Teams:

Chelsea: Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Ballack, Essien, Anelka, Lampard, Malouda; Drogba

Subs: Hilario, Ivanovic, Di Santo, Mikel, Kalou, Belletti, Mancienne

Barcelona: Valdez; Dani Alves, Piquye, Toure, Abidal; Busquets, Keita, Xavi Hernandez; Messi, Iniesta, Eto'o

Subs: Pinto, Caceres, Gudjohnsen, Krkic, Sylvinho, Hleb, Rodriguez

Ref: Tom Henning Ovrebo (Nor)

Sky: Blue tarnished with urban filth

Humidity: 52%, since you ask

Preamble:

Calling this match is harder than Michael Essien, but one thing is fore sure: it will be a lot closer than last night's Mancunian mashing of Arsene Wenger's godzookies. Chelsea were fluid and cutting in attack at the weekend – even though Frank Lampard couldn't wangle his way into Didiier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Florent Malouda's exchanges, and Fulham's defence is better than the slapdash one Barca have to field tonight. Mind you, Chelsea's offensive verve was offset by defensive sloppiness on Saturday so, despite Thierry Henry's absence, the chances of Barca scoring an away goal have got to be decent. My hardly-earned money's on 3-1 to the home team. And yours? Why?

"Hello from Istanbul!" booms Phil West. "I thought Frank was replicating the famous Scream by Edvard Munch. The photo that was taken a few seconds later showed him with his hands covering his ears. Having just put the ball in row W, he is trying to shut out the 'screams from nature' emanating from accountants, wearing Chelsea strip, in their private boxes."

A magnificently odd fawner writes: As always I'm really looking forward to your mbm, which is sure to add a revelatory third dimension to the experience of the game for one and all. "At the beginning of your piece on the Chelsea v Fulam game you wrote "Sweet dreams are made of this" ... and I thought "Who am I to disagree"?" chortles Jesualdo Ferreira. "You did a very nice analysis of the problems and opportunities Chelsea will face against Barca. I completely agree that the result will hinge on how Drogba, Anelka and Malouda combine. By the way, did you see that Hiddink is saying this is maybe the last opportunity for some of the old Chelsea players to win the Champo League? A sad thought ... but life goes on ... perhaps you are familiar with the old Portuguese folk song which goes 'Love is a retired footballer in an open car'?"

7:23pm: "I predict 2-0 Chelsea," hallos K Brady from Tampa. "A scrappy first-half goal by Drogba and a second half counter-attack strike by the Incredible Sulk." Now hold on, that's one of the most unfair nicknames in football. He was burdened with that tag for demanding a move from Arsenal to a Real Madrid as youngster - hardly a diva-esque rider - and he's folks haven't bothered to remove it since despite much evidence suggesting he's an affable guy. I will grant you, however, that his moaning after being asked to take a penalty in last year's shoot-out was despicable.

A hypothesis: "Against Sevilla Iniesta played as a linkman behind Henry and Eto'o," builds up someone called Roberticus Sweeney. "Against Real Madrid he lined up at left central midfield. Going by the Bernabeu derby, I'd say Iniesta outside left, Eto'o outside right and Messi as a false centre-forward who drops off, Terry and Alex marking thin air."

7:25pm: "3-2 to the home side, simply because there's no way that Barca won't score, but there's also no way that Barca's sub-La Liga defending will do well at Stamford Bridge," guffs James Taylor. "Their backline would be leaky even by Eredivisie standards."

7:29pm: In a prematch interview Hiddink has just suggested that Busquets, not Toure, could play at centreback. All will be revealed soon ...

7:30pm: "Did I really just read a Godzooky reference in this column?" barfs James Colern. "So I am not the only person in the world who remembers that horrible cartoon from the late 70's (that I remember it with fondness, does not make it any less horrible of a cartoon)." Godzilla, I submit, was a great cartoon, right up there with Battle of the Planets. Godzooky ruined it in much the same way as Scrabby Doo ruined his uncle's show.

7:31pm: Oh dear

7:33pm:"Any chance you can let us know who is a booking away from missing the final on either side?" demands Simon Horwell. "As I United fan I want to be on the lookout!" The men you want cautioned, Simon, are Ballack, Alex, Anelka, Alves and Busquets.

