It's do or die for Chelsea and Barcelona today, and in many ways it's the same for Aston Villa and Bolton, albeit under completely different circumstances.
The two UEFA Champions League semifinalists battle for a place in the Munich final at Camp Nou, with Barcelona looking to rebound from last week's 1-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and the 2-1 home loss over the weekend to rival Real Madrid in league play.
As for Bolton, the Premier League club that employs Americans Tim Ream and Stuart Holden is in a fight for its top-flight life and desperately needs points to climb out of the drop zone with the season winding down. Bolton take on Eric Lichaj and Brad Guzan's Aston Villa, another club threatened by relegation but one a few points clear of the bottom three. The level of urgency and desperation for both teams should make for one tense atmosphere at Villa Park.
Here is the viewing schedule for the day's matches:
2:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Channel – Barcelona vs. Chelsea
2:45 p.m. – Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer2Go – Aston Villa vs. Bolton
If you will be watching either of Tuesday's matches, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the action.
It will be very tough for Chelsea. Last four times Barca was in trouble in the Champions League (Chelsea 09, Arsenal 2011, Madrid 2011, Milan 2012) Barca got a favorable call that changed the outcome of the game.
You people are absolutely insane. Conspiracy theory nutjobs.
anyone know a link where i can watch it online?
Best thing about the aggregate coming in is that the outcome will be in doubt until barca are up by three goals.
Or I guess until chelsea are up two goals. But that’s… less likely. Sorry mig.
second that, my sites aren’t working!
Doesn’t look like Barca learned anything from the Clasico (or decided they didn’t need to mix it up). Another line-up without any real threat out wide. Gary Neville calls it “a collection of players… rather than a system”, although you could argue that Barca are just working on their 0-10-0 system again.
Gary Cahill out injured in the 10th, Boswanga comes on.
they way they play is conducive to picking up fouls. and they are incredibly good so other teams are forced to.. its no conspiracy its just how they control the game
Gary Neville is a moron.
“Man I’m so sick of this. I don’t even want to watch the EPL anymore.
The officiating this year is so consistently bad in favor of major clubs that claims of incompetency just don’t cut it for me anymore.”
Valdes comes out strong… and may have given Pique a (mild) concussion slamming into him (and then his head bouncing off the turf).
found one
link to atdhenet.tv
that, and they have some olympic caliber divers
It was funny to see Terry delay Cahill’s substitution. That certainly won’t put the bed the coach Terry jokes.
That Barcelona goal is coming any minute now.
The physio has him stick out his tongue, which shows no sub needed. That was even more mysterious than magic spray!
Ooooo, Messi has the first real shot saved well.
Seemed like Barca were turning the screws… and then Drogba almost steals another goal!
Still think Barca messed up starting Fabregas at forward with Messi, start Pedro already and at 60 mins plug Cesc in for whoever is running out of steam. I think this run is going to result in at least an offer for RVP this summer.
Just before that, Alves replaces Pique at the backline, who never got over his serious collision with Valdes.
That dive from Sanchez is EXACTLY why I’m rooting against Barca. I know every team has divers, but Barca really does take it to a whole new level.
This time wasting is pathetic. And Neville is scum.
haha Mikel taps Sanchez and he’s already rolling on the ground
Ruh-Roh!!!!
GOALLLLL!
There is the goal! Busquets gets it, just as it seemed like it was time to get nervous…
And a RED Card for Chelsea! Terry!
terry gone!
RUH-ROH
What Happened?
I’m at the gig and can only follow on Match Tracker.
Terry is an idiot thug.
Wow, John Terry is a complete thug. Walks right up behind Alexis Sanchez and just knees him directly in the back.
I mean is he serious?!?! Just intentionally knees him right in the back.
John Terry makes it really hard for people to defend him. Unbelievably stupid from him. Chelsea have absolutely no chance now.
Terry knees player in the back off the ball, called by the linesman
And wouldn’t you know it, Barcelona is in a Champions League Semi against ten men.
Terry knees Sanchez from behind away from the ball. Sanchez goes down quicker than a 2bit trick. Stupid from Terry. Expected from Sanchez.
A bit of embellishment of course, but really dirty play by Terry.
You deserved that red card, jerk.
knee to the butt
Goal came on a corner. Drogba headed clear but Alves picks it up, defense watches as he runs into the box and starts the tight passing, which ends up at Busquets’ feet and an open goal.
Terry then (after kick-off) brutishly knees Sanchez in the back off the play for zero reason.
Blame Terry.
NO kidding. Leave the conspiracy crap, 100% fault of England’s Brave.
