Chelsea and Barcelona: Anatomy of a true European rivalry

Chelsea and Barcelona have faced off against each other in twelve competitive matches. These two have a history that has bred a true European rivalry.

Prior to the 2006 matchup between Chelsea and Barcelona, then 19 year old Lionel Messi said some Barcelona players hate Chelsea more than anyone else. In addition, he even compared the rivalry to the hotly contested Boca Juniors/River Plate rivalry in his native country.

That is a pretty serious comparison. But not one that is entirely false. It is rare for two European clubs to face off as often as Chelsea and Barcelona have. Familiarity breeds contempt and years of pivotal matchups has created a true European rivalry.

It began back in 2000. The Blues were perennial plucky underdogs in all competitions. Barcelona were led by Louis van Gaal at the height of his popularity. Because of this, few would have expected Chelsea to beat the Spanish side 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.

In the second leg, Chelsea pushed the tie into extra time. A red card for the Blues gave Barcelona the chance to turn on the afterburners. Because of the man advantage, they won 5-1. The seeds of a rivalry were planted.

The landscape for the Blues changed completely before the two sides played again. Roman Abramovich purchased the club and used his financial power to make Chelsea more than perennial underdogs. That was true, at least on paper. Jose Mourinho came in and used the clubs recent status to create a culture of “us against the world”. That culture has persisted at Chelsea ever since.

It was rare for Mourinho’s Mark I Chelsea to lose to anyone, but they did just that in Barcelona. An own goal cost the Blues early. In addition, Didier Drogba was sent off. Unlike in 2000, however, the Blues held on and only lost 2-1. That played right into Mourinho’s hands.

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Mourinho galvanized the side, using the loss as a rallying cry. Consequently, the fortress at Stamford Bridge held firm, and Chelsea overthrew their Spanish opponents. Chelsea won 4-2 and advanced. This was the last match before Messi made his comments about the rivalry.

Perhaps bolstered themselves from the previous elimination, Barcelona destroyed the fortress that Mourinho had built. Again, Chelsea saw red; this time for Asier del Horno. The Spanish side capitalized and left England 2-1 victors.

The Blues were unable to overcome the deficit. In Barcelona, they drew 1-1 with a late goal being their only saving grace. The momentum of the rivalry shifted back towards Spain.

Neither side would have to wait long to see each other again. Chelsea and Barcelona were drawn against each other for the third calendar year in a row. The twist in late 2006 was that it was in the group stage as opposed to the knockout rounds.

Mourinho’s side showed their growth and kept Barcelona from scoring in England. A Didier Drogba goal won the three points. The reverse fixture in Spain twice saw Barcelona take the lead. But again, Drogba would not be stopped. He scored in the 93rd minute to salvage a point. The Blues topped the group over their rivals.

The next set of fixtures remains the most controversial. By this point, Jose Mourinho had left the club and Guus Hiddink was the interim manager for the remainder of the 2008/2009 season. His Blues managed to hold Barcelona at the Camp Nou. There was all to play for at Stamford Bridge.

Then Tom Henning Overbo had one of the worst referee performances of all time. Even he admits his errors. Time after time, Chelsea were denied clear and obvious penalties. A 93rd minute Andres Iniesta goal saw Barcelona advance on away goals.

Drogba famously called it “a disgrace”. He was banned alongside teammate Jose Bosingwa for behavior after the match. This set the stage for the 2012 semifinal between the two teams.

In 2012, Barcelona were without a doubt the best team in the world. Some even called them the best club team ever. Chelsea, at the time, were in a crisis. Andre Villas-Boas had been sacked earlier in the season and Roberto Di Matteo was placed in the hot seat. In was a surprise that Chelsea even made it to the semi finals that season.

At Stamford Bridge, the Blues held firm. Drogba scored just as the second half began to give Chelsea the lead. Few expected them to survive the trip to Camp Nou. Barcelona were perceived to have an easy route to the finals despite the loss while Chelsea were perceived to have none.

The first half at Camp Nou justified that view. Gary Cahill came off injured early into the match. John Terry foolishly earned a red card by kneeing Alexis Sanchez in the back. At halftime, the Blues were down 2-0.

The Blues came out for the second half with a renewed energy. Ramires scored his most famous Chelsea goal as the half began. As the final whistle was about to blow, Fernando Torres broke away and scored with seconds left. As a result, Chelsea had pulled off a miracle. The miracle would continue against Bayern Munich in the final as the Blues lifted the Champions League trophy.

Another knockout stage clash looms. The Blues are the underdog again. At times, that has worked perfectly for Chelsea while at others it has been a burden.

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Chelsea versus Barcelona is where legends make their name. The current Blues will need to play at their very best to put their names into the tapestry that is this true European rivalry.