Barcelona vs Chelsea: Can the Blues Spring a Surprise?

Barcelona's Messi and Chelsea's Hazard set to battle at Camp Nou

Wednesday, March 14, is the day. Nou Camp, is the venue and 7:45 GMT is the time. The occasion? Its the second leg clash of the UEFA champions League Round of 16 tie between heavy weight Barcelona and EPL title holders,  Chelsea. Of course many pundits and neatrals will give it to Barcelona, and that is only natural. After all, they are the runnerway leaders in the LA Liga. In fact, they are yet to taste a defeat in that competition this season.
They strolled into the next round of the Copa Del Ray and although they did not play to the full strength at the Bridge in the first leg, they still manage to obtain a good result.

Contrast that with Chelsea. A team many believe, should be challenging the Manchester Brothers for the title. But like, it hit Jose, in the season after winning the league with the Blues, Conte is finding it hard to energize his charges to focused on the league. As team , they seem to lack that dynamic and cohesive force they so abundantly displayed last season. This coupled. With the fact that their key men, Eden Hazard, Morata and co have looked lethargic at times this season. They seem to be hanging by the thread.

But then again, this is not the first time, they would be facing Barcelona in such condition. Back in 2012, a certain Chelsea team coaches by the relatively un fancied Roberto Di Matteo, their battered league form to the Nou Camp, for the second leg of their champions league semi final qualifer, and not only survived but did so in style. Having won the first leg courtesy of a an injury time goal by club legend, Didier Drogba, many expected them to be blown off the surface of the earth by the magic of Lionel Messi and co.

And it look that way when in the first forty minutes a host of calamity befell them. First, it was defensive stalwart, Cahil who  had to be substituted for injuring himself. Then to conceding a goal, which was the equaliser to Sagio Busquet. But perhaps, the most worrisome was the red card shown to captain fantastic, John Terry in the 37th minute. Two minutes later, Barca were two nil up, thanks to a second goal from Iniesta.

Messi misses a penalty against Chelsea

At this stage, it was game over, it was Uhuru for Barca, or so they thought. But that Chelsea side dug deep and fought it out. First, it was Ramirez,arguably, the games man of the match, who found a way to reduce the deficit on the night by scoring a very vital goal that ensured his team took the lead on aggregate based on the away goal's rule. But Barça recieved a lifeline early in the second half, when Drogba triped Frabregas in the box, only for Messi to hit the post with the resulting spot kick,, thereby ensuring run of never scoring against the Blues continued. Then Fernando Torres, completed the come back by slotting in the decisive goal in injury time.

Torres scores the equaliser in injury time.

So as Chelsea prepare for another night at the Camp Nou, I ask, what sought of Night, would it be remembered for? Will it be a night t savour and recount many years later? Or will it be one, where the arsenal at the disposal of the Spanish giants will run them over as so often is the case with visitors to that ground? Will Willian and co, do the unexpected and dumb Narva out again? What do you think? Please share your thoughts.