That’s shocking on Terry. He’s usually such a class act……
Yeah man, God forbid people get ejected for kneeing people in the back off the ball.
Quit being thugs and you won’t lose players.
Barcelona causes teams to become frustrated and reckless.
Legitimate red. Barca extremely fortunate yet again in Champs League play. Although as many have pointed out their style of play undoubtedly frustrates opponents and leads to a lot of fouls. Practiced diving encourages the refs.
Almost as important, Nou Camp is alive and rocking again. There seemed like a bad case of collective sphincter-tightening that was happening.
GOAL MESSI
Goal Ineista!!!
Good second goal for Barca.
Sanchez is the biggest p*ssy. Cant stand this team
That all folks.
And. that. is. the. game.
Sorry, Ineista. But Chelsea are toast.
I’d say Drogba and Sergio are worse, but meh.
I know right that shouldn’t be a red card lets just start teaching every defender to just knee people in their back away from the ball.
Yeah, that was vintage, even if against 10 men.
Goal Dragba!!!!!!!
Goal Chelsea… game on!
F*ck yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHAT A GOAL, Chelsea! Ramires! Game freaking on!
bahaha perhaps not
Racist.
Chip over the keeper on breakaway.
Not so fast, my friend…Ramirez nicks one for Chelsea! Time for the Blues to park the bus.
Chelsea break, Lampard finds Ramirez who has two defenders jogging beside him, curious what he’ll do. What he does is launch a gorgeous chip over Valdes who never made a move.
And that is the half, Barca need a goal to not go out.
Game ON!!!! If Messi scores that goal the collective soccer universe comes its pants but Ramirs scores it so it’s not as magisterial
Cannot see Chelsea holding Barcelona scoreless in the second half missing both CBs.
Back To Bunker for Chelsea
It was a clutch chip. Straight nasty
OR a simple mistake. Your comment makes you look worse than his mistake.
Ramires…my bad. My half-brazilian GF would be sorely disappointed in me.
this is probably true. they’ll need to keep threatening on the counter.
LOL…..I stand corrected. Got excited and called it wrong.
Nice…
that was a hell of a goal.
They might be better pressed attacking. Bunkering without Terry and Cahill could get ugly. Terry blocked like 5 shots in the first half alone. He singlehandedly kept them in the game until his card.
Another thing on the Terry sending off. We have a Turkish crew reffing the game. If you ever seen soccer in Turkey(Altidore was there last season) you would know you have to almost commit murder to get sent off. A player like Anelka was completely nullified in Turkey. So Terry was of really messed up to get sent off here.
busquets is worse.
If Chelsea pull this off no Terry in the final.
Great game so far. All bias aside Barca really is an incredible team (not that it needs to be said).
This…is going to be…fun.
Don’t understand what the FOX studio guy is going on about Barca gotta score twice to go through. They score once, they lead in the tie.
Oh you’re preaching to the choir, man. It was as you say quite nasty. As good and as important as any chips Messi has scored. But I bet it won’t be recieved the same as if Messi had scored it
Kneeing a guy in the back away from the ball during a stop in play should get you a red every time.
Damn y’all, I was just kidding. Calm down.
Totally unnecessary comment. No one said it was anything but awesome. Definitely the single best thing I’ve seen Ramirez do.
Racist.
That was my point.
Probably meant that they need to win by two. Which is the case, they needed to win by two regardless.
The mean that Barca have to win by 2 to advance to the final.
I know. I was agreeing with you. Perhaps pointlessly. This post may also be kind of pointless. Either way, cheers.
Sorry man, didnt catch the sarcasm. Can you blame tho when a million other idiotic comments make their way on this site from people who are completely serious? Without context i thought you were making an absorb assumption. But that’s my bad.
Geez! Effing auto correct: *can you blame ME* and *absurd* not absorb.
Buckle up, 2nd half about to start!
Ha ha. Now you’re just trolling (EVERYONE’s favorite new word)
Actually you’re wrong: my buddy next to me said after that goal, “Eh, it’s got nothing on Messi’s 400 other chips….” (to be fair tho, he’s a huge Barca fan so clearly biased). I punched him in the face and now he’s crying.
Wow. Poor call. Objectively. Poor call.
Football gods bring justice.
Actually I should have said I kneed him in the back and now I’ve been sent to sit in the corner. But I didn’t say that. So oh well
Wow. Ball don’t lie.
