Barcelona vs. Chelsea: LIVE SCORE, UPDATES, COMMENTARY From Champions League Semifinal

Barcelona vs. Chelsea: Lionel Messi (C) runs with the ball agaisnt Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on April 18, 2012.

Needing to find the back of the net more than once to secure a spot in the Champions League final, Barcelona has every reason to come out at the Camp Nou against Chelsea in full attack. In other words, fans and Petr Cech should hold onto their hats as these 90+ minutes should be thrilling.

Thanks to a counterattack goal by Didier Droga in the first leg of this Champions League semi pairing, Chelsea holds and unexpected -- and some might contend undeserved -- lead entering the return match in Barcelona. But if the Blues can stifle Messi, Iniesta and the rest of the Barcelona attackers for another day then there will be little doubt who has earned the right to vie for the championship of Europe.

Coming off a dispiriting loss to rival Real Madrid at the weekend, Pep Guardiola's side finds itself in a tight spot. If they go without a win today then the Copa Del Rey remains the only chance at silverware to close the campaign. For his part, Pep remains confident that his team will advance, telling reporters that he has "no doubt" that his club will be in Munich for the final. Will they be on the pitch to play the Madrid-Munich winner? Or will Guardiola be forced to shell out for tickets to make good on his claim?

Can the Blues once again hold off the relentless Blaugrana attack? Can Drogba pose enough of a threat by himself to keep the Barcelona defense from seeping forward into attack?

STAY HERE FOR LIVE UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE MATCH:

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WATCH: Highlights (And Lowlights) From Chelsea's Win

Fernando Torres Goal (90th Minute)

Messi Penalty Miss (49th Minute)

Ramires Goal (45th Minute)

Iniesta Goal (43rd Minute)

John Terry Red Card (37th Minute)

Busquets Goal (35th Minute)

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WATCH: Messi Penalty Miss

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WATCH: Torres Goal

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Against All Odds..

Chelsea defeats Barcelona.. playing with 10 men for the majority of the match.. and Fernando Torres scores the goal that seals it. Would anyone have believed it?

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CHELSEA WINS

A historic triumph over the Barcelona!

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Torres SCORES

What a way a to do it! An unbelievable score.. he gets loose on the counter and rounds Valdez. GOAL!!!!!

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3 Minutes

The 90 is through and Chelsea has three extra minutes to hold off Barcelona.

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Cech Please!

Mascherano fires low and Cech dives low to his near post and pushes it wide. Corner coming... and out off Puyol.

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Center Field

Mascherano fields the clearance deep and puts it back in for Barcelona, resulting in another last pass that goes wanting. The pressure on the Chelsea defense is enormous but it seems that Barcelona offense is feeling a pressure of their own.

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FIzzle

Another Messi moment doesn't come off as Cole nips it away. He looks exhausted. Meanwhile, Torres not looking up to the pace, which is problem as everyone else is totally spent.

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Woodwork

Messi hits the post and he had Cech beaten near side. Fox Soccer announcers talking about destiny..

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GOAL... OFFSIDE

Barcelona looked to have unlocked the defense but Alves was offside before he crossed back to Sanchez.

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Drogba Off

And Torres is on. Can Chelsea's Spanish misfit come up big against his countrymen? More pressingly, did Chelsea just lose its top on-the-ball defender?

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Won't Go Endline

Alves gets the ball out wide from Xavi. Again, he refuse to charge down for the endline, cutting it back high.

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Drops For Busquets...

But he never gets shoulders over the strike and it's rising high over the net.

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In The Phonebooth

Chelsea defenders playing a 3-6 defensive formation with discipline. Every window has a white shirt in it.

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74th Minute

Puyol plays it back to Valdez and home side resets.

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Another Sub

Fabregas is off and Keita is on. Minutes earlier, Tello came on for Cuenca. Can he make up for dismal showing against Madrid?

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Messi Yellow

He pulls down Lampard, clearly. Caution to Messi. Moments later Lampard sees yellow for scything down Fabregas. We're under 20 minutes and the game is increasingly fractured. Seems a positive for Chelsea as they look to stifle Barcelona attack.

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Drop Ball?

That's the restart method. Cole hoofs it clear. Barcelona quickly have it back. We're approaching 20 minutes to play.

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Drogba Down

Barcelona not putting the ball out of play... continuing to attack. Eventually Chelsea wins and clears out.

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On To Kalou

A pass finds Kalou making the right run but he can't seem to take the right angle to the free ball amidst the defenders. Terrific ball from Lampard and another dangerous moment.

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More Defending From Drogba

This time he takes it off Alves. Yes, he conceded the penalty, but he's doing everything asked of him. He's made a few nice tackles in one-on-one situations.

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Alves Plays It In

Looking for Cesc but Ramires clears out for corner. Barcelona plays small and it's quickly cleared back out to the half line. Tick tock.. not ticka tacka..

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All it Takes

That Ivanovic header shows how close Chelsea is to striking a decisive blow. Another away goal would be momentous.

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Chelsea Corner

Drogba wins a corner as he is the lone attacker. White shirts taking their time to fill area. Lampard sends it in.. Ivanovic gets to it.. but it's wide. That was close. He won that ball. Missed chance...

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Waves Crashing

On the next surge, Cuenca gets the ball at a tight angle near the post but Cech sees him and comes out to block his one-time effort. Nice keeping.

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Probing

Messi sends a high, hard pass to Cuenca at the edge of the attack. He can't control. Throw to Chelsea. Barcelona quickly have it back and Alves looking to Fabregas...

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Yellow For Cech

Yes, he's been delaying as much as possible before goal kicks but this time he hardly seemed to have been wasting time.

