Willian justifies selection
Fresh from his man of the match display in Chelsea’s routine 4-0 win over Hull, Willian was again handed another start and didn’t disappoint. The Brazilian was Chelsea’s bright spark in the final third, with Antonio Conte deploying him behind Eden Hazard in a 3-4-3, with the Belgian operating as a false nine. Hazard was the primary focus, but it was Willian who was the danger man on Tuesday night.
The 29-year-old was desperately unlucky not to net in the opening 45 minutes having struck either past with Marc-Andre ter Stegen beaten on both occasions, but there wasn’t to be any denying Willian for a third time. All in all it was a stand out performance from the attacker. He won the WhoScored man of the match award with a 9.38 rating having also made four key passes and completed six dribbles as he again reinforced why he warrants a prominent spot in the Chelsea squad.
Messi gets his goal
Good things come to those who wait. When Lionel Messi last played Chelsea, he crashed a penalty against the crossbar as the Blues secured an unlikely semi-final win. While his second half strike didn’t make amends for the loss back in 2012, Messi’s goal is a huge weight off of his shoulders. The Argentine had failed to score his previous eight appearances against Chelsea. All it took was a defensive error and a selfless Andres Iniesta to net on his ninth.
Messi’s second half strike leaves the encounter hanging in the balance as Chelsea edged closer to a hard-fought victory against one of the tournament favourites. A crucial away goal could now prove decisive, with Conte expected to set his side up similarly at Camp Nou in order to counter Barcelona’s ruthless attack. With Messi at long last ending his barren run against the Blues, though, Chelsea will find that the going is about to get all the more tougher when these two face off again next month.
Chelsea carry out Conte’s gameplan superbly, but are made to pay for error
Stopping Barcelona is easier said than done. There’s a reason they’re in the Copa Del Rey and are sauntering to their next La Liga title and it seemed they were playing Chelsea at the opportune time. However, Antonio Conte set his side up to counter Barcelona and had it not been for an Andreas Christensen error, they may well have landed a narrow win.
Conte sprung the surprise of starting Eden Hazard as a false nine, but the Belgian has worked well against teams that operate with a four-man defence and Tuesday night was no different. In Hazard, Willian and Pedro, the Blues had three quality counter-attacking options and the attacking trio work tirelessly off the ball to test any opposition backline. With central midfield options also short on the ground, Chelsea were left to rue a defensive mistake that gifted Barcelona a way back into this tie. It’s a shame for the hosts as, up until Lionel Messi’s goal, they nullified Barcelona expertly.
Paulinho slows Barcelona
It’s fair to say Tuesday night wasn’t one to remember for Paulinho. The Brazilian has enjoyed a solid start to life with Barcelona, but when handed the chance to prove he could still cut it against the Premier League’s best, he very much flattered to deceive. Starting out on the right, Paulinho did little more but slow Barcelona’s attacks, with his evening summed up as he inadvertently dispossessed teammate Sergio Busquets in the middle of the park prior to his substitution. Paulinho was withdrawn midway through the the second half for Aleix Vidal and while the Spaniard doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of opponents, he at least offers speed down the right. He failed to offer any defensive cover down his flank, which was crucial against the bombarding Marcos Alonso, as he made zero tackles and zero interceptions. With Ousmane Dembele back from injury, Paulinho’s place in the side is very much under threat. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him lose it for the second leg if Tuesday night's sloppy showing is anything to go by.
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