Chelsea vs. Barcelona: Bold Predictions for Champions League Semifinal

Chelsea and Barcelona will play the first leg of their Champions League semifinal matchup today at Stamford Bridge. Bayern Munich kicked off the round with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Real Madrid, and today's game should live up to the same hype.

Let's take a look at some bold predictions for the two matches between the storied clubs that will decide which side gets a chance to play for the title.

Chelsea Will Win First Leg

The Blues haven't lost a game at home in 2012—a stretch that includes matches against Manchester United, Napoli and Benfica. If the Blaugrana think they are going to walk away from Stamford Bridge with an easy victory, they are in for a rude awakening.

Chelsea has played much more consistently since Roberto Di Matteo took over, dropping just once match under his guidance. Talent was never an issue, but now that the Blues have started to play as a cohesive unit again, Barca is in for a battle.

Since the Blues understand how important the first leg will be at home, they should be the more aggressive team and that's what it takes to beat Barcelona. Look for Chelsea to pick up a 2-1 win.

Lionel Messi Won't Score

Messi has been on fire lately. He's scored in 13 of his last 14 games, including a five-goal performance against Bayer Leverkusen and four against Valencia. The hot streak has proven once again why he's the world's best player.

The Blues know they'll have to keep him from dominating in order to have any chance of advancing. That means the defenders and midfielders will likely sell out to stop him, even if it means giving other players chances at goal.

There's no perfect way to defend Barca since they have so many weapons. Slowing down Messi at least gives Chelsea a fighter's chance, so the Blues will do everything possible to make that happen.

Barcelona Will Need Extra Time to Advance

Even though Barcelona's advancement continues to get treated like a foregone conclusion by many, the Champions League should have taught fans that there are no guarantees. From shocking eliminations to epic second-leg comebacks, this tournament has had it all.

Following Chelsea's first leg victory, Barca will start feeling some heat in the second game. If there's any team capable of handling the pressure, it's the Blaugrana. That said, Chelsea isn't going to go away easy, especially with the reliable Petr Cech between the pipes.

After matching Chelsea's 2-1 advantage through 90 minutes, Barcelona will need extra time in order to reach the Final.

Alexis Sanchez will score the winning goal to secure advancement.