Thursday, Jul 22, 2004,
Chelsea finalized the transfer of French striker Didier Drogba Tuesday and extended the contract of striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, but is still working on the transfer of Benfica's Tiago Mendes. Drogba signed for three years at Stamford Bridge and will travel with Chelsea on Wednesday for its preseason tour in the US where it will play Celtic, Roma and AC Milan. "I am very happy to be here and am looking forward to playing for my new team," Drogba said. "I want to do well with my national team and my club, so I will do my best to be better than I was last season at Marseille." The 26-year-old Ivory Coast striker cost a British record for a striker of ?24 million (US$44.4 million). His acquisition brings the amount of money spent by Russian owner Roman Abramovich on transfers in the past year to ?190.9 million (US$353.6 million).
Drogba scored 18 league goals for Marseille last season and added another 11 in European competition. He scored in every round as Marseille reached the UEFA Cup final, losing 2-0 to Valencia. He said a key decision in moving was Jose Mourinho, who left Porto to become Chelsea manager in June to replace the sacked Claudio Ranieri. Mourinho defended the amount spent on Drogba. "You only know if a player is cheap or expensive at the end of the season, or at the end of his contract," he said. "Sometimes you pay ?5 million (US$9.25 million) for a player and you think the player is very cheap -- but he is the most expensive player in history because he never plays. "If Drogba helps us to get what Chelsea have been fighting for many years, if we are champions or European champions and he helps us to arrive there, then I think he is cheap." Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon agreed. "I think his record speaks for itself," Kenyon said. "I and everyone else feel confident that the money spent on him will be paid back in doing what he does best -- by scoring goals."
Monaco win 5-3 on aggregate
MAY 2004
Chelsea paid the price for missing a string of chances at Stamford Bridge as their hopes of reaching the Champions League final were dashed by Monaco. Jesper Gronkjaer's looping cross-shot and a Frank Lampard strike put Chelsea ahead in the tie after both sides had hit the woodwork in a frantic opening. But Hugo Ibarra followed up after a Fernando Morientes header rebounded off the post for a vital Monaco away goal. And Morientes pounced on the hour to book a meeting with Porto in the final. Chelsea chose measured build-up over all-out attack as they set about overturning a two-goal deficit from the first leg in Monaco. But the result was a first half which could have seen them score at least five times, and Monaco three. The first chance fell to Chelsea's Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink after just 35 seconds as he found space in the centre before shooting weakly into the arms of Flavio Roma.
KEY MOMENTS
21 mins: Gronkjaer puts Chelsea ahead
24 mins: Morientes hits the post
32 mins: Gudjohnsen heads against the bar
43 mins: Lampard's shot makes it 2-0
45 mins: Ibarra follows up Morientes' header
50 mins: Gronkjaer blazes over from close range
59 mins: Morientes wins the tie for Monaco
Then Joe Cole looked certain to score when Roma could only parry a fierce drive from Geremi, only to slice wide with the goal at his mercy. It took a superb save from Roma to deny Hasselbaink from close range, but the breakthrough finally came after 21 minutes.
There looked to be little danger when Mario Melchiot fed Gronkjaer on the right, but the Danish winger cut inside and sent a looping shot into the far top corner. Chelsea had John Terry to thank for deflecting a snapshot from Morientes on to keeper Carlo Cudicini's left-hand post. Gudjohnsen then headed a pinpoint Hasselbaink cross against the bar from just two yards out, and Lampard had a stinging volley clawed away by Roma. Morientes looked like he would regret shooting wide from eight yards out when Lampard produced a clinical finish after crisp build-up play from Melchiot and Gudjohnsen to put Chelsea 2-0 up. But a jubilant Stamford Bridge was hushed into silence on the stroke of half-time when winger Jerome Rothen cut in from the right and Morientes looped a header over Cudicini.