7:35pm: "King's Road was lively round 6pm this evening with loads of fans of both persuasions in full voice," reports Colm Devine. "I thought it was ironic to see Chelsea fans clustered round the front of La Rueda (Spanish restaurant), glowering at the hundreds of Barca fans trudging past. I could stand in my patio and gauge the mood of the match, like I

usually do for Chelsea home games, but I reckon I'll find out more by

reading your mbm report (and keep tabs on The Apprentice, too)." Wise choice, Colm. As it happens, I was down that way myself a couple of hours ago and witnessed the jollity to which you refer. There also seemed to be dozens of enterprising folks trying to flog tickets. Aren't Uefa supposed to have stamped that out?

7:39pm: Lest we forget.

7:40pm: Out march the teams, to an unusually loud din at the Bridge, albeit one artifically enhanced by some crummy song over the tannoy.

7:42pm: "Guus Hiddink famously claimed that South Korea would approach their semi-final with Germany 'like a pack of young dogs'," spews Justin Kavanagh. "My guess is that his efforts to convince his Chelsea old dogs that they could soon be bound for the pound will result in a similar 0-1 disappointment?" I think we have established, Justin, that there's no way on Geezer Butler's earth that Barcelona are going to keep a clean sheet.

1 min: Barcelona, in Watford yellow, set the game in motion. Early signs are Toure is at centreback, Busquets holding in midfield.

2 mins: Barca were strokign the ball daintily around the middle until Terry crunched into Messi and sent a fine pass through to Drogba. Aiiee! The Ivorian's control betrays him, otehrwise he would have had a clear run on goal!

4 mins: Nifty stuff from Barca as MEssi Eto'o combine well at the edge of the Chelsea box. Alex brings their fun to a halt with a well-timed tackle and then boots the ball long towards Drogba - that has been Chelsea's tactic of choice so far.

5 mins: "I suggest Chelsea let Barca score early doors," moots Tim Buckingham. "Then they'll defend that lead, except, well, they can't defend. When Chelsea score through Terry (though it might be Alex), Barca won't be able to amend their game plan to get back up the pitch and Lampard is going to bundle something in with about 15 minutes to go. You can all go home now, glad to be of help." Well, the first part of your forecast could be correct, as Barca have started very brightly and most of the game is being played in the Chelsea half. Messi just flipped a decent ball across the face of goal but no one was on hand to turn it in.

8 mins: Alves is getting forward to good effect and really tormenting Cole. Xavi just picked him out with a fizzed crossfield pass, but the Brazilian's volley flew way off target.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Barcelona (Essien 9')

9 mins: THAT'S A PHENOMENAL GOAL! For practically the first time in the game Chelsea strung neat passes together in the opposing half but then Lampard's attempted chip into the box was hooked out by a defender - no matter, Essien stepped up and enflamed a ridiculous 25-yard, left-foot volley in off the underside of the bar!

11 mins: Decent riposte by Barcelona, who've resumed their zippy possession play. Chelsea, meanwhile, have reverted to launching the ball long to Drogba. "52% humidity? Really?" quibbles an incredulous Danny Stracey. "At this time of night? Where is this game being played exactly, Florida?" Hey, don't bust my chops, Danny, that there is an official Uefa figure, so it must be right. Oh yes.

13 mins: "While you are by far my favorite of the Guardian MBM'ers," smarms Marc Howlett, who knows how to get published. "Your

analysis cannot quite match the magnificence of that goal. Echoes of

Zidane, 2002?" Considerably better, I reckon.

15 mins: Chelsea catch the visitors on the counter, Cole racing behind Alves down the left and cutting the ball back to Lampard. From 16 yards he blazes high and wide with his left foot.

17 mins: Chelsea rumbled forward anew, and Malouda has a reasonable long-range effort blocked by Pique before it can trouble Valdes. "That photo of Lamps reminds me of the 1978 version of 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'," confesses Eliot Crowe. "That's a film that gave me some serious nightmares when I were a lad. See number nine on this top ten list of scary films, if you don't know what I'm talking about."

20 mins: More pretty embroidery around the box by Barcelona but when it comes to threading through the crucial final ball, they've goofed. So far. But Chelsea would be unwise to bank on that clumsiness continuing. "So, Lampard, everyone's favourite deflected goal specialist, is now trying his hand at deflected assists, hurrah!" exults Paul Carter. "What next? Deflected bread in the toaster? Curling off deflected number twos?"

21 mins: Alves tonks a 25-yard freekick three metres wide.

23 mins: Lampard hoiks one over the top for Drogba to chase and the Ivorian does just that. He gets there fractionally before Valdes but the keeper reads his attempt ot lift it over him and whacks the ball clear.