Leave it to John Terry to potentially ruin another Champions League for Chelsea. (I know he only slipped taking the decisive PK several years ago. Still…it was Terry ruining it.) Anyway, no reason for that foul. (And if you’re gonna go…at least pull a headbutt like Zidane on Materazzi in the WC.)
LOL…rear angle showed a complete dive by Cesc … yeah Amy … justice
Watching that Terry play on Sanchez about 15 times on Ives’ twitter feed, I’m not even sure if Terry made contact anymore. Looks to me like he was trying to get his leg right up against him so he can’t turn him quick if he gets the ball.
Sanchez is looking at Terry the entire time, sees Terry moving his leg in his general direction, and decides to go down. I don’t think it’s a red card.
I’m conceding I could be wrong, but it certainly doesn’t look as cut and dry to me as it does a lot of other people.
Did anyone else hear the commentator relaying John Terry’s explanation for how he didn’t intentionally knee Sanchez in the back?
And man, my streams keep getting shut down. Hate this.
Ronaldo would have made that penalty. Oh wait…
Lampard should have pulled a Sanchez when Messi pushed him
You’re right … he barely touched him.
Dude, he clearly makes contact with him. And yeah, offensive players always look back to see where defenders are.
Chelsea can’t possibly absorb all this pressure for 30 plus more minutes.
Holy cow, Drogba has a pop on the run from midfield, and Valdez has to make a diving save! How insane would that have been. This match is unforgettable!
Not a surprise by the bad calls, just look at my prediction at the beginning of the thread.
Kalou on for Juan Mata. He’s never really been in this semi. Even more improbable for Chelsea to be 30 mins from advancing.
Also, I can’t BELIEVE people are talking about the Red Card still. Red Card all day, every day.
Please tell us why John Terry should not have been red carded for kneeing a player in the back off the ball.
Please.
Here is a legitimate horrible call. Cech gets a yellow for time wasting when he wasn’t, how fast did they expect him to go?
Cech with a big save on Cuenta!
Think it was more a collection of time wasting on goal kicks thing. He certainly didn’t waste as much time on that one as he had on previous ones.
Oh my. One of the Chelsea CB’s has an open header off a corner, but he gets it all wrong.
I’m with Polo, please explain to us how that wasn’t a straight red. I look forward to hearing whatever crap you manage to shovel.
Messi is playing from very, very deep again, like in leg 1 and against Real. And I don’t think it’s worked in any of them. He’s also kind of losing his cool, he gave Lampard a good shove earlier.
Ivanovic is the one who wasted the chance.
Wow Drogba fakes a cramp. After the first leg that’s not surprising.
Not a conspiracy, just saying it has a track record of not working for 10 man teams.
And there is a Yellow Card to Messi! After losing the ball he cynically hacks the man down before a break can happen.
And then Lampard with a Yellow for taking down Cesc. It’s well past chippy.
bbc radio have the opinion that there wasn’t really much in the terry red card but he’s an idiot for even doing it. Terry was quoted as saying he’s never been carded this season in UCL and he was raising his knee to stop sanchez from running into him. I haven’t seen the replay so I don’t even know if that makes sense…
Haha you’re so biased, it’s funny to read your comments and see the difference between what you say and what is actually happening.
Cesc out for Keita. Can Barca stop using Fabregas as a forward?
Time for Messi to step up, he hasn’t shown much since missing the penalty.
I think it’s best explained as a Red Card for idiocy.
There are so many people in the box, of both teams, that it seems mathematically improbable that a shot on goal could actually reach the goal.
At this point even Liverpool would scored the third goal by now.
I’m talking about the penalty kick, fool!
Let’s see… Drogab loses the ball and then goes down on his own behind the play. Ball isn’t played out until Chelsea clears it. Drogba looks over to see that it isn’t being played out and he gets up. Referee comes over and gives him a talking to for doing it.
What happened is exactly what I said.
clear offsides. beautiful play.
Barca scores but Alves is a yard offside.
Messi off the post! Under almost no pressure from the edge of the box too.
lol messi must be ready to kill something
And they almost have another chance, but Cech is immense to come out and punch the ball away.
barca deserve a goal. (hate to type that).
Cech saving Chelsea’s *ss with a ridiculous save on a Messi shot.
Torres has done a solid job replacing Drogba at Left Back.
Bolton up 2-1 with less than 10 mins left. I know its the backburner game on todays docket, but a huge win for Stu and Ream if Bolton can hang on
I’m not just talking about this comment, i’m talking about this thread and the last leg.
Dani Alves is choking. Hard.
Another f*cking dive
how much extra time?
Peter Cech turns into superman. Wow.
