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Favorites beaten by underdogs.
CHELSEA (4-3-1-2): De Goey; Ferrer, Desailly, Thome, Babayaro; Petrescu (Di Matteo, 70min), Morris, Wise, Deschamps; Flo (Sutton, 86), Zola. Booked: Petrescu, Zola. BARCELONA (4-3-3): Hesp; Puyol (Litmanen, 45), Abelardo, De Boer, Bogarde, Cocu; Xavi, Gabri; Figo, Kluivert (Dani, 71) , Rivaldo. Booked: Gabri, Cocu, Figo.
Barcelona were forced to stare humiliation in the face as Chelsea claimed the greatest triumph in their European history. Of all the occasions for Gianluca Vialli's side to come of age as a genuine force, there could have been none more pressing than the quarter-final of the Champions League against the Catalan giants who had stood head and shoulders above the rest this season. With Vialli putting his head on the block with the bravest of selections in leaving out Gustavo Poyet, his players responded with a performance that will never be forgotten. The men who cannot score were transformed into an unstoppable attacking force in a staggering first-half spell that left Stamford Bridge gasping for breath and Barca defensively destitute. Sparked by the impish genius of Gianfranco Zola, Barcelona were brought to their knees, scarcely able to comprehend what was happening. Zola's brilliant free-kick picked the lock just before the half-hour and by the time the interval was reached, the Italian had set up Tore Andre Flo for the second, then watched the Norwegian choose his spot for Chelsea's third. It was remarkable, magnificent and utterly engrossing, as Chelsea at times defended on the margins against Rivaldo and friends but still hit with devastating impact. All the theories about Barcelona's vulnerability against teams that have the courage to hurt them proved true. When Luis Figo converted Rivaldo's cross to claim that vital away goal just after the hour, Barcelona were given hope and only a fool could say with certainty that Chelsea will hold on to their advantage in the Nou Camp in two weeks. But now they know they can hurt the Spanish side - and Barcelona know it as well. That is the measure of their display and Figo's goal should not spoil that. Vialli could hardly have been more rewarded for having the courage to gamble. His fingers were badly burned when he omitted Dennis Wise against Lazio two weeks ago and leaving out Poyet placed tremendous faith in Jody Morris. Louis Van Gaal's side had justified their status as tournament favourites during stately progress to the last eight, arriving at this stage as the only unbeaten team left in the competition - with 36 goals in their 12 group games. Nobody seriously expected that record to be destroyed in such astonishing circumstances. Vialli had hailed Barcelona's front line of Rivaldo, Patrick Kluivert and Luis Figo as 'the best three strikers in the world' - proof of the demands likely to face Emerson Thome and Marcel Desailly. There was little to excite before Didier Deschamps was rightly penalised in the 14th minute for a two-footed lunge from behind on Figo 25 yards out. The Portuguese schemer stepped over the ball at the free-kick, changing the angle slightly for Rivaldo to drill through the wall and produce a diving stop from Ed De Goey. But the danger was not over for Chelsea and when referee Markus Merk missed a clear handball by Winston Bogarde, the home side were still screaming for a free-kick even as Gabri was forcing another excellent save from De Goey. Chelsea, with Dan Petrescu booked for protracted dissent, had to make an impact and it was little Zola who rose to the task. Abelardo and Frank De Boer were unsure whether to let the Sardinian go or follow him and Chelsea thrived on the indecision. Morris, who had galloped forward in support, snatched at his shooting chance before Zola worked space for a strike of his own that was angled past the post. Figo was emerging as Barcelona's key man, with Thome making a magnificent block at Kluivert's feet after the Portuguese had skinned Celestine Babayaro. But Chelsea then turned the whole tie on its head. Zola's quick-thinking was so close to producing the opener as he came short to pick up Wise's corner and whipped in a great cross. Desailly's header would have beaten Ruud Hesp if it had been a foot either side of the keeper. But Chelsea were not to be denied for long and three goals in the space of nine minutes must have reverberated around Europe. The opener came when Figo, jumping with Flo on the edge of the Barcelona box, raised his hand to fist the ball away on 29 minutes. Hesp lined up his wall, but left a huge gap to his right-hand side and Zola made him pay with the most delicate of right-footed efforts into the corner. It was his fifth goal of the season and his third in the Champions League. Delight was turned to ecstasy soon afterwards. Albert Ferrer, forced out of his hometown Barcelona club because of the Dutch invasion, strode forward to play Zola into the inside right channel. Zola looked up, pulled the ball back to Flo and the Norwegian clipped coolly into the bottom corner as Hesp tried to intervene. It was the Norwegian's 16th score of the season and his sixth in Europe followed in the 37th minute. Deschamps, relieved just seconds earlier when another foul on Figo saw Rivaldo whistle a free-kick a fraction high, lofted the ball forward to find De Boer missing in action. Abelardo tried to cover but to no avail and Flo steadied his nerve before sidefooting a lob over Hesp and into the net. It was truly sensational - the stuff of dreams. But Vialli knew there could be no premature triumphalism in the dressing room at the interval. For Barcelona, Jari Litmanen replaced Carles Puyol. Zola was still inspirational, although his blatant tumble into De Boer after Petrescu had released him inside the box was rightly penalised with a caution. Barcelona's threat could never be discounted and one superb move gave them hope on 63 minutes. Litmanen spread wide to Rivaldo, who crossed hard and low for Figo. He nipped in front of Desailly to divert home with the toe of his right boot. Now Chelsea had to hold their game together.
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