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The draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 is just around the corner with some mouth-watering fixtures hopefully being the outcome. With there being a third of a chance of Chelsea meeting Barcelona in this year's Champions League Round of 16, let us go down memory lane for the top 5 encounters between these two European heavyweights.
Chelsea and Barcelona have faced each other in the UCL 6 times playing out 12 dramatic and riveting matches. The first Champions League encounter between these sides came way back in the 1999-2000 season with the latest being the 2012 semi-finals, when Chelsea emerging victorious against all odds. In all, Chelsea have won 4 against Barcelona's 3 with 5 matches ending in a draw.
Let us hope for another two classic encounters if these two sides meet again this year.
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#5 Champions League Group Stage 2006-07 (Nou Camp)
Both Chelsea and Barcelona were in the same group during the 2006-7 Champions League season. While the first meeting saw Chelsea hold out for a 1-0 victory at Stamford Bridge, thanks to a brilliant Drogba turn and shot from the edge of the box, the second fixture at the Nou Camp will forever be remembered for one of the best chipped goals ever scored.
Deco opened the scoring with a marvelous shot from outside the box to give Barcelona the lead. Essien and Ronaldinho went on to miss glorious chances for the game to remain 1-0 at half time. It was then time for a bit of magic when Lampard chased a ball destined for the byline, turned and looped a chip shot over Victor Valdes into goal from an almost impossible angle.
The game would have further drama when Eidur Gudjohnsen scored against his former team only for Didier Drogba to level the scores in the 90th minute. A fantastic end to a fantastic match that ended 2-2.
#4 Champions League Quarter Final 2nd Leg 1999-00 (Nou Camp)
The first leg of the Champions League Quarter Finals during the 1999-00 season saw Chelsea comprehensively defeat a hugely talented Barcelona side 3-1 at Stamford Bridge, thanks to goals from Gianfranco Zola and a double from Tore Andre Flo while Luis Figo scored the solitary goal for Barcelona.
Barcelona came guns blazing in the second leg, going into half time 2-0 up due to goals by Rivaldo and Figo. Chelsea staged a second half comeback and got one back via Tore Andre Flo, his third goal of the tie. With the aggregate score 4-3 in favour of Chelsea, Barcelona seemed destined to be out of the competition only for Garcia Dani to score in the 83rd minute. Rivaldo then had the chance to win the tie for Barcelona from the spot only to miss and sent the game into extra time.
The game changed completely when Babayaro was shown red for a foul on Figo inside the box. Rivaldo converted the succeeding penalty and Patrick Kluivert added a 5th goal on the night for Barcelona to put the result beyond doubt. Barcelona won 6-4 on aggregate.
#3 Champions League Semi Final 2nd Leg 2011-12 (Nou Camp)
In one of the more memorable encounters in recent history between these sides, especially for Chelsea fans, 10-man Chelsea drew 2-2 against a Barcelona side boasting a peak Lionel Messi.
Chelsea lead 1-0 heading into the tie thanks to the first leg at Stamford Bridge. This was a backs to the wall performance from Chelsea which got even tougher when Sergio Busquets handed Barcelona the lead and John Terry was sent off for a calamitous kick from the back to Alexis Sanchez.
Andres Iniesta scored just before half-time and all seemed lost for Chelsea until they found an unlikely hero in Ramires. In one of the rare forward pushes from Chelsea, Lampard found Ramires who ran through and expertly chipped Victore Valdes from almost the edge of the box. An all-important away goal and the match was 2-1 at half time.
The second half followed the same pattern with Chelsea defending with all men behind the ball and Barcelona surging forward in waves. Alas, it was to turn out to be one of those nights for Barcelona, with even Lionel Messi missing a penalty. Fernando Torres broke free from the middle of the pitch to score Chelsea's second of the game in added time after rounding off Victor Valdes and sent Chelsea to the Champions League final 3-2 on aggregate against all odds.
#2 Champions League Round of 16 2nd Leg 2004-05 (Stamford Bridge)
Chelsea came into the game with a vital away goal from the first leg thanks to a Juliano Belletti own goal and they raced to a 3-0 lead in this game with goals from Eidur Gudjohnsen, Frank Lampard and Damien Duff all coming in the opening 19 minutes.
Barcelona, however, fought back with Ronaldinho showing his class and artistry with every touch of the ball. He scored twice in the space of 10 minutes, the first a penalty after a handball in the box and the second, an absolute gem of a shot from the edge of the box following a magical shimmy trick.
However, it was Chelsea who had the last laugh as John Terry scored from a Lampard flick on from a corner to win the tie 5-4 on aggregate in Chelsea's favour.
#1 Champions League Semi Final 2nd Leg 2008-09 (Stamford Bridge)
Perhaps the most famous and certainly the most controversial encounter between these two sides, the second leg semi final of the 2008/09 season was finely poised with the first leg ending 0-0.
Michael Essien gave Chelsea the lead with a screamer of a volley from outside the box. Controversy started when Florent Malouda was fouled just inside the box but the referee gave a free kick to Chelsea just outside the box. Further fouls on Drogba inside the penalty box were ignored and Eric Abidal saw red for fouling Anelka when he was through on goal.
The controversy intensified when Pique blatantly handled the ball inside his own penalty box but again, no penalty was given. The game turned on its head when Iniesta scored a sweet volley from the edge of the box and Barcelona got the away goal they desperately needed. Another handball inside the Barcelona penalty box was ignored by the referee and Barcelona held on to win the tie 1-1 on aggregate via away goals.
However, the controversy did not end there with Chelsea players clearly angry at full time. It was a truly remarkable match, with two amazing goals but sadly, it is and will be remembered more for the controversial decisions.
