Chelsea vs Barcelona: Just when the Blues need fighting spirit for Nou Camp shock they lose air of menace and sense of destiny

THERE is no swagger about this Chelsea team, no air of menace and no sense of destiny.

The champions of England — whose title defence was mathematically finished by Manchester City’s victory at Stoke on Monday — sound meek and mild.

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Few of them have even played at the Nou Camp before. They were respectful, almost awestruck, when they discussed Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta.

N’Golo Kante, the reigning Footballer of the Year, had been scheduled to address the media but was too shy to talk.

This is not what owner Roman Abramovich would have  imagined 15 years after he started pumping his millions into this club.

Chelsea still do not figure among  Europe’s superpowers. They are still unable to look Barcelona in the eye as equals.

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Defender Gary Cahill looked relaxed in Spain ahead of the huge test[/caption]

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Ex-Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud faces a fight to start the match[/caption]

Tonight will be Chelsea’s first time back in this great Catalan cauldron since the epic 2012 semi-final when they prevailed here with ten men, 27 per cent  possession and one-sixth as many passes as Barca.

It is possible that they could pull off something similar again but they no longer have the big beasts of yesteryear — Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, even John Terry, whose red card that night left his team in the cart.

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Those were warhorses who always gave Chelsea a puncher’s chance of glory.

Antonio Conte, who has been talking down his squad all  season, made it sound as if defending deep and riding their luck was Chelsea’s best chance.

He likes to talk about his team having to ‘suffer’.

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Chelsea face an uphill task trying to knock Barcelona out of the Champions League at their own ground[/caption]

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Attacking midfielder Willian has been linked with a move from Chelsea to Manchester United[/caption]

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Flying full-back Marcos Alonso will need a brilliant game to beat Barca[/caption]

Tonight, they are going to have to suffer more than usual.

Conte said: “We must stay with our heads on the pitch in every moment, to know there are moments where we have to suffer.

“Not only Chelsea, but every team who play Barcelona must be prepared to suffer, to be compact.

“Then, when we have the ball, we must have the feeling in our heads to try and create a chance to score.

“When I speak about  ‘suffering’, I think every team must be prepared to suffer against Barcelona’s possession.

“Barcelona like to try to  dominate the game, to have a lot of possession and then try to use the players between the lines and go straight at goal.

“For this moment we must pay attention, concentrate and suffer.

“To defend well, you have  to suffer.

“But when we have the ball, we must go straight and try to score or create chances, the same way we did at Stamford Bridge.”

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Olivier Giroud could lead the line if the Blues decide to attack with power and strength[/caption]

 

Chelsea produced one of their better performances of an underwhelming season in the 1-1 first leg draw  — but were  undone by a Messi equaliser and now have to score here.

Conte employed Eden Hazard as a ‘false No 9’ that night but has since copped flak for employing the same tactic in the 1-0 defeat at City — not least from the Belgian himself — after a match in which the champions were almost comically passive.|

This week the Italian has seemed torn over whether to use the same tactic again or start with Olivier Giroud, who lacks mobility, or Alvaro Morata, who lacks confidence.

Had Diego Costa remained Chelsea would have possessed the sort of animal instinct needed to unsettle a team  running away with La Liga.

Conte, who has never reached a Champions League semi-final as a coach,  suggested it was about time Hazard proved himself on this loftiest of stages.

But he was unconvincing when invited to talk up the  faltering Morata.

As a former Real Madrid man, the striker might have been expected to scent blood in Barcelona but many believe he is simply too nice.

Conte said: “Don’t forget, for Morata, this is the first full season in his career. Also because, in the past, with Real Madrid and Juventus he was on the bench, he was the first substitution if the striker was injured.

“For this reason I think we must have great patience. You are talking about an  important striker.

“For sure, he has a really important prospect for  Chelsea. He will be in  contention for this game. I saw great will, great focus and will to fight for a place.”

AP:Associated Press

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Conte was only too eager to paint his side as a group of wide-eyed rookies, on a shot to nothing.

He added: “A lot of my players have not played in  the Nou Camp.

“This is the first time. We want to do our best.

“In the first game, we played almost a perfect game.

“When you play against Barcelona, one of the best in the world, if you want to have a hope to win you have to play a perfect game.

“When we made a  mistake, we paid a lot for this.

“The final result of the first leg gave a  great advantage to  Barcelona.

“We know their philosophy very well.

“They want to play their football, to score and  win the game. We have to try to do our best.”

It was not exactly a  Churchillian rallying cry but it was realistic.

Chelsea have a mountain to climb and they are not trying to pretend otherwise.