Barcelona slam Chelsea tactics after draw

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 at 9:13 PM Posted by Beijing News




Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola reacted angrily at what he saw as the referee's leniency towards English side Chelsea's physical approach in their 0-0 Champions League semi-final first leg match.

Chelsea went away with mission accomplished after they stood firm against a barrage from Barcelona at the Camp Nou and become the first side this season in the competition to stop Barca from scoring at home.

As expected Barca took the game to Chelsea and enjoyed the vast majority of the possession but they were unable to find a way through to goal for the first time at home this season in the competition.

Petr Cech made a couple of important blocks from Samuel Eto'o and substitute Alexandr Hleb but too often they were restricted to strikes from distance.

"It is difficult to play against a team which doesn't want to play football," stormed 37-year-old Guardiola, who has worked wonders with the side since replacing the sacked Frank Rijkaard for this season.

"It was a game in which Chelsea had five defenders and the ball was always Cech to Didier Drogba and then backwards and forwards again.

"The result was fair, though, because neither side scored but there is something wrong when we ended up with the same number of yellow cards as they did and yet they committed 20 fouls compared to seven," added the former Barcelona and Spain playmaker.

Guardiola, who cleared out stars such as Deco and Ronaldinho last summer, believed that German star Michael Ballack was fortunate to have remained on the pitch.

"Chelsea played very physically and I thought it was scandalous that Michael Ballack did not receive a second yellow card for a foul on Andres Iniesta on the edge of the area," said Guardiola.

"That is something you would expect in any normal game during the season and it is these small details which did not go our way which will end up deciding the tie.

"Referees need to take an overall look at games and if that had happened then he would have seen that we were not the team which was fouling and we were looking to play football.

"Anyone looking at the match will know there was only one team looking to attack, we were always looking for a goal but Chelsea are a good side who have been together for a long time and won trophies.

"We now have to go to Stamford Bridge, play the football we always play and try and win."

The Barca players were similarly forthright with Xavi Hernandez complaining: "so that is what the English call fair play," while Toure Yaya also hit out at Chelsea's tackling.

"It was a difficult game and some of their tackles were outrageous while we would just touch a player and there would be a free-kick or a booking. We now have to go there Stamford Bridge and get a win, the tie is still not decided," said Toure, who was one of those booked.

Barca were also dealt a blow with the news that centre-half Rafa Marquez is set to miss the rest of the season after picking up what appears to be a serious knee injury. His replacement Carles Puyol will also be absent from the return leg through suspension after accumulating his third yellow card.

Eto'o, who it has been denied is subject to a 40million pound bid from Manchester City, said that there was hope for Barcelona as playing at home Chelsea will now have to come out and attack.

"It was a fantastic performance and to not concede a goal is delightful. Hopefully going back to the Bridge we can use that to our advantage."



Rietschel

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