The ball came back off the post and appeared to strike Ibarra on the arm before crossing the line. Chelsea began the second half as they had done the first - with more gilt-edged chances. Left-back Wayne Bridge put the ball on a plate for Gudjohnsen after a mazy dribble past two defenders, but the Icelandic striker barely made contact from five yards out. And then it was Gronkjaer's turn to hang his head as he blazed over the bar after another excellent cross from Bridge. And Chelsea's hopes of reaching the final in Gelsenkirchen on 26 May faded when Morientes, the architect of Monaco's comeback in the first leg, struck again. The on-loan Real Madrid striker played a one-two with Lucas Bernardi before coolly driving the ball past Cudicini.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Melchiot (Johnson 64), Gallas, Terry, Bridge, Gronkjaer, Lampard, Geremi (Parker 69), Cole, Hasselbaink (Crespo 69), Gudjohnsen. Subs not used: Ambrosio, Babayaro, Stanic, Huth. Booked: Cole, Johnson.
Monaco: Roma, Evra, Squillaci (Plasil 45), Rodriguez, Givet, Ibarra, Cisse, Rothen, Bernardi, Morientes (Nonda 81), Giuly (Prso 67). Subs not used: Sylva, Oshadogan, Adebayor, El Fakiri. Booked: Evra, Bernardi, Rothen.
Attendance: 37,132
Referee: Anders Frisk (Sweden).
(Chelsea win 3-2 on aggregate)
6 APRIL 2004
Wayne Bridge's late goal stunned Arsenal and sent Chelsea into the Champions League semi-finals.
The England defender rifled home a left-foot finish on 87 minutes after being set up by Eidur Gudjohnsen to end Arsenal's unbeaten run against Chelsea. In an enthralling match, Jose Antonio Reyes fired Arsenal into the lead from close range in first-half injury time. But Frank Lampard drew the Blues level after a Jens Lehmann error before Bridge sealed a famous win. Arsenal, with Thierry Henry and Reyes back in the starting line-up, were pegged back in the opening minutes. But Lampard had the only real sight of goal, firing straight into the body of Lehmann.
KEY MOMENTS
45 mins: Reyes scores
51 mins: Lampard equalises
85 mins: Cole clears off line
87 mins: Bridge stuns Arsenal
And in between yellow cards for Chelsea's William Gallas and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Henry fashioned his first sight of goal and smacked a fierce right-foot shot just over. An even better chance followed on 18 minutes after Reyes' clever through pass, but the Frenchman's shot drifted wide. Damien Duff nearly put Chelsea ahead in sensational fashion on 20 minutes, breaking clear and cutting inside Sol Campbell before sending the ball inches wide.
Henry saw a sidefooted shot blocked and a header across goal cleared, before Robert Pires headed Ashley Cole's cross into the side netting. Then a beautiful pass from Henry found Pires who set up Cole - but the England man's shot was blocked. Yet just as Chelsea looked to go in at half-time all square, Reyes scored with the last kick of the half. Lauren's probing cross was headed back across goal by Henry and although Freddie Ljungberg was unable to get a touch, the ball fell to Reyes who slotted home between Marco Ambrosio's legs from close range. Jesper Gronkjaer replaced Scott Parker at half-time as Claudio Ranieri looked to boost Chelsea's attacking options. The change seemed to work as Chelsea celebrated an equaliser within six minutes of the restart.
Lampard pounced after Claude Makelele's long-range strike was spilled by Lehmann. And the England man was holding his head moments later after a beautiful 25-yard strike which curled into the side netting with Lehmann beaten. It was little more than Chelsea deserved for their battling response to Reyes' goal, but with the scores all level, both sides became understandably cautious. Reyes still looked lively, however, and a left-foot shot was pushed away by Ambrosio. The Italian keeper had to be alert to tip away Toure's 40-yard effort shortly afterwards. With 10 minutes remaining, Dennis Bergkamp came on for Henry for Arsenal, while Chelsea brought Joe Cole and Hernan Crespo for Duff and Hasselbaink. Chelsea pressed again, and Ashley Cole made a fantastic goal-line clearance at full stretch from Gudjohnsen as the home side's defence disintegrated on 85 minutes. But Bridge popped up two minutes later with a classy left-foot finish after a perfect one-two with Gudjohnsen to stun Arsenal.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole, Ljungberg, Edu, Vieira, Pires, Henry (Bergkamp 81), Reyes. Subs Not Used: Stack, Keown, Wiltord, Silva, Clichy, Kanu. Booked: Lauren.
