Barcelona failed to score against Chelsea at Camp Nou

Chelsea produced a spirited defensive display to stop Barcelona from scoring in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final in the Camp Nou. Barcelona have not failed to score at Nou Camp this season until tonight match with Chelsea. Barcelona who the current Spanish league leaders enjoyed plenty of possession in the match, but struggled to create many clear-cut chances.

Thierry Henry forced Petr Cech to save and Bojan headed over from two yards, before Cech stopped Alex Hleb’s effort. Chelsea almost nicked a goal as Didier Drogba was foiled by Victor Valdes, while Michael Ballack headed just over. But Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink will be delighted with his side’s defensive fortitude in keeping a clean sheet of Barcelona not netting a goal against any visiting side this season. It means the Blues will fancy their chances of reaching a second successive Champions League final when they meet in the second leg at Stamford Bridge.

For long periods Chelsea had to be content with watching Barcelona knock the ball around as they gave another masterclass in possession. Chelsea played right into their hands, with Cech among the main protagonists as his long, aimless kicks only served to gift the ball straight back to the home side. But for a team that this season has scored four goals in a game six times, five goals five times and six goals four times, the hosts were unable to broker many genuine chances. For all the twinkle-toed approach play of the industrious Andres Iniesta and Henry down the left, they struggled to get close to the Chelsea goal with the regularity their build-up demanded. Twice in the opening stages Cech flapped at crosses from the left but the Blues survived and they fashioned a half-chance of their own when Florent Malouda’s cross found Frank Lampard and he curled wide from 25 yards.

Barcelona were seeing far more of the ball, but they grew increasingly frustrated by Chelsea’s solid rearguard action and were quickly reduced to shooting from outside the area. Henry twice chanced his arm, once testing Cech with a low drive and then lashing in a fierce shot from 22 yards that the Czech keeper did well to parry behind.

Messi volleyed high from a corner on the hour, Alves powered in a drive that Cech blocked and then Eto’o ran from the halfway line, turned Alex, only for the indomitable stopper to again thwart him from close in. Ballack escaped a second yellow for what looked a blatant body check on Iniesta with five minutes left. Eto’o was replaced by Bojan Krkic with 10 minutes remaining as Pep Guardiola rolled the dice. And the teenager missed the home side’s best chance, turning a close range header over from an Alves cross. Fellow sub Alexander Hleb could also have scored in the dying seconds but Cech, who else, was again on hand to save. Micheal Ballack was substituted for Anelka  in 90 minute and and the match end goalless draw.