Uefa Champions League, Semi-final second leg
Venue:
Stamford Bridge Date:
Wednesday, 6 May Kick-off:
1945 BST
Coverage:
Live commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live with live text commentary on the BBC Sport website. Live on Sky Sports
|
Hiddink has re-energised Chelsea's season since his arrival
|
Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink insists his side will not be running scared when they play Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final.
The first leg was goalless but Barcelona warmed up for the game by beating Real Madrid 6-2 on Saturday.
"Their 6-2 win was a respectable performance," said Hiddink. "But every game is different.
"Having scored six, it gives them a tremendous boost but, I think this game will be different."
Chelsea became the first team this season to stop Barca scoring in a game at the Nou Camp when they held the Spanish side 0-0 last Tuesday.
The Barcelona camp complained at the London side's defensive tactics and some of the challenges that were allowed to pass by the referee - but Hiddink has moved to calm any war of words.
|
606: DEBATE
|
"I think it's very human where you are used to scoring every week and then you don't that you get frustrated," said Hiddink. "We have the full right to compete.
"I have seen, rather clinically, the supposed toughness of our team in the first game but it was actually rather normal in terms of the challenges that were made, and they were made by both sides.
"We should not try to create something which isn't a reality. If you see some of the challenges from Barcelona in their last game against Real, they were similar to last week and it was rather normal in what is a man's game."
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba added that he felt Barcelona's complaints were born out of frustration at their own failure to score.
"The complaints are coming from frustration because they didn't score which I can understand," he said.
"But the referee was good for this kind of game, which is not easy to control, and maybe they are trying to put pressure on the referee for the game."
Chelsea have failed to win the Champions League, despite reaching five semi-finals in the past six seasons and the final last year when they were beaten by Manchester United on penalties.
|
Barcelona have Messi, Eto'o and Henry who can score goals but we have more players who are able to score
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba
|
And with Drogba, along with Michael Ballack and Frank Lampard, over 30, Hiddink says time is running out for some of his team to add a Champions League winner's medal to their collection.
"It's obvious this team is good," said the Dutchman. "The players have a lot of desire. They've proved that in previous Champions Leagues.
"These players don't have five, six, seven years more to have the same chances they've had in recent years.
"It's very respectable that Chelsea have made it into five semi-finals in the last six years.
"That's a sign that the club have big ambitions. But, of course, this is one of the last occasions for these players to get where they want to be."
Drogba believes the defeat to Manchester United last season is extra motivation for Chelsea's players.
He also insisted, although Barcelona have a rich array of attacking talent, the Stamford Bridge side pose more of an all-round goal threat.
He said: "I think in the last few months we have shown that we can score goals.
"Okay, they have Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto'o and Thierry Henry who can score goals but we have more players who are able to score.
"Our midfielders and defenders can score so the danger can come from every position. We know that so we have to try to do everything to score goals and qualify."
No comments:
Post a Comment