We learned from Chelsea vs Barca
Barcelona are naive to think otherwise.
Paulinho put in a Paulinho-of-old display for his new employers, cut adrift out wide, he struggled to have any impact on proceedings, before missing a great chance midway through the first half, putting a free header comfortably wide of Thibaut Courtois’s goal.
His departure swiftly after the visitors went behind summed up a disappointing night for the Brazilian. It would of course be harsh to whitewash his excellent start to life in Catalunya based on one display, admittedly in an unfamiliar right-wing position, but he will want to put tonight’s performance behind him. MESSI SMASHES THE CURSE Lionel Messi has finally smashed the curse of Stamford Bridge, with a little help from Andreas Christensen. For a long time, it seemed as though there was something about the Bridge that just doesn’t sit right with Argentine captain.
Could it be the plush surroundings, or the constant drone of the word ‘Chelsea’ on repeat from the Shed end? Or maybe it’s the memory of John Terry’s pocket?
Whatever the truth of the matter, the curse looked to be in full effect again as Messi cut a frustrated figure for 75 minutes.
But after Christensen carelessly gave the ball away on the edge of the Chelsea penalty area, the selfless Andres Iniesta obliged Messi to end his torment, bringing a run of five games without a goal to an end, while scoring his first against Chelsea after eight previous attempts. CONTE DOESN’T TRUST MORATA OR GIROUD Discussions on the King’s Road were dominated by who would lead the line for Chelsea before kickoff. Olivier Giroud had netted his first goal for his new club against Hull City on Friday, and looked a strong contender to replace a misfiring Alvaro Morata.
But even though the Spaniard only seems to take chances infrequently, as a product of Spanish football and of Barcelona’s rivals Real Madrid, the odds weighed in his favour.
Yet Conte had other ideas. By dropping both forwards for his side’s biggest game of the season, the Italian showed that he doesn’t trust either striker. Eden Hazard’s performance also hints at longer spells on the bench for both of them in the near future. – The Independent