Chelsea: 5 Reasons Blues Can Beat Barcelona in UEFA Champions League This Year

It is assumed that Roman Abramovich sacked Carlo Ancelotti due to the Italian's ineptitude to win the much coveted UEFA Champions League.

Ancelotti and the Blues have been dumped out in the last 16 (Versus Inter Milan) in 2010 and in the quarter finals (Versus Manchester United) in 2011 and it is clearly apparent that that is not acceptable.

Andre Villas-Boas will have to do better and presumably to satisfy Abramovich's thirst for the Champions League, he will have to guide Chelsea at some stage, past the illusive Barcelona.

While it seems implausible as it stands that a transitional Chelsea side could negotiate a tie against the current holders, there are reasons to be optimistic for the Blues should the dreaded draw conjure up this pair later in the season.

Fernando Torres' Goal-Scoring Record Against Barcelona

So Fernando Torres has not started spectacularly after his £50m move from Liverpool. But the Spaniard holds an impressing goal-scoring record when playing against Barcelona with seven goals in 10 games. As a matter of fact, El Niño has not scored more against any other side (he has scored an equivalent amount against Chelsea).

With the added wizardry of Juan Mata to come and the mercurial Daniel Sturridge to make an impact, Villas-Boas should be able to get an already sharp and (somewhat) confident Torres to fire Chelsea to success again.

Barcelona, Dani Alves' Vulnerability at Defending Wide Areas

Sure Dani Alves is in the mix for best right back (if you can call him that) in the world, but he has his limitations. The Brazilian has been masquerading at right back for three years since moving from Sevilla in 2008.

There have been signs in recent weeks that managers are beginning to discover a mere smidgen of success by attacking down Barcelona’s right flank. With Pedro hardly willing to work back, Dani Alves often leaves his position exposed and he has been caught out, to a certain extent in the Supercopa when José Mourinho deployed Cristiano Ronaldo as an orthodox left winger (and even more so when playing for Brazil at the Copa America). Alves was so poor that Mano Menezes was forced to bring back Inter Milan’s Maicon.

New signing, to be, Juan Mata could experience plenty of joy in that position, especially with Ashley Cole ever willing to support.

Under Abramovich, Chelsea's Superior Champions League Record vs. Barcelona

Chelsea must be one of the only sides in Europe to hold a superior head to head record against Barcelona in the modern era.

In the last eight meetings each side has won two apiece and there have been four draws. But crucially, Chelsea has scored eleven in those matches while Barcelona have only scored ten.

Not a clear margin of superiority, but nonetheless you would not expect anything else should these sides meet in the Champions League knock-out stages.

Chelsea's Bad Luck with Officiating vs. Barcelona Can't Continue, Surely?

Some argue it is sour grapes, but when something persistently goes against you, Chelsea has every right to feel hard done.

Refereeing decisions have been dubious ever since these two great clubs sparked a furious rivalry when José Mourinho was at the Stamford Bridge.

It is widely known that Barcelona has yet to beat Chelsea in the Champions League when the Blues have had 11 men still on the pitch.

Chelsea suffered blatantly wrong decisions when Didier Drogba and Asier Del Horno were sent off in 2005 and 2006 respectively.

All this without even mentioning the biggest conspiracy of recent times in European football when Tom Henning Ovrebo refused to award Chelsea a penalty on that fateful night at Stamford Bridge in May 2009, despite numerous legitimate appeals.

Yes, Chelsea should not expect the opposite, but a tie without controversial refereeing decisions would go a long way to highlighting the fact that Chelsea, under both Hiddink and Mourinho have tactically outsmarted Barcelona and could legitimately argue a case for an unjust exit from the competition.

Barcelona Will Have To Defy History To Win Back-to-Back Champions Leagues

Since its inception in 1992, the UEFA Champions League has had 12 different winners but never has the same club won it in consecutive years. In fact it’s been 21 years since AC Milan won back to back triumphs under what was then called the European Champion Clubs' Cup.

Of course just because Barcelona might not win the whole tournament does not mean that Chelsea will beat them should fate bring them together again, but it would be conceivable at least. As it stands there are probably only five sides in Europe who could legitimately claim to beat Barcelona over two legs in Europe were they to play to their best and Barcelona falter slightly.

Along with Chelsea, Manchester United and City along with Real Madrid and perhaps Bayern Munich could be thrown into the debate. The rest of these clubs have an inferior or non-existent record in the case of Manchester City against Barcelona (although they did beat the Blaugrana 1-0 at the Camp Nou in the Trofeo Joan Gamper in 2009).

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