Drogba’s heroics, Barca stunned: Chelsea’s 12 best European games

With Chelsea’s favourable Conference League draw, the Blues are now clear favourites to win the competition.

Enzo Maresca’s side will defend a 2-1 first-leg lead against FC Copenhagen in the last 16, while they will play either Molde or Legia Warsaw should they make the quarter-finals.

One of Borac, Rapid Vienna, Pafos or Djurgarden will be their opponents in the semi-finals, with a showdown against Fiorentina or Real Betis potentially ahead of them in the final, being held in the Polish city of Wroclaw.

This may not be the Champions Leaguebut Maresca will be keen to finish his first season with a trophy in the cabinet ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

At the time of writing, the Stamford Bridge side occupy fifth place in the Premier League tablejust a point behind Manchester City in fourth place.

If they embark on a solid run between now and May, they could secure a Champions League berth for next season. Some of the club’s finest nights have come in the competition over the years, while they have enjoyed performing on the continent in other competitions.

Here, we have taken a look at some of the best European games in the club’s history.

12

Chelsea 2-1 Benfica

Europa League final (2012/13)

Chelsea entered the 2012/13 season as the Champions League holders. However, they could only finish third in the group stages, landing in the Europa League knockout rounds.

Rafa Benitez had replaced Roberto Di Matteo as manager and led the Blues to wins over Sparta Prague, Steaua Bucharest, Rubin Kazan and Basel to reach the final.

The tie was finely poised at 1-1 before Branislav Ivanovic scored a late winner during injury time which saw Chelsea claim their first Europa League crown.

11

Chelsea 3-1 Barcelona

Champions League quarter-final first leg (1999/00)

Chelsea’s maiden Champions League campaign was certainly impressive. Two draws against Milan, a stunning 5-0 victory over Galatasaray and a win over Hertha Berlin secured their passage to the second group stage.

There, they saw off the challenges of Feyenoord and Marseille to book a quarter-final date with Barcelona.

Barcelona’s team, despite featuring Rivaldo and Luís Figo, were blown out of the water in west London, with goals coming from Gianfranco Zola and two efforts by Tore Andre Flo. Figo pulled back a crucial away goal as the Catalan giants won the second leg in extra time, but it was still a stunning win at the Bridge.

10

Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal

Europa League final (2018/19)

Six years after winning Europe’s secondary competition for the first time, Chelsea made the final again, this time playing London rivals Arsenal.

Maurizio Sarri had endured a tough season at the club, but his side took the Gunners apart in Baku, claiming a wonderful 4-1 victory.

Two goals from Eden Hazard and one apiece from Pedro and Olivier Giroud meant it was a fairly straightforward win, with the added pleasure in knowing that the Gunners missed out on Champions League football the following season.

9

Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea

Champions League quarter-final 2nd leg (2003/04)

Arsenal were going for an undefeated Premier League season, while the Champions League arguably represented the best chance of the Blues winning silverware as they trailed the Gunners in the league.

They had lost to the Gunners in the FA Cup two months before, while the north Londoners had won both league games 2-1. The odds were stacked against Claudio Ranieri’s side.

A 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their quarter-final meant Arsenal had the advantage. Jose Antonio Reyes put the home side ahead before half-time, but Chelsea fought back, scoring twice in the second half to secure a stunning triumph. Wayne Bridge’s late strike will live long in the memory.

8

Stuttgart 0-1 Chelsea

UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup final (1997/98)

Chelsea’s FA Cup triumph in 1997 ensured they qualified for the Cup Winners’ Cup for the 1997/98 season.

Wins over Slovan Bratislava, Tromso, Real Betis and Vicenza set up a final against Stuttgart in Sweden. The Blues won the match 1-0 thanks to a goal from Zola, securing them just their second European trophy.

7

Chelsea 4-1 Napoli

Champions League last-16 2nd leg (2011/12)

After a torrid start to the season under Andre Villas-Boas, Chelsea were way off the pace. European football was a welcome distraction as they qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners.

However, they suffered a 3-1 loss to Napoli in the first leg of their last-16 clash. By the time of the second leg, Villas-Boas had been sacked and Roberto Di Matteo was in charge.

Goals from Didier Drogba and John Terry levelled the tie on aggregate before a goal apiece from either side sent the tie to extra time. Ivanovic scored to send the club into the quarter-finals.