25 mins: That should be a penalty to Chelsea! Alves held Malouda back after the Frenchman skinned him but referee reckons - wrongly - that it was just outside the box, so it's only a freekick, from the left by-line. Drogab fires it across the face of goal and Valdes scrambles it out for a corner. Terry soars above Keita to meet Lampard's delivery and sends his header just wide.

27 mins: Chelsea are denied another penalty! Abidal tugged Drogba's shirt as he latched on to another lofted pass from Lampard. The striker goes down a la Fabregas last night but the ref awards neither a penalty nor a red card. Lasta night's official was a goofer who saw fouls where there were only robust challenges, tonight's men in black is the opposite.

28 mins: Malouda retreats diligently to thwaert Alves after Cole was again caught unawares. "Much as I hate Chelsea, as all right thinking people must, I can't help having a sneaky hope that they will win this-simply to be able to see what the Spanish press will whine and whinge over this time," rolicks John Beaven. "Mr Essien kicking the ball too hard? The grass not quite the right shade of green?"

30 mins: Iniesta curls the ball high and wide from 25 yards. For all their sweet passing, Barca have yet to force a save from Cech.

31 mins: Alves booked for a fairly inoffensive challenge on Cole. He'll miss the final for that, in the unlikely event of Barca getting through. Absurd.

32 mins: A pause in play as Lampard receives treatment to a bloody lip. "And the Danny Alves enigma continues," blurts Loig Thivend. "Is this guy good, let alone "brilliant"? Really?" He's probably good in the run-of-the-mill confines of La Liga.

34 mins: "What do you mean 'in the unlikely event of Barca getting through?" steams Gareth Douglas. "They only need one away goal." And they might just get such a goal. But there's no way they'll go the rest of this game without conceding at least one more goal.

36 mins: Messi, who has re-appeared after a 20-minute shopping excursion down the King's Road, I assume, tries to pick out Eto'o with a cross from the right but Cole gets a touch to it and that's enough to divert it into Cech's arms.

38 mins: Messi dodges past Cole with ease that should mortify the Englander, but then wafts in an even more embarrassing attempted cross. Cech is courteous enough not to laugh as he collects it.

40 mins: Essien aborts a Barca attack by pushing over Alves as the fullback raced towards the danger zone. I can only assume the ref is infatuated with the Ghanaian following his sublime goal. There is no other reason for not booking him there. "This question is the appropriate one," ahoy-theres Thomas Saylor. "What will the Spanish press whine about this time? Make excuses is more on the mark. Yes it's true Barcelona put in six at Real Madrid last week, but let's face it they have 'earned' their offensive credentials through maulings of teams like Numancia, Malaga, or Gijon - these and other flotsam from the Primera Division would be lucky to finish mid-table in the Championship. End of the day: offense sells tickets, defense still wins big matches. Boo hoo Barca."

42 mins: Chelsea try to knock the ball around in the Barca half but the visitors' pressing is frenetic and they eventually force Essien into smashing the ball back to Cech from the half-way line. a

44 mins: Drogba slips a ball between Alves and Abidal for Anelka to chase, but Abidal gets to it first and taps it back to Valdes to punt. "I keep hearing that Barcelona are the reincarnation of Brazil 1970," but bellows Gary Naylor. "On the evidence of nearly three halves of football, they are more Middlesbrough 2009 - can't defend and can't make a chance, never mind score a goal. La Liga must be like the SPL if Barcelona are unstoppable."

Half-time: Here's a statement of the obvious: this game is not over. As already noted, Barcelona are well capable of scoring, assuming, that is, they can figure out how to top off all their neat build-ups by actually creating a shooting opportunity - instead of sending high crosses straight to Terry, Alex or Cech as soon as they get near the box. Chelsea are content to sit back and try to hit them on the break with long ball for Drogba to chase - not an especially imaginative tactic but meancing nonetheless. "Here's my reply to Gary Naylor," mewls James Tyler. "Brazil, 1970 they most certainly are not, but they could be in with a shout of Holland '74. Wonderful team, wonderful organization, scored goals, defended reasonably, tons of hype, yet came completely unstuck against the one and only team they played in that tournament year who wasn't afraid of their reputation before the match."

Never forget, never forgive. "As an Arsenal fan, I am very concerned for Alex Hleb's safety now that he is back in big, bad London," guffaws Jeff Woodman. "Can you please provide a status on his well-being?" He looks as well as ever, the poor lad.

