12 years after playing against each other in the Champions League quarterfinal tie between FC Barcelona and Chelsea, the two men will face each other once again on Wednesday, but this time as managers This Wednesday, April 18th, Josep Guardiola and Roberto di Matteo will face each other as the managers of FC Barcelona and Chelsea, respectively, 12 years after the two played against each other as players while defending the Azulgrana and Blue strips. It was in the quarterfinal of the Champions League of the 1999-2000 season. On that occasion, Barça went on to the semifinals. Magical night at the Camp Nou The 3-1 at Stamford Bridge put Louis van Gaal’s team in a difficult situation in the returnleg at the Camp Nou. It was on this night that FC Barcelona put in a magical performance as the team fired five past Chelsea in overtime to secure a spot in the semifinals. The Catalans were later eliminated by Valencia. Rivaldo, with two goals (24’ and 99’), Figo (45’), Dani (83’) and Kluivert (104’) were Barça’s goal scorers, while Flo scored for the English side. Di Matteo, who featured in the starting line-up at the Camp Nou, could do little to stop a Barça directed by Josep Guardiola. Puyol also played Guardiola is not the only FC Barcelona player that played against Chelsea in 2000 that’s still with the Club. Carles Puyol was also on the pitch that night. The Barça captain, who started and later came off for Abelardo after 86 minutes, battled with Flo for most the game. In an interview with Revista Barça in 2005, Puyol recounts “an impressive atmosphere” at the Camp Nou that night. He also talked about the days leading up to the return leg against Chelsea: “I remember the duel with Flo. Initially I wasn’t going to play that game, but Van Gaal, after a training session where I had to mark Kluivert said, ‘you can mark players that are taller than you with your powerful aerial play.’ I told him that I didn’t know if I could, but I definitely wanted to try. Two days before the match he told me that I was going to play and that I had to mark Flo.”
GMT 10:15 2018 Tuesday ,23 January
Brewers make offer to Japanese pitcher DarvishGMT 11:51 2018 Monday ,22 January
Jos Buttler hailed as ‘the difference’ between England and Australia in tourists’ winGMT 11:38 2018 Monday ,22 January
New Zealand to bowl in first T20 against PakistanGMT 13:13 2018 Friday ,19 January
New Zealand beat Pakistan by 15 runs to seal series sweepGMT 07:19 2018 Friday ,19 January
Man Utd set to make Sanchez highest-paid Premier League playerGMT 13:43 2018 Thursday ,18 January
Ben Stokes ‘delighted’ to be cleared to play for England againGMT 10:25 2018 Monday ,15 January
Roy record powers England to opening victory over AustraliaGMT 10:15 2018 Monday ,15 January
India thrash Aussies in U19 World Cup

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©
Send your comments
Your comment as a visitor