Chelsea: Ambrosio, Melchiot, Terry, Gallas, Bridge, Parker (Gronkjaer 46), Lampard, Makelele, Duff (Cole 82), Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink (Crespo 82). Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Mutu, Geremi, Huth. Booked: Gallas, Hasselbaink, Cole.
Attendance: 35,486.
Referee: Markus Merk (Germany).
Stuttgart 0-1 Chelsea
28 feb 2004
An own goal from Fernando Meira gave Chelsea an impressive win in Stuttgart to put them in sight of the Champions League quarter-finals. Meira deflected the ball into his own net in the 12th minute following an excellent cross from Glen Johnson.
Chelsea keeper Carlo Cudicini performed heroics to keep out a Silvio Meissner shot before the goal, and saved a Kevin Kuranyi header to protect the lead. And the visitors stood firm to grab a fourth straight away win in Europe. Stuttgart had boasted an impressive home record against European opposition, having seen off Manchester United, Celtic and Rangers in a 12-game unbeaten run.
They made most of the early running and almost drew first blood when Meissner, who had already fired over the bar from the edge of the area, found space by the penalty spot.
But Cudicini marked his return to the side after a groin injury with a fine diving save to his left and the danger was averted.
KEY MOMENTS 6 mins: Cudicini saves from Meissner 12 mins: Meira puts through his own net 19 mins: Cudicini saves Kuranyi's header 31 mins: Gudjohnsen blazes over when clean through 63 mins: Crespo's strike is ruled offside
Having struggled to get out of their half, Chelsea scored from almost their first attack. Johnson found space down the right and whipped in a low cross which Meira diverted into his own net as he desperately tried to stop it reaching the unmarked Hernan Crespo. Stuttgart, however, continued their assault on the Chelsea penalty area and almost drew level on 19 minutes.
Kuranyi found himself completely unmarked at a corner from the left and sent in a header which was brilliantly clawed off the line by Cudicini. Meira's own goal gave Chelsea the perfect start But Stuttgart were leaving themselves vulnerable to counter-attacks, and Chelsea should have made them pay when Eidur Gudjohnsen found himself clean through 15 minutes before half-time. A sweeping move saw Crespo slip the ball through to his strike partner and Gudjohnsen was left holding his head in his hands after blazing over the bar from 12 yards.
Having subdued Stuttgart in the run-up to half-time, Chelsea looked solid after the break. Meira sent a low free-kick flashing a foot wide of Cudicini's right post, but the visitors again had the ball in the net when Crespo lashed home Gudjohnsen's pass - only to be correctly ruled offside. Crespo impressed, Duff made an appearance but for me man of the match was young Johnson
There was a further boost for Chelsea fans when Damien Duff came off the bench with 25 minutes to go to make his comeback from a shoulder injury. Stuttgart were largely restricted to shooting from distance as they pushed for an equaliser, with the dependable Cudicini tipping over a rising drive from Kuranyi and rushing off his line to thwart a late attack.
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VfB Stuttgart: Hildebrand, Hinkel, Meira, Bordon, Lahm, Meissner (Tiffert 46), Soldo, Hleb, Heldt (Cacau 66), Kuranyi, Szabics. Subs Not Used: Heinen, Zivkovic, Vranjes, Gerber, Centurion.
Booked: Bordon.
Chelsea: Cudicini, Johnson, Gallas, Terry, Bridge, Geremi, Makelele, Lampard, Gronkjaer (Duff 66), Gudjohnsen (Hasselbaink 73), Crespo (Cole 89). Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Desailly, Melchiot, Parker.
Booked: Lampard, Makelele, Cudicini, Johnson.
Attendance: 50,000.
Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece).