46 mins: We have go. There will surely be goals in this period because if Chelsea keep conceding ground and passing sloppily, Barca are eventually going to get things right up front. Hiddink will surely have ordered his troops to go for a second. Meanwhile, have a gawk at this

47 mins: The game has quickly settled into the same pattern as the first half, Barca dominating possession but unable to find any sort of incisiveness in the final third. Iniesta has jsut thumped the ball miles wide from 20 yards. "Hey, does Thomas Sawyer think that Stoke, Hull, Sunderland and West Brom would set La Liga on fire," fumes Ed Rostron.

49 mins: Corner to Barca, in front of the admirably noisy travelling fans. Essien nuts it clear at the near post.

51 mins: Iniesta fires a fine ball into Keita in the box, but the Malian's touch let him down and Terry is able to boom the ball clear. "Chelsea's style of football is truly horrible, and thoroughly unbefitting of a second successive final," weeps Nicholas Davies. "It doesn't seem to matter who their manager is - they just turn up with a stick topped by a great steaming pile of dung."

53 mins: What a miss! Malouda scampered down the left and slipped the ball in to Anelka, who teed up Drogba. The Ivorian's first touch is poor but he redeems himself by sidestepping the defender ... but the shoots straight at Valdes from 16 yards! That wasz easier than the chance he wasted at the Nou Camp last week.

55 mins: Alves dashes down the right and crosses teasingly into the centre, but Bosingwa is alert and wellies the ball up the park. "Did Guus lock his players in a room with their eyes taped open a la

Clockwork Orange and show the Manchester United-Barcelona tie from

last year on repeat?" wonders Jonathan Francis. "I'm experiencing a strange feeling of deja vu ... and what's happened to Leo Messi? Did he miss the flight to London?"

56 mins: Lampard finds Drogba with another loft over the top and the striker jostles with Toure before barging into the box and going down under a sliding tackle by his compatriot. The crowd bay for a penalty but this time the referee is correct not to award one - it was a splendid tackle by Toure. "Note to Mr. Davies: Barca can't play Madrid and La Liga every game,

now and again they are compelled to play against proper teams." That's from Michael Aston, in case you were wondering. And no, I don't know who he is.

58 mins: Corner to Barcelona. Xavi passes it straight to Essien, which was nice of him.

61 mins: Barca are beginning to look more threatening but still their crossing and shooting is woeful. Moments after Alves ballooned an cross into no-mans-land, Messi shanked a shot into the stands. "I'm supposed to be studying for a Chinese Masters exam next week, so I'm watching the football with Chinese commentary (cos that counts as studying, right?)" intones David Batchelor. "Anyhoo, footballers names in Chinese are often comical. Lampard= Lan pa de = Orchid Handkerchief Virtue; Messi = Mei xi = Western Plum. And, not related to this game, but my old favourite is: Freddie Ljungberg - Yong Bei Ke = Inside the everlasting shellfish."

63 mins: A break in play for Drogba to get the attention he craves. His flouncy flop to the ground was, as usual, outrageous.

64 mins: Iniesta collects a long diagonal ball, then scurries in from the left and dinks a neat pass through to Eto'o ... who hadn't read it.

66 mins: A lovely little slalom by Messi to eliminate two defenders. But, yet again, his 25-yard shot hurtles miles wide. Barca still haven't had a shot on target.

67 mins: RED CARD FOR ABIDAL Drogba flicked on a long ball, Anelka set off in pursuit and Abidal collided with him, preventing him from entering the box. Not sure how intentional that was, or even if the contact was sufficient to send Anelka crumpling. The replay suggested Anelka's trailing foot connected with Abidal's accidentally. Harsh on Abidal. Still, it's a freekick just outside the box.

68 mins: Lampard's freekick trickles wide.

70 mins: Another wonky cross from Alves. "For the love of Geezer Butler, will someone please tell Barcelona that it sometimes helps if you take a shot!" strums Nick Wiliamson. "No chance to over-elaborate is passed up, when all they need to win it is a Lampard-style deflection to go through. If they fail they will have no one to blame but themselves, and their whinging will be all the more pathetic as a result." Well, in fairness, they'd be entitled to whinge about Abidal's expulsion.

71 mins: A trademark deflected shot from Lampard wrongfoots Valdes, who does well to adjust his position and clasp the ball.

