goals in eleven minutes to give themselves a 3-0 lead on the night after just 19 minutes played.

The first saw Mateja Kezman's pass from the right find Eidur Gudjohnsen, who turned defender Juliano Belletti and slammed home from inside the area.

Nine minutes later, Chelsea would make it two. Joe Cole's brilliant run from the right saw him unleash a shot that was well saved by goalkeeper Victor Valdes, but Frank Lampard was in the right place with the follow up to put the score at 2-0.

Sky Bet: Lionel Messi to score first against Chelsea on Wednesday night is 5/2

Cole would be involved again minutes later. His through-ball was latched onto by Damien Duff and he made no mistake in scoring low past the goalkeeper.

Stamford Bridge joy lasted all of six minutes as Barcelona put themselves back in contention on 27 minutes. Italian referee Pierluigi Collina ruled that defender Paulo Ferreira had handled the ball inside the area and Ronaldinho scored the resulting penalty.

The Brazilian then produced a moment of magic to level the aggregate score just after the half-hour mark. Gaining control outside the area, and with Chelsea defenders in front of him, the midfielder leaned back and struck the ball past a dazzled Petr Cech in the Chelsea goal.

Chelsea were handed a massive let-off with just under 20 minutes remaining. Andres Iniesta would weave his way into the box before Cech tipped his shot onto the post. The net waiting in front of him, Samuel Eto'o would uncharacteristically hit the ball over the bar.

Captain John Terry would be the hero for his side. He powered Duff's corner past Valdes, who claimed he had been fouled by Ricardo Carvalho in the build-up to the goal.

Chelsea players protest at the referee in May 2009

Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona (Champions League semi-final second leg, 6th May 2009)

Arguably the most well-known encounter between these two happened at Stamford Bridge back in May 2009, with both sides looking for a spot in the Champions League final.

The first-leg at Camp Nou saw a 0-0 draw, dangerous territory for Chelsea as they entered this game without an away goal.

It was Chelsea who would put themselves on the front foot through Michael Essien. Lampard's pass was half-cleared by the Barcelona defence and even though there seemed little danger, Essien met the loose ball with a thunderous left-foot volley that left Valdes stranded as it ripped high past him and into the net off the bar.

Chelsea made the first of a series of penalty appeals when Florent Malouda appeared to be hauled down by Dani Alves inside the area, only for the referee to signal a free-kick just outside the box.

Drogba was the next to appeal when he was tugged back by Eric Abidal but referee Tom Ovrebo ignored his claims, the Chelsea forward understandably a frustrated figure afterwards.

Sky Bet: Chelsea to score a penalty against Barcelona on Wednesday night is 11/1

Drogba was again left appealing for a penalty after colliding with Yaya Toure. Though, the Barcelona midfielder looked to have just got a touch on the ball.

Chelsea were handed a boost when Abidal was shown a red card after what appeared to be a tangling of legs with forward Nicholas Anelka, much to the anger of the Barca players.

One of Ovrebo's worst decisions would come ten minutes after, as Gerard Pique's blatant handball inside the area went unpunished with the visitors allowed to play on.

It would be heartbreak for Chelsea in the dying minutes of the game, as Iniesta's outside of the boot strike found the top corner past a helpless Cech and sent Barcelona through on away goals.

The drama didn't stop there. With Chelsea throwing everyone forward, an attempted clearance from a corner was met by a volley from Michael Ballack, Eto'o had his arm raised and blocked the ball. The lack of a penalty decision led to Ballack angrily chase the referee as he ran away from the incident.

Drogba would furiously confront the referee at the end of the game, getting a yellow card for his actions. He then shouted 'it's a disgrace' into a TV camera as he was dragged away from the pitch.

Torres scores v Barcelona in April 2012

Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea (Champions League semi-final second leg, 24th April 2012)

Chelsea would get some revenge a few years later when the two sides met at the Camp Nou, once again looking for a spot in the final.

Roberto Di Matteo's men would come into this one with a 1-0 advantage from the first-leg, Drogba netting the only goal of the game.

Sergio Busquets would draw Barcelona level on aggregate with 35 minutes on the clock, he was in the right place to connect with Isaac Cuenca's cross from the left.

Chelsea were dealt a blow as Gary Cahill was forced off with injury with just over ten minutes played. John Terry was also shown a red card in the first-half and the shaky defence began to show as Iniesta found the bottom corner of the net having linked up with Lionel Messi moments earlier.

Despite the issues at the back, Chelsea found themselves back level in the tie and securing a crucial away goal just before the break. Frank Lampard's clever through-ball found Ramires who lobbed over the helpless Valdes in the Barca goal.

Sky Bet: Barcelona to draw 2-2 with Chelsea on Wednesday is 16/1

Their joy was almost short-lived as Drogba was adjudged to have fouled Cesc Fabregas inside the box early into the second-half. The Argentinian forward Messi is usually reliable on penalties, but could only fire his spot kick off the bar.

Relentless spells of Barcelona pressure followed as the game entered it's closing stages. Cuenca had a great shot saved by Petr Cech before Messi would strike the post.

Chelsea though, would secure the aggregate win as substitute Fernando Torres latched onto a clearance and ran free in Barcelona's half. He rounded Valdes and slotted into an empty net to hand his side a 3-2 aggregate victory.

A number of cards shown in the game saw Ramires, Terry, Branislav Ivanovic and Raul Meireles all suspended for the final in Munich. Regardless, Chelsea would secure a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena.

Related football links