LINE-UPS Chelsea v Barcelona (1945 BST)
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole, Mikel, Lampard, Meireles, Ramires, Mata, Drogba. Subs: Turnbull, Essien, Torres, Malouda, Bosingwa, Kalou.
Barcelona: Valdes, Dani Alves, Puyol, Mascherano, Adriano, Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Messi, Sanchez, Fabregas. Subs: Pinto, Pique, Bartra, Thiago, Keita, Pedro.
Referee: Felix Brych (Germany)
Key tonight is Midfield for sure and making sure you have a quick and firery start. Don't let them get their Tiki-Taka football going. It takes a while for them to get into gear. If i was Di Matteo I would say, don't let the fact that you's are underdogs put you off. Target their back 4, make sure you have width, get crosses in, put the defence under pressure because looking at their back line I think you's can get at them from crosses and set pieces. Hassle their midfield, dont let them have time on the ball, press, press, press. communicate and know where the dangerman is at all times and DO NOT lose track of him(Messi). if you lose track of him for a split second, its danger. We all know the qualities he possess and can do pretty much anything. The thing Chelsea can't do is JUST focus their attention on Messi because they will lose track of Xavi, Iniesta & Busquets and they can find that killer pass for someone to finish. Saying that, I do think that Chelsea can get at Barca's defence from crosses and set pieces so with that in mind, I'm going for 3-1 Chelsea. GO ON U BLUES (First time ever you will see me supoprt Chelsea by the way, haha)
Also little staus from someone on Facebook:
Felix Brych is the ref tonight, I wonder if his CATALAN wife will be watching Brych married his Catalan girlfriend, Joanna in private ceremony in Barcelona in 2004. They own a holiday home in nearby Girona. Their son Jordi was born in 2006. Jordi has attended training sessions at the FC Barcelona academy but has not been signed. Brych denied that this presented a conflict of interest ahead of the Champions League semi final between Chelsea and Barcelona that he was due to referee.