Knocking on the door of greatness

[BlueLion. 21,491]

It is a somewhat ironic sentiment that the weakest Chelsea side in nigh-on a decade happens to be the one with the greatest shot at European glory.

The Champions League is the Holy Grail to Roman Abramovich; the trophy he feels will finally highlight his Chelsea as one of the great European teams to lift that famous, big-eared trophy. It is a matter of irony that where José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Guus Hiddink, Claudio Ranieri and Avram Grant - albeit by the slightest of margins - all failed, is where Roberto di Matteo may well succeed.

We are knocking on the door of greatness, and it is di Matteo who deserves the majority of the credit.

The Nou Camp heroes are obvious entries into the Chelsea hall of fame, but the unassuming Italian has done nothing short of the miraculous to rescue this car-crash of a season. Engulfed in an all-consuming downwards spiral under Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea had whimpered out of both the Carling Cup and the Premier League title race before the end of November and were in danger of being humiliated in the Champions League, having been lucky to leave Naples with the prized possession of an away goal, and just the three conceded.

Villas-Boas received his marching orders and di Matteo was thrown into the equation. And what he has done has quite frankly been incredible.

Forget the fact that the Blues have missed out on a top four finish. In twenty years, when people look back at the great sides of English football in the early twenty-first century, they will not look at Champions League berths or revenue streams. They will look at trophy hauls, and where Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle have all failed this season, the Blues have registered a seventh FA Cup win in their history, and could yet make a significant addition to their trophy cabinet come May 19^th.

6th place is irrelevant. The season has been saved thanks to di Matteo's scrambling efforts; silverware has satisfied the ever-increasing lust for success amongst the Blues' supporters.

And so much of the praise must go to the Italian, who has transformed this team into cup-wonders. The Premier League has been something of a struggle for the scorer of that goal in the 1997 Wembley FA Cup final, as he has prioritised the Champions League and FA Cup above it. Disappointing results against Arsenal and Newcastle did well to limit the side's chances of securing European football of the highest order next term, but sandwiched in-between came the most glorious moment in this team's history.

Regardless of whether Chelsea win or lose in Munich on Saturday, the team have already entered themselves into folklore. Before the incredible comeback against Napoli, no-one even dared to dream. Following the completion of the Italian Job, the belief returned and so did the confidence; that typical Chelsea resilience that has been missing so often in recent seasons. No greater demonstration of that could be offered than the 180 minutes of magnificent football between the Blues and the so-called 'best attacking team in the world' in Barcelona.

The result at Stamford Bridge was massive. The return leg at the Nou Camp? Something else entirely. It still defies belief. For this side to have entered the lion's den and with ten men battle back from semi-final heartache to glorious conclusion is something that exceeds any superlative. The fire still burns bright for this football club, and it is di Matteo who has been the torch-bearer.

Chelsea through-and-through, should Saturday evening be the final time that the Italian leads a Chelsea side into battle, then it shall be with the same dignity and humility that has characterised his person throughout both his playing and managerial careers. Roberto di Matteo is a legend in the eyes of the Chelsea supporters of the late 1990s, and over a decade later he has endeared himself not just to the Blues faithful, but also to the footballing world. If this is to be Roberto's Chelsea bow, it shall be met with a tempest of phonecalls offering him job after job. Last I heard, there were vacancies at Aston Villa and even previous club West Bromwich Albion where the Italian would certainly be welcomed with open arms.

Yet di Matteo's Chelsea future pales in comparison to the magnitude of the event before us. This is the UEFA Champions League final. A competition where years of disappointment, heartache and controversy were partially expelled when Fernando Torres rounded the Barcelona goalkeeper and put us in with a shot of landing that famous trophy. Yet we all know the only way it can truly be overcome is to see the trophy being lifted by Chelsea hands.

This is it for the Chelsea legends. The real opportunity to pen themselves in as Blues greats. For the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard, Petr Cech, Ashley Cole and Didier Drogba, this is the last chance they will have to finally win a trophy that has eluded them. In their time at Chelsea as part of the Roman Revolution, the famous quintet have led the Blues to domination of the English footballing area, yet without triumph on the grandest of stages.

Fate - and abysmal refereeing - has denied Chelsea time and time again, but this time the Footballing Gods are behind the Blues. Against KRC Genk in the group stages, David Luiz blessed Fernando Torres, and it seems grace cast itself over the team on occasions again during the knock-out rounds. The Blues should not have beaten Napoli, but they did. They withstood considerable pressure against Benfica in the return leg at Stamford Bridge and were able to progress. They simply should not have emerged victorious against the Catalans, either, but penalty misses, the woodwork, disciplined defending and magnificent goalkeeping saw to the demise of Pep Guardiola's side – not to mention some outstanding finishing as well!

It would be a cruel reversal of fortune for luck to desert the Blues at the final hurdle, but their progression to this stage has not come without a price. There is a dynamic equilibrium to chance; good fortune does not befall upon a team without some later negative consequence. In this case, it is the suspensions of Ramires, Terry, Raul Meireles and Branislav Ivanovic that may ultimately cost the Blues. Replacing their skipper and defensive lynchpin in Terry is hard enough; finding someone to deputise for Ramires, who given his incredible energy and drive, has proved himself to the side’s most important player, is something even more difficult. Add in the importance of Ivanovic - as highlighted in the Nou Camp - and also Meireles' vast European experience, the Blues are already handicapped and firm underdogs ahead of Saturday's showdown. Injury concerns over David Luiz and Gary Cahill may have been lifted with confirmation the pair are back in training, but both are lacking match practice and neither is guaranteed to be fit enough in time for Saturday’s showpiece.

