The next 90 minutes at the Camp Nou will define whether Chelsea can win the Champions League. Jose Mourinho has an interesting decision to make: does he start cautiously, or does he go for the jugular?
The first 20 minutes are crucial, and Chelsea might wait to see if Barcelona play the same way they did in winning the first leg - keep possession, move the ball quickly, penetrate down wide areas. Chelsea can counterattack very quickly. Remember, when these teams played in Spain last season, Barcelona started very well but Chelsea broke to score first. This is Plan A. But there will be a Plan B, too. Chelsea also like to press very high up the pitch to try to get the ball behind their opponents. Mourinho might prefer to be more forceful.
I was at the first leg, a tremendous match. Lionel Messi was fantastic. He is like water. He flows everywhere. I have never seen a player like him. He can run so fast with the ball at his feet, and easily change direction. Five months ago Messi only passed the ball to Ronaldinho. Now he scores, and often. He showed how much more confident he is now when he made one and scored another so skilfully for Argentina against Croatia during the week. He is growing all the time.
How do you stop him? Getting William Gallas back would certainly help Chelsea. At this stage the difference is decided by the best players. By champions.
Chelsea and Barcelona have very different philosophies. Frank Rijkaard's side have improved defensively and don't have many weaknesses. Against Chelsea they played two defensive midfielders, Thiago Motta and Edmilson, with Deco as their only attacking midfielder, prompting their front three. They can play the same way at home.
We saw a very, very tactical match in the first leg. Of course everything changed with the sending off of Asier Del Horno - 10 v 11 is not the same as 11 v 11 - but with another game ahead all is not lost for Chelsea. They have a chance in the Camp Nou.
The statistics are irrelevant. It doesn't matter that only one team in the history of the Champions League has come back from losing the first leg 2-1 at home to go through. It's not important that Chelsea don't have a great record in away matches in the Champions League. This is different, a one-off.
When I was at Chelsea, my team won everywhere in the Champions League until the semi-final. Then we lost in Monte Carlo. This could be the first time for a while that Chelsea win a big European match away.