6

Chelsea 3-2 Liverpool

Champions League semi-final 2nd leg (2007/08)

Liverpool had prevailed over Chelsea in the two previous Champions League semi-finals contested in 2005 and 2007, but 2008 was different.

A 1-1 draw at Anfield meant Chelsea held a slim advantage ahead of the second leg. Another 1-1 draw sent the tie to extra time, where Frank Lampard and Drogba scored to put the club on the brink of the final.

Ryan Babel netted a late consolation, but the Blues hung on to reach the final of the Champions League for the first time.

5

Chelsea 4-2 Barcelona

Champions League last-16 2nd leg (2004/05)

Jose Mourinho was exactly the manager Roman Abramovich needed to take Chelsea to the next level. He would lead the club to a Premier League and League Cup double in his first season, although European glory eluded them.

In the first knockout round in 2004/05, the Blues were 2-1 down from the first leg against Barcelona, but on an incredible night of drama, they raced into a 3-0 lead after just 19 minutes.

Ronaldinho scored a penalty before netting an outrageous toe-poke from outside the box to reduce the arrears further. Terry saved the day by powering home a header from a corner to send Chelsea through to the quarter-finals.

4

Chelsea 2-1 Real Madrid

European Cup Winners’ Cup final (1970/71)

Chelsea’s first European trophy was won back in 1971. The club defeated Leeds United in the 1970 FA Cup final to secure their place in the Cup Winners’ Cup.

They reached the semi-finals thanks to wins over Aris Thessaloniki, CSKA Sofia and Club Brugge. Manchester City awaited in the semi-finals, where two 1-0 victories took them to the final against Real Madrid.

Madrid had won six European Cups and were clear favourites to win. A 1-1 draw meant the final went to replay in Athens, where first-half goals from John Dempsey and Peter Osgood had the Blues firmly in control.

Real netted with 15 minutes remaining, but Chelsea held out to win their first major European trophy. Little did they know it would be 27 years before the next one.

3

Barcelona 2-2 Chelsea

Champions League semi-final 2nd leg (2011/12)

This will go down as one of the finest nights in the club’s history. After securing a superb 1-0 win in the first leg over holders Barcelona at Stamford Bridge, they went to Camp Nou with a lead to defend.

Sergio Busquets levelled the tie before John Terry was sent off. When Andrés Iniesta made it 2-0, all hope appeared lost.

Ramires then put the Blues ahead on away goals with a glorious chip, and Chelsea somehow survived a heavy onslaught as Barca laid siege on their goal – with Lionel Messi even missing a penalty.

Their place in the final was secured by a wonderful solo goal by Fernando Torres, who rounded Victor Valdes to pull off a miraculous victory. We all know what happened next.

2

Man City 0-1 Chelsea

Champions League final (2020/21)

Chelsea’s second Champions League title came during the 2020/21 campaign. Thomas Tuchel had taken over from Frank Lampard in January 2021, and the rest of the season was meant to see the German settle in ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Atlético Madrid, Porto and Real Madrid were all vanquished on the way to the final in Porto, where the club would take on Man City.

It was expected to be Pep Guardiola’s crowning glory at City, but a goal from Kai Havertz just before half-time was enough to see the Stamford Bridge side claim their second Champions League title.

1

Bayern Munich 1-1 Chelsea (3-4 on penalties)

Champions League final (2011/12)

There is no doubt that the 2012 Champions League final is the greatest night, European or otherwise, in the history of Chelsea Football Club.

Coming into the game as massive underdogs against a Bayern Munich side who were not only playing at their home stadium, but a team who had sent Real Madrid packing in the semi-finals.

Bayern scored in the closing stages of normal time courtesy of Thomas Müller, but Didier Drogba managed to score from a corner to take the match to extra time.

Petr Cech saved the day for the Blues. Not only did he save a penalty from Arjen Robben in extra time, but the Czech star kept out another two efforts from Bayern in the penalty shootout, which Chelsea won 4-3.

Despite having John Terry suspended as a result of his sending-off against Barcelona, the Blues had secured their biggest triumph, nine years after Abramovich took over the club.

A victory in the Conference League this season means Chelsea would become the first team to win the Champions League, Europa League, Cup Winners’ Cup and the Conference League.