Spanish clubs enjoyed differing fortunes in the Champions League as Barcelona went down 1-0 while Valencia maintained their record by beating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0.
Didier Drogba gives Barcelona the blues while Valencia sail on
PARIS: Spanish clubs enjoyed differing fortunes in the Champions League as holders Barcelona went down 1-0 away at Chelsea while title rivals Valencia maintained their 100 per cent record by beating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0.
Chelsea’s goal was a stunner from Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba giving them an emotional win on Wednesday as a former club employee called Victoria Buchanan died in a car crash earlier this week.
For an under-par Barcelona it was a disastrous result, their first Champions League defeat in 15 matches dating back to another defeat at Stamford Bridge in March 2005. Combined with Werder Bremen beating Levski Sofia 2-0 to pull level with them on four points, it leaves Barcelona teetering on the embarrassment of exiting at the first stage.
Valencia, though, like Chelsea carried on their serene progress towards the next stage as two goals from Spanish international David Villa eased them onto nine points from three matches while main rivals Roma kept in touch as they eked out a 1-0 away win at Olympiakos.
Drogba was not the only Ivory Coast striker to be his club’s hero as Arouna Kone showed he didn’t just stand out for his dyed blond hair by scoring the second for PSV Eindhoven as the Dutch side came back from 1-0 down to beat Galatasaray 2-1. PSV, semi-finalists two seasons ago, lie second to Liverpool, who gained a hard-earned 1-0 win away at French side Bordeaux thanks to a Peter Crouch header.
Italian champions Inter Milan finally got off the mark by beating Spartak Moscow, though they were hardly convincing as they beat Spartak Moscow 2-1 at home thanks to a double by Julio Cruz. However, the one they have to catch is Bayern Munich as the German giants edged Sporting Lisbon 1-0 in Portugal thanks to a piledriver by Sebastien Schweinsteigger, who then blotted his copybook by being sent-off.
It was Drogba’s effort, though, that ensured he also ended a miserable few days for the club - having lost Buchanan and two injured goalkeepers in Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini - and for him personally as Barca had been his bogey club having been sent off two seasons ago and losing to them last term.
“It has been a difficult week for the club especially with Victoria dying,” said the inspirational Ivory Coast captain, who took them to the African Nations Cup final this year.” Barca coach Frank Rijkaard said.
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