Match reports
The Guardian, Kevin McCarra: “Chelsea yet again paced themselves beautifully to stay in step with Manchester United. The reigning champions cannot exactly dread Sunday’s trip to Wigan Athletic when a victory will secure the title on goal difference, but they will go there with a discomfiting sense of claustrophobia because of Avram Grant’s team. Breathing space ceased to exist when Sir Alex Ferguson’s squad lost at Stamford Bridge 10 days ago.”
Daily Telegraph, Henry Winter: “Cometh the hour, cometh the German: Ballack headed home his ninth of the season before Florent Malouda added a second. In all probability, United will need to win at Wigan, because Chelsea surely boast too much belief and firepower for Bolton.”
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Match reports
The Guardian, Kevin McCarra: “The road to the final against Manchester United in Moscow on May 21 was as long and hard as Chelsea expected. In their third Champions League semi-final against Liverpool since 2005 the Stamford Bridge team have vanquished Rafael Benítez’s side at last.”
Daily Telegraph, Henry Winter: “Frank Lampard last night struck the most poignant and significant goal of his fine career, driving home an extra-time penalty to take the Blues to Red Square. As he wheeled away in celebration, Lampard sought out his father, sharing an emotional moment a week after the midfielder’s mother passed away.”
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It seems that there is a bit of a game on this evening.
Having read some missives from Merseyside, there appears to be something of a North / South divide evident between us. So, just to clarify a few points that I’ve read about us Chelsea fans in recent days.
Yes, my real name is Tarquin. The chap I sit next to at Stamford Bridge has a double-barrelled name that sounds like a couple of small villages in the Lake District.
We both run hedge funds and heat our swimming pools by burning £50 notes. And stray members of the working classes (but only when we’re bored with shooting at them).
We will be leaving our offices early today (the resident Arsenal fan is looking after mine – well, what else does he have to do?) and asking the driver to head to a little hostelry near the stadium in order to quaff a few pre-match liveners.
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