3 minutes. very fair.
game
Game. Set. Match.
sorry barca.
TORREESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!
hahahhahahaha f*ck barcelona
OMG!!!!
great game.
chelsea missing terry meireles for the final.
Wow!!!! So the sneaky, diving cheats didn’t get their way this year. Despite the refs doing their best to help them. Bad year for Fabregas, he dumped Arsenal to win trophies and hasnt won a major one this year(I don’t count Copa Del Rey as major).
and Ramires, Ivanovic and possibly Cahill
What a game
The craziest game I have seen.
Also, who knows if Luiz will be ready.
11 vs 10. A penalty missed by Messi. Torres scores the equalizer.
CHELSEA is in the finals and they deserve it.
so after all the talk of Spanish football dominance we may have no Spanish teams in the Champs final.
Great win by Chelsea. Pep/Barcelona reign is over. Reasons,
1. No striker/ Messi worn out running down middle
2. The “new” additions to first 11, Thiago, Cesc, Alexi, just not good enough.
3. Poor wing play, Chelsea almost never doubled on the wingers, thus keeping the middle closed.
I was wrong. It wasn’t that much fun. Barca just did not look good in the 2nd half.
And all the talk of English decline they will have at least one team in the final for the 6th time in 7 years.
too early to declare the end of Barca’s dominance. Chelsea was hanging on for dear life for a lot of that second half. And though that pk call wasn’t legitimate the red card certainly was.
a few signings, the blossoming of some of their youth ranks, messi is still young, who knows, they could come back and win a treble next year?
hopefully not tho.
Good tactics by Chelsea. Very well taken goal by Torres.
Come on Bayern! (or Madrid, I guess).
really? i thought they looked good. they created a lot of chances they should’ve finished. game was super tense and exciting.
oh goody! another 90 minutes of boring anti-football
you should wait to see what happens tomorrow…
also, there are still 3 spanish teams in Europa. so because one English team makes it to the final, that discredits the fact that there were 5 Spanish teams and 1 English team in the semis of the CL and Europa?
what if Madrid make it? then La Liga will match the EPL this year in CL and have more teams (at least one) in the Europe final.
come on now…
Torres with the game winner. Outrageous.
and this is from a Liverpool fan
wow. all I can say is wow.
It’s been coming all year since Barca has looked mortal all season, but it’s still hard to believe their year is essentially over.
Full credit to Chelsea for never quitting.
That said, I really hope this is John Terry’s last season in blue.
Hats off to Chelsea (other than Terry), very impressive performance. This tie looked like a joke 2 weeks ago, but a VERY worthy and memorable addition to the Barca-Chelsea CL saga.
there was no game winner and since Barca did not score another goal, his goal was just icing. game ended 2-2, 3-2 on agg. but the Ramieres goal was the “series winner”
A lot of chances? One or two, unless you count Fabregas’ dive.
Barcelona meet Karma, Karma meet Barcelona.
Barca were definitely creating chances in the last 20 minutes. Chelsea were able to pack it in, and Torres came through when it mattered as the man to relieve pressure.
Anybody else see what looked like handling in the Chelsea box right before the ball was sent to Torres on his goal? Couldn’t get a good replay.
Exciting game. Chelsea still has a huge mountain to climb no matter who they face in the final being down so many men and facing either Madrid (current best team in the world?) or Bayern (home match). Props to them for making it this far, though. Especially given how the rest of their year is going.
Football. Bloody hell. What a classic victory, that was more of an upset than Inter beating Barca.
Who Chelsea are missing for the final: Terry, Ramires, Ivanovic and Meireles. No way, right? Right?
What wing play? I don’t think Barca ever recovered when David Villa went down, they were much better with him and Pedro on the wings. I swear they just play 10 midfielders out there.
Back up the bank truck to a certain RVP as far as point 1…
And congrats to Bolton for winning! Hopefully they can survive.
There were 3 Portuguese in Europa semis last season. Since when was the Europa League the barometer of European dominance?
Chelsea have absolutely no chance now. Nice call!!!
where are all the barcelona apologists
no one said it was, but it surely is something to note…
“Bolton survived the first half onslaught, with defender Tim Ream impressing, and looked more of a threat after the break with Mark Davies influential in midfield.” – ESPN
sounds like Ream played well.
“Bolton boss Owen Coyle and Villa coach Kevin MacDonald had to be kept apart by fourth official Craig Pawson after Miyaichi was bundled into touch by Villa full-back Eric Lichaj.” – ESPN
Doesn’t say anything about overall play of Lichaj, but that was a pretty funny line to read.