Footylatest.com

John Terry and Michael Ballack are in bullish mood after Chelsea’s dour draw at the Camp Nou on Tuesday night, and reckon that all the pressure is now on Barcelona’s shoulders. They have a crucial title-deciding game against Real Madrid at the weekend, and then the return leg at Stamford Bridge next Wednesday, two games which could put paid to their promise of a fantastic season.

Ballack said: “It is Barcelona who are the ones who are under pressure. If you see last week and the next for them it will be really difficult. They can win a lot and lose a lot. But we have to look at ourselves and focus on the Champions League and the FA Cup.”

“It would mean a lot to get back to the final again. But we don’t just want to reach it, we want to win it.

“You could see in Barcelona the team spirit and determination and that the whole team wants to get there again.

“It is not easy to reach the Champions League Final two years in a row but we have a really good chance now.”

Chelsea have the advantage of being able to rest players this weekend, now they have given up any hope of winning the Premiership, so they can concentrate on preparing for the visit of Barcelona. John Terry promises to give the unrested Catalans a rousing reception back in front of the true-blue Chelsea fans next Wednesday.

He said: “It was almost a perfect defensive performance to keep them out. I never expected it to be quite as hard as it was. Everybody is feeling it in their legs at the moment.  We expected a really tough game but they piled on the pressure and kept coming and coming and coming.
“Even in the last two or three minutes they looked at their most dangerous, but we were delighted to keep them at bay and take them back to the Bridge – and it’s now game on.
“It is a bit of a tough scoreline, 0-0. I did not expect them to come at us and get in our faces as much as they did. In the whole game they did not let us play the ball around at the back or have any time in midfield, and credit to them they totally stopped us from playing.

“Nine times out of 10 we played the long ball and were trying to pick up the second balls. But it will be a different game at the Bridge. We will get in their faces and make things difficult for them.

“It was virtually impossible on that big pitch with the kind of players they have got.  But we kept them at bay and we will get them back to the Bridge, get the fans behind us and get ready to go again.

“They have problems at the back with injuries and Puyol suspended, and Didier Drogba is going to cause them problems. We will certainly be going for the game big-time from the off.  We held our nerve and that was really important. They are such a good footballing team on such a big pitch that they go from one side to the other, and come back out again and you find yourself shuffling.

“But the work we did in midfield was incredible. I would love to see the stats and the running they did for the team.
“It was as good a performance as I have been involved in.  We did not get the goal, but, with the whole team putting in a shift, it was up there with the best of them.”

Terry continued: “The manager was spot-on. He did everything really well. Once he had spoken we knew exactly what to do and the way he wanted us to play.

“From the moment we went out we stuck to it and that was the key, even if they do keep the ball and frustrate you.

“We completely trust him, and we trust each other and that is the main thing. The manager says he can say what he likes but it is down to us on the pitch and we certainly did the manager and the club proud in Barcelona.

“But we are only half-way there, it is going to be a massive game at the Bridge, but we showed tonight that we don’t fear anyone. They are a very good side, but we showed we are a very good side as well.”