Champions League: Didier Drogba delivers again
The Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Chelsea on Saturday wasn’t a classic in the mould of the Real Madrid-Eintracht Frankfurt epic at Hampden Park, Glasgow, in 1960. Nor was it as dramatic as Liverpool’s win over AC Milan in the 2005 final.
The contest at the Allianz Arena in Munich was, however, intriguing and gripping in many ways. Some myths were smashed and a few others reinforced during the course of Chelsea’s triumph.
1. Didier Drogba is a polarising figure. People love him and loathe him in equal measure. He is revered in all of Africa and many pundits in Europe brand him a cheat who goes down when the wind gets stronger. Few can irritate, hustle opponents like Drogba. His admirers adore him for his strength, spirit, aerial ability and poaching skills.
The Ivorian has the knack of rising to the occasion in key matches. Drogba has scored nine goals in as many cup finals. He was such a central figure in Chelsea’s win on Sunday that the match will be called the Drogba final as the name of Stanley Matthews is forever associated with the 1953 FA Cup final. The strapping striker, who was rumoured to be heading to the Chinese league not long ago, lived a dream in the futuristic Allianz Arena.
2. Is modern football moving inexorably towards younger players? Maybe not. Drogba, 34, left his younger team-mates and opponents in the shade with his energetic and radiant performance. Most of his team-mates aren’t spring chickens either.
3. Ashley Cole has his detractors — plenty of them. But the Chelsea left-back has demonstrated that he is one of the world-class players in the current crop of perennially under-performing English stars.
4. The absence of John Terry came as a blessing in disguise for Chelsea as the central defender had been struggling in the Premier League of late.
5. German teams aren’t invincible in penalty shootouts. English players aren’t always a bundle of nerves from 12 yards as Frank Lampard and Cole dispatched their penalties with a touch of assurance.
6. Arjen Robben is, no doubt, a wonderful talent. He can bewitch fans with his dribbling. But he is the embodiment of selfishness inside the box. He never bothers to look out at team-mates in better positions; going for glory alone is ingrained in his DNA.
The Dutch winger never delivers in big matches. The list of disappointments includes the 2010 CL final and the 2010 World Cup final. Robben blotted his copybook with the botched up penalty in extra-time.
7. Chelsea have proved — as they had done against Barcelona — that better teams needn’t win. For possession and chances created, Bayern should have won by a mile but they ended up licking their wounds. Football is cruel when opportunities aren’t grabbed.
8. The transformation of Roberto Di Matteo from a West Brom no-hoper to CL winner is complete in the space of 15 months. The cup master needs to prove himself in a league to be counted among the top dogs. First, Roman Abramovich must stop chasing big names and give the Italian a permanent job.
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