Michael Essien helps Chelsea see off Claudio Ranieri and Juventus
Juventus 2 Chelsea 2 (Chelsea win 3-2 on aggregate)
Back with a bang: Chelsea's Ghanian midfielder Michael Essien scores past Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon
Graphic: Anelka takes a wider view
On the eve of this match Guus Hiddink offered only platitudes when asked what qualities a team required to win the Champions League, but his players provided a far more eloquent answer. In a performance of bravery, resilience and no little luck, Chelsea booked their place in the quarter-finals by doing just enough to draw a spellbinding match, in doing so demonstrating that they have what it takes to return to Italy for the final on Wednesday, May 27.
Chelsea have become experts in navigating their way through the latter stages of this competition, reaching the semi-finals in four of the past five years, and this latest group of players have shown that they are equally tournament-savvy.
As with Liverpool, Chelsea’s main men seem to raise their games on the biggest of European nights, with Petr Cech, the goalkeeper, outstanding and Didier Drogba arriving in the nick of time to score the 83rd-minute goal that sealed their passage. Even those boys in blue short of their best, such as Michael Ballack, dug in to contribute when it mattered, the sign of a side who have yet to peak.
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Chelsea were second best for long spells against a Juventus team whose energy belied their advancing years, but such is the self-belief instilled by Hiddink that they never looked like losing, even when the home side were laying siege to their goal midway through the second half. The transformation since that supine surrender at Old Trafford two months ago has been simply extraordinary. What a difference a manager makes.
Chelsea’s modus operandi does them few favours, though any lingering doubts that the club were correct to dispense with Luiz Felipe Scolari can now be dispelled. It is certainly difficult to imagine that these players would have absorbed so much pressure before striking on the counter-attack under the likeable Brazilian, but they are a different proposition under Hiddink. Were it not for the fact that he made such a spectacularly bad appointment in the first place, it would be time to lavish some praise upon Roman Abramovich, the owner.
In a little more than a month, Hiddink has turned a collection of unhappy, self-centred individuals into a team. Before last night his main contribution had been hard work and organisation, but even allowing for a perfectly good goal from Drogba being disallowed, another ingredient was added to the mix — luck. The Dutchman rolled the dice with an outrageously bold team selection and his numbers came up.
Hiddink’s gamble on Michael Essien’s fitness initially backfired as Chelsea were overrun in the first half, but it was eventually vindicated as the Ghana midfield player showed remarkable stamina to follow up Frank Lampard’s shot to tap in an equaliser on the stroke of half-time. Essien’s brain may have been scrambled by being played out of position on the right of midfield, but his legs, lungs and heart remain strong.
Hiddink’s removal of Essien just after an hour was also well judged, as by that stage even he was tiring and his replacement, Juliano Belletti, played a crucial part in seeing Chelsea over the line. The Brazil player was one of few players to distinguish himself under Scolari and he confirmed his status as an invaluable squad player, shoring up the midfield and getting into an advanced possession to square the ball for Drogba to score his team’s second equaliser of the night.
Chelsea would have gone through on away goals even without Drogba’s fourth goal in five matches, but were never comfortable and several obvious weaknesses remain. Given the lack of creativity elsewhere in his squad, Hiddink has little option but to persevere with Drogba and Nicolas Anelka up front, leaving them vulnerable against opposition able to attack with width.
Juventus did just that in an opening 45 minutes in which they dominated, Cristian Molinaro providing José Bosingwa and Essien with all sorts of problems down the left before Vincenzo Iaquinta gave the home side a deserved lead. The Italy striker, playing in a midfield role, drifted in from the left to play a beautifully judged one-two with David Trezeguet, bisecting Alex and John Terry with his run to shoot past Cech. Three minutes later, Ballack gave the ball away to Alessandro Del Piero, whose shot was tipped over.
Cech also had to be at his best during the second half as Juventus pushed for a second, even after being reduced to ten men when Giorgio Chiellini was sent off for a second booking. The Czech Republic goalkeeper denied Trezeguet from point-blank range, but he was powerless to prevent Del Piero giving Juventus the lead for a second time, from the penalty spot, to set up a thrilling finish. The return of Ricardo Carvalho from a hamstring injury should solve some defensive problems, as Cech cannot always be relied upon to save them.
Chelsea somehow found an extra gear to leave the Old Lady lamenting their fate as the fat lady sang, but will need to add greater quality to undoubted character if they are to take part in the Roman carnival in May.
Juventus (4-4-2): G Buffon — Z Grygera, O Mellberg, G Chiellini, C Molinaro — V Iaquinta (sub: S Giovinco, 61min), Tiago, C Marchisio, P Nedved (sub: H Salihamidzic, 45) — D Trezeguet (sub: Amauri, 78), A Del Piero. Substitutes not used: A Manninger, J Zebina, C Poulsen, L Ariaudo. Booked: Salihamidzic, Chiellini, Del Piero. Sent off: Chiellini.
Chelsea (4-1-3-2): P Cech — J Bosingwa, Alex (sub: R Carvalho, 89), J Terry, A Cole — J Obi Mikel — M Essien (sub: J Belletti, 66), M Ballack, F Lampard — D Drogba, N Anelka. Substitutes not used: Hilário, F Malouda, Deco, S Kalou, M Mancienne. Booked: Cech, Drogba, Cole, Anelka.
Referee: A Mallenco Undiano (Spain).
Source:www.timesonline.co.uk
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