Chelsea has been drawn against Benfica with the winner meeting with AC Milan /Barcelona possible winner.

First leg to be played in Benfica's home on 27th of March 2012 and the home match on 3rd April a week later

Share Your Thoughts.

I wonder if it'll be another 'squeaky bum time'

After a tough draw against Napoli, im glad we got Benfica.. I did not want madrid/milan/bayern/barca.

Well, we proved our worth by showing what our squad whose been criticised entire season can do!

No stopping us now! We are in it cause we earned our spot and we deserve it!

i'm happy with with the draw....

Is it this close? I thought the first leg would be sometime next month.

Season defining week and a half coming up.

Huge game.

Better Benfica than 4 other teams.

The only thing wrong with the draw is that Barca and Real Madrid are on opposite sides and can't knock the other out until the final. So we'll likely have to beat both to hoist the cup.

Im glad the first leg is away. That will suit chelseas playing psychology and ensure a place in the semis.

I'd be a lot more confident of us reaching the final if we had the 2nd leg of Barca/Milan at the Bridge.

First things first though, hope Luiz and Ramires are psyched to play their old team and can offer some tactical advice.

I am confident that Chelsea will qualify for the semi finals of Europe's elite competition.

I am really grieved when I see Chelsea fans saying that we don't have a chance to win the Champions League because we will be facing Barcelona in the semi finals.

I would like to ask them that how can they be so sure that we will face Barcelona in the semi finals. Let's not forget that they have to face AC Milan, the seven times European champions and the reigning champions of Serie A.

Barcelona have not yet proved anything in the CL apart from smashing a feeble German side, that is Bayer Leverkusen while we have proved what we are capable of doing. We have overturned a 3-1 defeat against Napoli which is a much stronger team than Bayer Leverkusen.

We have a very talented, young as well as experienced squad that can beat any team, even Barcelona and Real Madrid.

In short, I strongly believe that Chelsea can win the Champions League this season.

We can win it,bar corrupt officials.Don't forget that UEFA is a corrupt outfit.

Seems just the mention of Barca scares the sh*te out of our clubs, partly due to the medias luv-in with all things Spanish and partly due to their record against British clubs, but they're far from unbeatable and Chelsea actually have a pretty good record against them.

Sorry but to say we can beat any one is unreasonable, yes we've got a good squad, and we're playing better now, but it's only been 3/4 games. Before that we were awful, let's not get carried away just yet.

A tough 2 games ahead v Benfica.

Drogba, Terry, Lamps, Cole, Pete and Essien are going to be SO up for Barca after the 2009 incident. God help whoever they send out to contain Drogs if we do go through. They're a better team than us, but this one will be personal. I'm more afraid of Madrid to be honest.

Well assuming we get past Benifica (no easy feat, by any means) anything could happen... I still think that we can play with them and have proven that as probably their toughest opponent outside of Madrid. And who knows Xavi steers that ship and maybe he gets injured before then? It's a reach but the point I am trying to make is that there are so many possibilities that have potential in happening. Personally, if we get through Benefica and are even in the semi finals playing Barca or Milan, I will be ecstatic! Anything beyond that is simply an elation that cannot be described! With that said though, I would take 4th and the FA Cup and lose to Benefica given the option. But all three would just cap this troubled season as a great one (perhaps our finest for coming back) and it would dispense all the harsh criticism and shut them all up...

Edited March 19, 201214 yr by DoubleHelix74

Sorry but to say we can beat any one is unreasonable, yes we've got a good squad, and we're playing better now, but it's only been 3/4 games. Before that we were awful, let's not get carried away just yet.

Saying we should beat anyone is unreasonable, but the statement that we can beat anyone is not unreasonable at all. Objectively speaking, we're the 4th best team left in the competition. As long as we keep that in mind and don't get ahead of ourselves because we're in form right now, I see nothing wrong with being optimistic. Optimism and realism aren't mutually exclusive attitudes.

if liverpool can win it in 2005 with the likes of biscan, smicer, kewell, henchoz, traore, baros, nunez, josemi etc.... we can definately win it with jt, lamps, drogs n crew!

Although barca and real are great sides. WE ARE CHELSEA and we fear no one.

We will beat any team in the world if we perform to the best of ability. thats not being optimistic, thats realistic with our squad. ktbffh!!!!

Some people on here, and most of those in the media, said we were finished after Napoli downed us 3-1 in Italy. We were told we didnt have a chance against an undefeated City, a talented Valencia determined to reach the knockouts, and a title hungry Man Utd.

In all of these performances, the team came knowing they were the underdogs and blew the doors off the other team. The only exception is the Man Utd game where mental fragility (on our parts, and the refs part) combined with their team spirit to rob us of what shouldve been a great win. But every other time, the team saw the challenge as an underdog, and came out with flying colors.

And as of right now, I think this team could run through walls

Drogba, Terry, Lamps, Cole, Pete and Essien are going to be SO up for Barca after the 2009 incident. God help whoever they send out to contain Drogs if we do go through. They're a better team than us, but this one will be personal. I'm more afraid of Madrid to be honest.

Should we resign Ballack for those matches? :)

I think we are one of the few teams with the experience to beat Barca over 2 legs, and as we would be underdogs we'd playing with less pressure....I'm more concerned with getting past Benfica...

The burning sense of injustice I still feel over Tom Henning Ovrebo or whatever his name is, must be 10 times worse for the lads who actually played in that match...

If we do get to play Barca I can see cagey 1-1 draw at the Bridge, the same result at Barcelona until 5 minutes from the end when we score, and they have to get 2 to win it...you heard it here first..

Edited March 19, 201214 yr by SHELLY

Barcelona have not yet proved anything in the CL apart from smashing a feeble German side, that is Bayer Leverkusen while we have proved what we are capable of doing.

A feeble german side who beat us and almost got us knocked out in the group stage? come on now...

Not saying we can't beat Barca, but it's highly unlikely.

We can beat anyone when we put our balls on the line

We can beat anyone when we put our balls on the line

Surely the most painful way to defend?

For players with an axe to grind against Barcelona, you can easily add Torres and Mata against them. Both cemented themselves with performances against the Spanish giant, particularly Torres who seemed to have a massive psychological advantage over Puyol and the rest of the Barcelona defenders.