72 mins: Chelsea substitution: Drogba off - and he shakes his head in dismay at that decision - and Belletti on. So Hiddink removes his most effective weapon and declares his intention to hold on for the 1-0 against 10 men? It would appear so.

74 mins: Essien booked for clattering into Iniesta.

76 mins: A slightly better cross by Alves is cleared by Ballack at the near post. Chelsea hurtled forward, until Belletti's cross from the right is cut out. Chelsea regain possession and Essien picks out Anelka with a cute ball. But the Frenchman had wandered offside.

78 mins: Terry slips and Messi springs through the heart of Chelsea's defence. Alex flicks out his leg to bring him down - and is deservedly booked. He will miss the final, if Chelsea get there. With Barca about to take a 25-yard freekick, that suddenly seems less likely. But no, Alves smacks the ball over the bar. Still Barcelona have not mustered a shot on target.

79 mins: Anelka races into the box again, and again goes down under a challenge. This time it was from Toure, and it was immaculate. "The red card was completely justified," hollers Igor Bratic. "Abidal went in hard enough that, somehow, Drogba was hurt in the collision as well and had to come off."

81 mins: The ball bounces around the edge of the Chelsea area until Pique tries to send it goalward. And fails.

82 mins: Another Chelsea shout for a penalty. The ball blatantly hit Pique's hand after Anelka tried to scoop it over him. Another bad decision by the ref. The officials in the two semi-finals have been absolutely awful.

83 mins: Lampard wins a corner for Chelsea. Malouda's outswinger is cleared by Pique.

85 mins: Barca attempt to pick their way through Chelsea's massed defecne again, but are thwarted when Iniesta strays offside. "I'm sure MBM readers aren't lawbreakers (and if they are, they aren't idiots) but just in case, I'd like to point out that some enterprising nerd has posted Essien's goal on a well known video sharing website," reveals civic-minded Jack Lee. "Yes, it really is good."

85 mins: Barceloan change: Bojan on, Busquets off. "Surely Barcelona should consider introducing Lionel Messi at some stage," quips Michael Aston.

87 mins: Lampard's reverse pass is just behind Essien, who has to adjust his run before shooting, and that gives Pique enough time to get across and block the shot.

88 mins: Now that really was world class from Messi! A textbook theatrical fall on the edge of the Chelsea area. The ref, surprisingly, doesn't award a freekick.

89 mins: Cole intercepts a Messi pass on the rim of the Chelsea area. Barceloan retrieve and work it wide to Alves, whose cross, YET AGAIN, sails off into the London night.

90 mins: There will be at least four more mintues. And on that note, Eto'o cops a booking for taking down Lampard. "Barca are pants," spurts Tom Rooney. "The ref is pantser."

90+1 mins: A mistake by Keita lets Belletti in, but as Toure comes across to tackle, the former Barcelona man miscues his shot.

GOAL! Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona (Iniesta 90+3')

90+3 mins: Alves delivered his first decent cross of the night. Terry got his head to it but couldn't send further than a Barcelona player, and got no help from Essien, who swiped at fresh air. It's worked to Iniesta at the edge of the box and he fires a wonderful shot into the top corner!

90+4 mins: Chelsea wallop the ball forward. Alex wins a corner, Lampard comes across to take it. Cech gets his head to it .. .but knocks it backwards to Ballack, whose shot is fired straight at Keita, who beats it away with his arms! No penalty says the strange referee, who then books Ballack for his outraged protests.

90+5 mins: Barcelona changes: Iniesta and Eto'o off, Gudjohnsen and Sylvinho on.

Full-time Terry leads a Chelsea charge over to the ref, who was disgraceful. But that shouldn't deflect attention from the fact that tactical genius Guss Hiddink's masterplan was to take off his most effective striker, and replace him with a defensive midfielder, against 10 men. Barca's scored with their only shot on target; the final will probably be more entertaining than a United-Chelsea one would have been. The far more clinical United have got to be favourites. Meanwhile, Drogba is booked for arguing with the ref as the inept Norwegian tries to make his way off the pitch. "It's a fucking disgrace" shouts Drogba into the camera. Mind you, it wouldn't have come to this if he hadn't missed a superb chance just before his substitution.

You know what: I'm going to stick around to bring you any post-match interviews. They promise to be quite amusing. Anyone still with me?

9:46pm: In Sky's studio, Jamies Redknapp is echoing Andy Gray's gripes throughout the match, viz: that for a match of this magnitude it is crazy to appoint a referee from a backwater such as Norway. That is jingoistic crud, in my view. How good was England's Graham Poll at the last World Cup? And didn't Howard Webb have a shocker in Europe the other weeK? And wasn't last night's clown Italian?