Then you filter into the equation the fact Chelsea are facing a side with the ultimate in European pedigree; Bayern Munich – a side that has triumphed in this competition four times. And also that we are playing them in their own back yard. No big deal; Bayern have only lost one of 16 games on their own turf against English opposition…

Chelsea will take some heart from the fact they actually overcame the Germans 6-5 on aggregate back in 2005, before Mourinho’s side were undone at the semi-final stage by the Anfield Ghost Goal; but this Bayern side are a much-changed and far more potent attacking side with the Robben-Ribery wing partnership and hotshot Mario Gomez the focal point of their play.

The odds seem insurmountable. As to how Chelsea can triumph goes against expert consensus – the Blues will prove a match for Bayern, but will miss Terry and Ramires in particular. How they cope without some of their principal assets remains to be seen.

But then you consider the resolve of this Chelsea team. What they did in the face of incredible odds against Napoli, and in even more logic-defying circumstances in Barcelona still brings a wry smile to Blues supporters across the globe. What di Matteo and his troops did was beyond miraculous, and in what may well be a Champions League swansong for so many of the Italian’s greatest lieutenants, he will call upon their immeasurable experience once again.

There is something romantic about the thought of Chelsea proving the critics wrong. Carlo Ancelotti was told in 2009 that his side were too old – he went and won the Double that season. Chelsea’s OAPs continue to fly the flag of experience, and on countless occasions it is that grit, that winning determination that has separated this Chelsea team from its competitors on both the domestic and the European stage.

This Chelsea side just refuses to lie down, and you can expect the same backs-to-the-wall attitude from di Matteo and company in the Allianz Arena.

Think of Saturday as the ageing Gladiator entering the Coliseum for a final time; his sword still sharp but notched, his armour sturdy yet almost a burden. The look of fierce determination in his eye as he confronts his powerful, athletic opponent on his own stomping ground. Suddenly, his helmet stifles him and his shield becomes heavy as the opponent overpowers him. He is beaten to the ground; a broken man. No-one is disappointed, for no-one expected him to triumph.

Then imagine the roar of the crowd as the underdog defies all expectations; he stands, and soon that notched sword is finding its target and the resilience of his ageing armour is proven once again. The old war horse is victorious in astonishing circumstances.

These are the permutations of success and defeat – the representation of what awaits Chelsea Football Club on Saturday evening.

But rather than a rusty sword, Chelsea’s gladiator will be swinging a weapon of belief and grim resolve. The vociferous call of the crowd will be the shield it uses to defend itself. The old juggernaut has defied the natural course of things so many times before – what price, I wonder, for a repeat showing?

Make no mistake about it – this is the biggest game in the history of the club. It has already defined this generation of Blues greats even before a ball is kicked – but if Frank Lampard leads his side to victory against all the odds, this game will be the stuff of legends. Nearly a decade of heartache in this competition – epitomised by the width of a post in Moscow – can all be undone with a solitary victory. This is what it all boils down to.

Believe.

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[Madmax 9,219]

Going to write one on Thu/Fri myself.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Pfft. Just a late effort to attract swing voters for the Best Article Writer award

Top stuff, Alex. Expect a like as soon as I can afford one.

[Spike 12,049]

Let's stop knocking and just waltz through the bastard.

[Santiago. 1,500]

[Strike 6,961]

the article is near-perfection

[DDA 9,570]

Great article. I found myself swaying to the www.xnxx.com tab and having a quick shuffle half way through!

Not many articles can make me horny like that!

[BlueLion. 21,491]

the article is near-perfection

That's the best compliment I've ever had, thank you very much.

[Spike 12,049]

I don't know...we were pretty terrible during 04-07. But it's just semantics.

On a more serious note, I wonder how long does it take for BlueLion to pump out his articles. The man is a machine. We should fear and worship this man machine.

[capriccioso 2,545]

Great article. I found myself swaying to the www.xnxx.com tab and having a quick shuffle half way through!

Not many articles can make me horny like that!

What?

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Actually I take that back...

Great article. I found myself swaying to the www.xnxx.com tab and having a quick shuffle half way through!

Not many articles can make me horny like that!

THAT is the best one

I don't know...we were pretty terrible during 04-07. But it's just semantics.

On a more serious note, I wonder how long does it take for BlueLion to pump out his articles. The man is a machine. We should fear and worship this man machine.

This one took just under 20 minutes to write, and 5 minutes to proof-read.

[capriccioso 2,545]

I don't know...we were pretty terrible during 04-07. But it's just semantics.

On a more serious note, how long does it take for BlueLion to pump out his articles. The man is a machine. We should fear and worship this man machine.

Machine? Ha! 120 posts today, I'll have you know. 12% of total forum activity for the day.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Best I have seen you write Alex. Great stuff

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Machine? Ha! 120 posts today, I'll have you know. 12% of total forum activity for the day.

Quality over quantity, young man. Believe me, I have vast experience in that area. I was on a forum once where I was actually obsessed with becoming the top poster - I spammed the shit out of the place. I am not saying you are, but I am saying I learnt a valuable lesson; that one great post is worth a hundred times what one hundred meaningless posts offer.

[Strike 6,961]

This one took just under 20 minutes to write, and 5 minutes to proof-read.

was that after you saw that only 1 guy had voted for u in the best staff category? u r devious

[BlueLion. 21,491]

^ dammit, you know me too well!

[manpe 10,855]

Most likely the best article about Chelsea I've read.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Thanks very much for the comments, massively appreciated.