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Mata Off

Taking his time getting to the sideline and the speedy Kalou is on. Definitely a strategic move given the nature of the likeliest means of Chelsea attack... sudden and urgent runs forward. They have a need for speed.

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Comments

[Haaggus]

02:24 AM on 04/25/2012

UN BE LIEVABLE. Chelsea has the greatest defense in the history of the planet. The Torres substitution was a brilliant play. Messi and his little spanish cronies can suck it, suck it hard and long.

[mfoto1986]

07:15 PM on 04/24/2012

After seeing this game.... My team Barca reminded me of Phoenix Suns who run and guns but play no D. Barca has a huge problems defending counter attacks. They allowed 3 freaking counter attack goals that cost them this series.

[mfoto1986]

07:09 PM on 04/24/2012

As a Barca fan.... I'm pissed and embarrassed for my team. They look tired, uninterested and missed opportunities yet again. But as a futball fan.... I gotta admire Chelsea's determination fighting back even though they were down one man. That is how futball should be played. So I will be rooting for this Cinderella story Chelsea for sure in the finals. They betta win after going through so much to get here.

[Johannes B]

06:05 PM on 04/24/2012

heoric performance from the whole team but Cech, Cole and Mikel were outstanding today and how about Ramirez goal, what a goalso

[akmmusa]

05:50 PM on 04/24/2012

Wao..!! whats an amazing victory of Chelsea.
The whole game was in control of Barcelona...but the final smile went to Chelsea..with only 10 players...Its a day of Chelsea..Though im a fan of Messi,..but the way Barcelona played and missed the opportunity...i have to give credit to Chelsea..with a soft hard burning for Barcelona.

[qirin]

05:43 PM on 04/24/2012

I thought at the outset if Chelsea got a goal they would win it, but I all but lost hope after Terry got sent off and Barca scored 2. What a mammoth defensive effort though, and Torres just put the icing on the cake. Thank you Chelsea!

[akmmusa]

05:42 PM on 04/24/2012

Waoo..!! whats a amazing victory of Chelsea, with only 10 players. Though the whole game was in control of Barcelona, But Chelsea smiles at last...its a day of Chelsea...

[akmmusa]

05:36 PM on 04/24/2012

wao..whts a amazing victory of Chelsea, with only 10..love it..though im a fan of Messi..but no way gredit goes to chelsea

[jubo]

05:33 PM on 04/24/2012

Ultimately I'd love to see Chelsea beat Mourinho.

[symmetricol]

05:24 PM on 04/24/2012

Amazing. Makes up for all the times they disappointed me earlier this year.
This is what disciplined defending will get you. Ashley Cole handled Messi and I have no words for Petr Cech's performance, just a bow.

[olafTheAwesome]

05:24 PM on 04/24/2012

Barca was robbed in the 82 min when Alves was wrongly ruled offside. Sanchez scored a legit goal. Playing anti-football by parking the bus the way Chelsea does should be declared a crime punishable by a penalty kick. And can someone explain to me what got into John Terry? What was the need for his viscious, pathetic action against Sanchez? What an oaf. He should be ashamed of himself.

[Zacky Ahmed]

05:30 PM on 04/24/2012

Oh the irony of Barca fans starting to talk about robbery ?
Lets start with Chelsea Barca back in 2009 ? 5 penalties dismissed by one blind norwegian with the whistle.

[olafTheAwesome]

05:36 PM on 04/24/2012

2009 was eons ago. Get over it already. You've got a fluke win with only 20% ball possession in the first leg and 28% now. Enjoy yourselves. Let's see if that's enough for you to win in the final.

[jubo]

05:48 PM on 04/24/2012

Nonsense, blame Blatter.

[jubo]

05:40 PM on 04/24/2012

Alas it is what it is. Karma was pronounced when Leo missed the penalty (!?!?) and affirmed when Fernando plunged the dagger deeper.

I was for Barça, and will subsequently remain in the future yet we shrimp have no game for coming back from behind other than, granted risky, counter-attacks (wherein an opponent's defense might be less level in numbers)... centering from the flanks has little chance for success when your recipients are shorter than the ball...

[papapj]

05:12 PM on 04/24/2012

Time for a knees up!

We're gonna paint London town Blue, tonight for sure!!!

[papapj]

05:10 PM on 04/24/2012

YEEEEEHAAAWW!

We're going to Munich!!

[olafTheAwesome]

05:17 PM on 04/24/2012

Hey papapj, enjoy it mate, while you can :-)

[papapj]

07:08 PM on 04/24/2012

Just get ready to fan me, Scouser....We're off to Munich, whilst Liverpool cry into their suds in mid-table mediocrity, losing to the likes of WBA..At Anfield!!...HAHAHAHAHA!

[LeeRose]

05:09 PM on 04/24/2012

I dislike Terry but congrats to the rest of the team. I love seeing underdogs win !!

[jubo]

05:51 PM on 04/24/2012

Likewise in favoring (american for 'favouring') the team that hasn't, whatever the competition, won the big enchilada (american for... I'm not sure what...)

To further confuse you I am French....

Cheers...

[TheBestPatriot]

04:54 PM on 04/24/2012

Brilliant defense by Chelsea.

[jubo]

05:46 PM on 04/24/2012

'The right height' indeed... Futile flank attacks by Barça centering to Chelsea defenders twice their height.

Drogba left back, Drogba right back... he wants his. Gotta love it. What fools Marseille were to let him go. In the long run they lost out...

[TheBestPatriot]

05:51 PM on 04/24/2012

Agreed. I am just hoping my Bayern can get pass RM.