Chelsea Vs. Barcelona

Chelsea FC will aim to avenge their 2009 UEFA Champions League elimination by FC Barcelona when they take on the holders in the first leg of their semi-final rematch. PROBABLE LINEUPS: Cech, Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Cole, Mikel, Lampard, Ramires, Mata, Kalou, Drogba VS PROBABLE LINEUPS: Valdes, Alves, Pique, Mascherano, Puyol, Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta. Sanchez, Messi, Pedro MATCH STATISTICS Chelsea last met Barcelona in May 2009, again in the semi-finals of the Champions League. After a goalless first leg the Catalans qualified for the final with a stoppage time Andres Iniesta goal which cancelled out Michael Essien’s opener and saw Barca through on away goals. The Blues have a perfect record at home this season in the Champions League. Di Matteo’s men have played five, won five, scoring 16 times and conceding just two in the process. This fixture is the Londoners’ sixth Champions League semi-final in nine years. However, they have only ever won one, beating Liverpool 4-3 on aggregate in 2008. The Stamford Bridge side have never won the European Cup, although they have been runners-up, in 2008. Barcelona’s last trip to London was last May at Wembley when they beat Manchester United 3-1 to claim their fourth European Cup. Should the reigning champions win the Champions League this season it will be their fourth triumph in seven years and they will be the first club since AC Milan in 1990 to retain the trophy. This is the fifth consecutive season that Barcelona have been in the semi-finals of the Champions League. The last team to beat them at this stage was Inter Milan in 2010. Lionel Messi (pictured right) has faced Chelsea six times in the Champions League but has never scored against the Blues. When the two clubs met in the quarter-finals in 2000, Barcelona beat Chelsea 5-1 in the second leg at Camp Nou. That game saw Roberto Di Matteo start for the Blues, whilst a certain Pep Guardiola featured for the hosts.