DESTINATION: ROME

Destination Rome

Barça and Chelsea today kick off the battle at Camp Nou for a berth in the final at Rome (8.45 pm, live on Antena 3 and R@dio Barça). The semi-final promises to be an exciting clash of styles.
This Barça-Chelsea is something else.

Gone are Rijkaard, Mourinho, Ronaldinho and Del Horno, as are Deco and Belletti now playing for the Londoners. Tonight’s Barça-Chelsea clash is a very open semi-final with both teams looking to attack and win silverware. It is also the Guardiola and Hiddink tie. Technique against strength Apart from the dugout battle, the most important thing will be the clash of styles. Barça as usual will go for possession and technique, while Chelsea will sit back and look to attack on the break. They have talent with players like Lampard, Drogba and Malouda, but their main weapon is strength.

A hard work

Guardiola will be using his star players to break down the impressive Chelsea defence. Messi and Eto'o will go head-to-head with Alex, Terry and the replacement for Ashley Cole, sanctioned for this game, who might be Bosingwa. Barça will have to work hard because Chelsea has one of the highest fouls committed tallies in the Champions League, plus the Londoners never give up and will, as Guardiola pointed out on Monday, take the game by the scruff of the neck if Barça don’t.

Goals in prospect

Barça and Chelsea have the best defensive records in their respective Leagues – 26 and 39 goals conceded respectively – but the game looks like being a goal fest if recent European experience is anything to go by. Barça put five past Lyon in the last 16 and four past Bayern in the quarter finals at Camp Nou, while Chelsea notched two in Turin and three at Anfield.