Round of 16
23 February 2005
20:45 (CET) Camp Nou - Barcelona


Live match broadcaster


Chelsea cautious for Bar?a visit
Monday, 21 February 2005
Chelsea FC were left to ponder the loss of a 3-1 first-leg advantage when a
5-1 defeat at the hands of FC Barcelona in the return match extinguished
their UEFA Champions League dream at the quarter-final stage of the 1999/2000
season.

  

Luís Figo sparked a dramatic comeback the last time the sides met


The London side have since gone one step further in the competition, losing
to AS Monaco FC in last season's semi-finals, but with current Champions
League-winning coach and former Bar?a assistant José Mourinho at the helm,
they are eager to go all the way this term. Back in 1999/2000, three goals in
eight first-half minutes from Gianfranco Zola and Tore André Flo (2) gave
them real hope of beating Bar?a but a Luís Figo strike on 64 minutes
improved the visitors' prospects.

Back at Camp Nou, first-half goals from Rivaldo and Figo brought the Catalan
side level on aggregate and although Flo scored for Chelsea on the hour, Dani
García's 83rd-minute goal meant the game would enter extra time. Bar?a
sealed victory in the first additional period with Rivaldo scoring his second
goal of the night from the penalty spot before Patrick Kluivert made it 5-1
and 6-4 overall. In total, Chelsea have made five trips to Spain, winning
twice and losing on three occasions while on home soil, the London club have
won three times and drawn the other two engagements.

Since that dramatic tie in 2000, Bar?a have faced English opponents four
times, most recently in the 2002/03 Champions League season when they
defeated Newcastle United FC home and away in the second group stage. Bar?a
won 3-1 at home with Dani García, Kluivert and Thiago Motta on the
scoresheet before winning 2-0 at St James' Park. But Bar?a would yield to
eventual losing finalists Juventus FC at the quarter-final stage.

The Catalan club first met English opposition in the 1959/60 European
Champion Clubs' Cup when Wolverhampton Wanderers FC were on the receiving end
of a 9-2 aggregate defeat. In total, Bar?a have hosted teams from England on
18 occasions, winning eleven, drawing six and losing just once - against
Liverpool FC in the semi-finals of the 1975/76 UEFA Cup when John Toshack
scored the only goal of the game. The sides drew 1-1 at Anfield and Liverpool
went on to win the competition at Club Brugge KV's expense. That was one of
six draws Bar?a have recorded in England - they have also had four wins and
eight defeats.

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