Benfica v Chelsea: Bobby Dazzles in Estadios
Get In There!!!
By Since66
March 28 2012
When I saw the team before the kick-off last night, I honestly believed it was going to be a long night and that Bobby Di had done a ‘Ranieri’!!! Tin hat time and squirming behind the sofa, thinking that’s the end of ‘Corrupt Cup’ football for a couple of years. No, not just me. Every fan, the media, the sceptics, the Chelsea trolls… Everybody!!
Boy how Bobby Di shut us up!!
Keeping a clean sheet to a team that had scored in every home game in the last couple of years.
Beating a team that hadn’t lost a home game in Europe for ages and also ‘nailing’ the omen of the Eagle landing on it’s perch, first time, that the night would be kind to Benfica.
Bobby Di was brave, very brave, leaving the likes of Super Frank, Didier, Essien, Sturridge on the bench and starting with a front three of Kalou, Torres and Mata.
Bobby Di recalled the ever reliable and dependable Paulo Ferreira, who slipped back into the right-back slot so easily… It was if he had never been away.
Then, what about the ref and UEFA?
Are UEFA falling back in love with The Blues.
On another night, Benfica could have had a penalty when the ball struck JT’s (One England Captain) arm in the second-half, another close call came when Luiz (who I thought was outstanding in probably his best defensive performance in a Blue shirt) blocked a shot off the line with his chest and then from the sublime to the ridiculous, JT could have been penalised for a back pass, when sliding in to defend a Benfica through ball.
Well done to the Referee from Italy, Mr P Tagliavento, who remained strong and fair throughout the 90 minutes.
Torres, although he didn’t get many chances, had an excellent night and he was the provider of the cross that led to Chelsea’s important away goal, 14 minutes from time. Ramires, down Chelsea’s right, fed Torres who battled to the bye line before whipping in a cross for Kalou, to give Chelsea the lead, from close range.
Bobby Di created legendary status for himself when he was a player, before injury cruelly cut short his career, but after turning around Chelsea’s fortunes in the ‘Corrupt Cup,’ it is highly conceivable his status will soar as high as that damn Eagle!?!
Benfica: Artur, Pereira, Luisao (c), Jardel, Emerson, Garcia (Nolito 81), Gaitan, Witsel, Bruno Cesar (Rodrigo 68), Aimar (Matic 68), Cardozo
Booked: Bruno Cesar 25, Luisao 66, Garcia 74
Chelsea: Cech, Ferreira (Bosingwa 79), Luiz, Terry (c), Cole, Meireles (Lampard 67), Mikel, Ramires, Mata, Kalou (Sturridge 82), Torres
Goal: Kalou 74
Booked: Meireles 17
NEXT UP: Aston Villa (a), Saturday 31st March 2012, k.o. 3pm
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It would be great if Di Matteo managed to continue with the same vein of reults until the end of the season and was kept on as permanent manager. Then perhaps we could help "create" a great manager instead of just buying one off the shelf.
"It is born out of hypocrisy and fundamental insecurity. There have been two kids on the block for the past 12 years. Suddenly, there is a third and that one is threatening to be more successful than the others and they don’t like it." P Kenyon.
