Barcelona vs. Chelsea: Will history repeat in semifinal ??

Almost three years ago, Andreas Iniesta fired an incredible shot in the nail-biting final moments of a European Champions League semifinal at Stamford Bridge. Scored in the last minute of stoppage time, it secured a 1-1 draw and put Barcelona into the final on away goals.

Iniesta's ecstatic team then took the title in Rome, beating Chelsea's English rivals Manchester United.

On Wednesday, the Spanish champions will return to London to face Chelsea for the first time since that fateful day on May 6, 2009 in the first leg of this season's semifinal.

Unsurprisingly, talk has centered on that goal, with 2010 World Cup winner Iniesta adamant that this time around Barca will not settle for a draw.

"We are going there to get a win, to put in a good performance and commit as few errors as possible," the midfielder said on Barca's website.

"I guess it's inevitable that that goal is being talked about again. It's good to remember it because it was a special and very intense moment -- not just for me, but for all of us. Life goes on though, and Wednesday is a different situation and a different game. I'm very proud of that goal and happy to have been able to have that experience. It's a feeling that is hard to describe."

I guess it's inevitable that that goal is being talked about again. Life goes on though and Wednesday is a different situation and a different game.
Andreas Iniesta, Barca midfielder

However, Iniesta warned that Chelsea's squad -- which now includes his compatriots Fernando Torres and Juan Mata -- will be a a strong opposition despite the London side's difficult first half of the season, which cost coach Andrew Villas-Boas his job.

"They have more experience. They were strong in 2009 and they will be stronger now -- strong, dangerous and intense. That will all be multiplied by the atmosphere at their own ground," Iniesta said

Wednesday's match will be the fifth meeting between the two sides in the knockout stage of the European Champions League, with 2009's dramatic match still looming large in the fierce rivalry.

That game is also remembered for Chelsea player Didier Drogba's foul-mouthed tirade at referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after the Norwegian turned down four penalty appeals from his team in the second leg.

The Ivory Coast striker is keen to move on from the outburst which landed him a three-game ban.

"It is not about 2009 because I think about the other times we played Barcelona and it is not only bad memories, we have some good memories as well," he said on Chelsea's website.

"So it is 50-50, even if Barcelona are set to be the best team in the world and they have the best player in the world. It is two games, anything can happen."

It is not about 2009 because I think about the other times we played Barcelona and it is not only bad memories, we have some good memories as well.
Dirdier Drogba, Chelsea striker

Drogba has reason to be confident, with the Blues boasting a perfect record in the Champions League at home this season, winning all five games played.

"The only thing I want is to play on Wednesday with my teammates and make a good result. Barcelona are the winners of last year's competition and nobody expected us to be in the semifinal so we have to show that we deserve to be there," he said.

The match will be particularly loaded for Barcelona coach Josep Guardiola and his Chelsea counterpart Roberto di Matteo, who faced each other as players for the teams in the Champions League quarterfinals 12 years ago.

Again, it was Barcelona who triumphed, beating the Blues 5-1 after extra time at Camp Nou to triumph 6-4 on aggregate.