JOSÉ MOURINHO had said before kick-off that matches such as this are decided by details. And Asier Del Horno’s dismissal was a detail rather than an outrage, a rank injustice or, as the Chelsea manager’s suspicious mind would have it, a dark conspiracy.
A controversial detail, certainly, but the sort of thing that happens when a floundering left back is being tormented by a forward as good as the sublime Lionel Messi. Mourinho tried, how he tried, to portray himself as the victim of another sinister plot but there were far more prosaic explanations, such as the need to play the substandard Del Horno — who he bought for £8million — because of William Gallas’s tight hamstring.
The Spaniard’s first-half dismissal meant that Barcelona’s victory was not untainted by scandal but they won, and deservedly so. It was not a smug smile that they wore on the journey home — they know better than to underestimate Mourinho’s men after another bruising collision — but they had asserted what will probably prove a decisive superiority.
The brave defiance of John Terry and Frank Lampard was a reminder that there will be no stroll to the Champions League quarter-finals but Barcelona will be confident of adding to last night’s goals. They were deprived of more at Stamford Bridge only by a couple of goalline clearances and — Mourinho might care to note — unanswered appeals for a clear penalty when Terry clattered into Messi.
Frank Rijkaard had claimed that his Barcelona team had improved since last year and that much was obvious in the very first touches of the young South American. The teenager is tipped in Spain and Argentina to upstage Wayne Rooney as the game’s outstanding young talent and, in a match not short of attacking prowess, he was the outstanding performer.
Ronaldinho inevitably preoccupied the Chelsea players and supporters — so much so that an early miscontrol brought half the crowd to their feet in baying celebration — but it was Messi’s tormenting of Del Horno that led to the game’s first clear turning point in the 37th minute.
The red card was harsh but it had a sense of inevitability about it and, in being spared any more embarrassment, Del Horno had one reason to feel relieved. Messi’s fateful run to the byline might have been stopped at its inception had the Spaniard connected with a late hack. Terje Hauge, the referee, may have had that still in his mind when, 50 yards on and a few seconds later, Messi nutmegged Arjen Robben near the corner flag and was then flattened in a clumsy rather than malicious collision.
One of football’s clichés is that red cards ruin matches but, if anything, Del Horno’s departure improved this one. Mourinho was forced to lose an attacking player, poor Joe Cole making way for Gérémi to come on at full back, but the injustice gave more fuel to Chelsea.
In the 58th minute, a foul on Robben gave Lampard the opportunity to swing in a free kick. Thiago Motta could have cleared but, put off by the onrushing Victor Valdes and Terry lurking behind him at the far post, he nudged the ball past his own goalkeeper.
Terry lifted his arm in a vain attempt to claim it but, soon enough, he would be a goalscorer. Unfortunately for him, it was at the wrong end. Ronaldinho’s inswinging free kick demanded a clearance but the Chelsea captain could only apply a flick that took it past Petr Cech.
Twenty minutes of pell-mell followed, with Messi striking the crossbar, Terry hacking a shot by Ronaldinho off the line and the captain flattening Messi. At the other end, Drogba was foiled by Valdes but it was Barcelona who had the greater momentum, not to mention the man advantage. Soon, thanks to Samuel Eto’o, they also had the lead.
Like Ronaldinho, the Cameroon striker had not had many opportunities to show his class but, as Chelsea’s ten men struggled to maintain their dogged resistance, he soared above Paulo Ferreira ten minutes from the end to meet the cross from Rafael Marquez.
Mourinho knew then that he was destined to suffer his first defeat in 50 matches at Stamford Bridge (a Carling Cup penalty shoot-out against Charlton Athletic aside) and his mind began racing with the unfairness of it all. “I am proud of my players,” he said, “but it is very hard playing ten against 11. That changed everything.”
He was right to be proud of his players but he did them no favours when he tried to portray this loss as an outrage. Justice can be meted out in all sorts of ways and, to the neutral eye, victory had gone to the better team.
BEST OF THE WEB
Was he pushed or did he dive? The consensus seems to be that what goes around, comes around. Shocking play-acting by Messi. Reminded me of Robben, actually. — forum.football365.com
Robben was the main cause of that red card. Sure it was definitely not a red, but Robben’s poor defending was the cause. Had he properly shielded the ball, or knocked it out or turned and blasted it down the pitch, that situation would not have happened. — www.bbc.co.uk
It serves Chelsea right, all this whingeing and diving all season and getting people sent off for no reason has come back to haunt you in a big game. — www.blueandwhitearmy.net
Even the most one-eyed supporter could not say that was a red card. What got him sent off? I would suggest it was a combination of Messi doing the “dying swan” and the Barcelona players badgering the ref to make a decision. The game is heading in the wrong direction. — www.bbc.co.uk/football/606
Oh well, you can still play the type of football your manager loves — nine men behind the ball, boot it up front and hope for the best. — www.bbc.co.uk/football/606
PENALTY CLAUSE
BARCELONA were awarded 13 penalties and had nine players sent off against them last season while, in this campaign, they have won 11 penalties and had nine opponents sent off. Chelsea have won four penalties and have had three players sent off against them.
ON A ROLL
LIONEL MESSI, the Barcelona forward, may be only 18, but he has already perfected the art of rolling around on the floor in fake pain.
After his collision with Asier Del Horno in the first half, Messi looked up to see who was watching, took stock of the situation, then rolled across the pitch with agony etched on his face. The referee missed Messi’s sly glance and sent off Del Horno, whose own reaction was hardly exemplary.
Would his decision have been different had he seen Messi’s look? Who knows, but either way the youngster’s actions were cool, calculated and devastatingly effective.
