Chelsea vs. Barcelona: 5 Reasons Blues Are in Great Shape After 1st Leg

Chelsea defeated Barcelona 1-0 on Wednesday in the first leg of their two-game Champions League semifinal, putting the Blues in a very good position heading back to Spain.

Chelsea were the major underdogs heading into the match. Against all odds, they defended unbelievably well and shut out the best team in the world.

As Chelsea prepare for the second leg, things are looking up. Obviously, a berth in the Champions League final is a long ways away, but Chelsea are certainly in solid shape.

No Away Goals for Barcelona

It's pretty tough to beat Barcelona.

It's nearly impossible to beat Barcelona at Camp Nou.

Knowing that, Chelsea needed to win at home. More importantly, they needed to avoid conceding too many away goals.

After an incredibly gritty performance, Chelsea prevented the Catalans from scoring at all.

Obviously, a win or a tie at Camp Nou would send Chelsea to the final. However, without having to worry about away goals, Chelsea just need to lose by one goal or less in the second leg of the matchup. If the Blues can manage that, they will be heading to Germany.

Didier Drogba Was Destructive

Say what you want about Didier Drogba's diving and injury-feigning (it's horrible, I know).

If Chelsea want to beat Barcelona, Drogba needs to keep playing like that. He just needs to tone it down.

He needs to stop faking injuries and taking unreasonable amounts of time. Barca are known for their diving, and they were even sick of Drogba's antics by the end of the match.

It's part of the game, sure...but it went too far. Drogba needs to knock off the nonsense and just outplay the Catalans.

As a powerful striker, he needs to use his strength to hold the ball up. He needs to win and challenge for balls in the air. And, most importantly, he needs to slow the game down by drawing fouls, without going over the top.

If Drogba can be a one-man wrecking crew again, Chelsea stand a very good chance of winning the tie.

No One Showed Fear

When you go up against the best team in the world, it can be a little intimidating.

When that team is on (arguably) the greatest run in history, it is even more intimidating.

Nevertheless, Chelsea never backed down. The Blues didn't seem to get a good touch on the ball for at least 15 minutes, but they stayed focused. The defense held strong, and the midfield did its best to keep up with the maestros on the other side.

Barcelona are an intimidating side, but Chelsea didn't back down. As long as the Blues can stand up this tall in Spain, they have a chance of pulling off the improbable upset.

Petr Cech Is in Spectacular Form

Words cannot do justice to the performance Petr Cech had against Barcelona.

He has been slightly inconsistent this year, but he's been playing extremely well as of late. At Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, he put in a legendary performance.

Cech made a few solid saves throughout the match. Then, in the dying moments, he made an unbelievable save on a Carles Puyol header that saved the match.

Chelsea's defense played pretty well, but Cech played out of his mind, stopping all 6 of Barca's shots on goal. Without him, the Blues probably would've lost by four or five goals.

If Cech puts in another performance like he did on Wednesday, Chelsea have a very good chance of becoming European champions.

Luck Was on Chelsea's Side

A lot can happen between now and next Tuesday, but luck was definitely on Chelsea's side in the first leg.

Barcelona hit the woodwork a few times. The Catalans sent some great opportunities off the frame, and the best players in the world didn't finish like it.

Yes, Petr Cech and Chelsea's defense played well, but a higher power seemed to be at work.

If the Blues get luck like that again next week, they will have a great chance of winning. Unfortunately, luck doesn't come by as often as it did on Wednesday.

As a result, Chelsea will have to make their own luck next week and earn a spot in the Champions League final.