9:48pm: "I honestly thought Ballack was going to deck the referee there!" gusges Niall Caldwell. "Now THAT would have been entertaining." Indeed.

9:50pm: "Chelsea arrogance poured through the mbm emails and ultimately Chelsea's performance, scoffs Dave. "Look who's whinging now." Funnily enough, I'd say their performacne wasn't arrogant enough: it was meek.

9:52pm: "That was truly incredible," stammers Steven Beijer. "uefa must be pleased that the referee's off decision averted anothger all-English final. Hmm..."

9:54pm: Lots of incredulous fury in the Sky studio, where Messers Redknapp and Souness can't believe that Chelsea didn't have at least three ... no, make that four ... penalties. "I couldn't be any happier with the result, even if it was a complete travesty," sermonises Zachary Taylor. "By the way, you want to learn a thing or two about divine justice, read the Book of Job. Good guy sits on dung heap contemplating dead sheep and children, all because the big fellas are conducting a little experiment. That tale should put things in perspective for the outraged Chelsea fans."

9:56pm: The first post-match interview: "At one point in the game it was really hard when we had 10 men and they were attacking. But finally in the last minute we scord a goal and I have no words to describe how happy the team is at this moment." drones a remarkably sober Gerard Pique. In fairness to the former Manchester United defender, he admitted the ball hit his hand in the box when Anelka tried to knock it past him and that the ref was wrong not to award a penalty. Anyone else think that admission could make Chelsea's interviews even more entertaining?

10pm: "Here's some news from the backwater!" announces Frode Arnesen. "On Norwegian TV they are giving the ref stick too, especially for those two handball-no-penalties!"

10:02pm: "Shouldn't Ballack and - particularly - Drogba be more severely punished for their protests?" lectures Stuart Chapman. "No matter how hard done by they are, no matter how inept the referee, his decision is final. Drogba is the disgrace!" That was just one of approximately 1064858952952025 emails to that effect. And you can bet Uefa will indeed impose a stiffer penalty, particularly if, as one David Williams claims, Drogba made some angry allegations to French TV just now.

10:05pm: "On 5Live Tim Lovejoy sounds like he has been shot," whoops Chris Murray. So he's totally silent then?

10:08pm: "I switched on 20 minutes from the end and heard a commentator say "...has been sent off," dribbles Alex Sharkey. "For the next five minutes I sat admiring Chelsea's resolve in defending with only ten men, before realizing it was the attacking team who were a man down. So let's put an end to all that "Barca didn't deserve it" nonsense right now." It's fair point, folks.

10:10pm: I am shocked and outraged that no Chelsea player has yet come to share his views. Or is it just that Sky haven't been able to find one who won't spit swear words into their precious camera?

10:13pm: "Shocking refereeing but what a contrast between the mob hysterics of Terry, Ballack, Drogba & Co and poor Darren Fletcher's reaction yesterday," observes Rupert Maitland. "He was dignity personified.

After an excellent personal performance and what looked like a half-decent tackle, his sense of injustice must have been even greater - and he had to take it completely on his own. What a star. Thanks for the brilliant mbm. Are you doing the final?" C'mon, do you really think we plan these thigns that far ahead?

HERE'S GUUS HIDDINK: "We are so disappointed. There are two issues. WE could have and should have sacored in some open sitautions. Of course we talk a lot about the not-given penalties. There was the shirt-pulling on Didier ... Ok, we had the Henry-situation in Barcelona but we had three others here. I won't say what the boys feel ... OK, they feel it was an injustice.

Hiddink on the penalty decisions: "If you have seen clearly the one ball on Pique, on a reflex the arm is going up. If he is blocked by not seeing it, then there is also an assistant referee ...

On suggestions that some influential people didn't want an all-English final: You can never prove this. It's just ... out of emotion. Five or six situations - not just one - the Malouda situation ... he was grabbed inside the box. It's not just one doubtful situation as the Henry situation was in Barcelona, it's three, four. But we should have scored ourselves, whether some people don't want an all-English final again.

On the reaction of the Chelsea players at the end: I can fully understand in the emotion of the game. As long as they don't touch him. It's not just one decision in doubt, it's several not-made decisions. I protect my players on this.

Thanks for tuning in. And for your very many emails, some of which were good. Please call again. Bye.