Chelsea vs Benfica Champions League Quarter Finals: Chelsea victorious over Benfica with 2-1 (3-1 aggr.) at Stamford Bridge and cruise to the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League to face old foes Barcelona. Highlights Video

London / NationalTurk – Chelsea battled past 10-man vs Benfica 2-1 at Stamford Bridge, winning the Chelsea vs Benfica tie 3-1 on aggregate to secure a Champions League semi final ticket with their old nemesis super strong Barcelona.

Chelsea started the game vs Benfica with David Luiz in the tandem of their defense after the Afro-haired Brazilian was passed fit following an ankle injury sustained vs Aston Villa on Saturday’s Premier League game.

Chelsea vs Benfica : Benfica punished early for their defensive absences

Chelsea opponent Benfica also lacked luck in their defensive department due to injuries entering the Champions League second leg match Chelsea vs Benfica. With center-backs Jardel, Miguel, Ezequiel Garay and Vitor Luisao all out injured, manager Jorge Jesus’ Benfica were forced to face Chelsea at their home turf with left-back Emerson alongside midfielder Javi Garcia at Benfica tandem.

Leading 1-0 from the first leg Benfica vs Chelsea, Chelsea, the Blues took the lead on Wednesday’s Chelsea vs Benfica clash through a first half Frank Lampard penalty. And that defensive weakness of visiting Benfica was explicitly exposed after 20 minutes. Ashley Cole burst through down the left of the Benfica box and Javi Garcia, poorly positioned, crudely and blatantly blocked off the Chelsea left-back as he cut inside towards penalty spot.

Chelsea captain Frank Lampard had put Chelsea ahead on the Chelsea vs Benfica Champions League night with a deserved and fair penalty decision. Chelsea had taken a 1-0 lead into the game from the first leg and doubled that advantage after 21 minutes in Chelsea vs Benfica game when Lampard fired home from the penalty spot.From the penalty spot, Frank Lampard, recalled to the side after being left out of the first-leg, drilled the penalty low into the left side of the net. Benfica goalkeeper Artur dove the right way but the strike just escape his outstretched hands.

Chelsea vs Benfica : Benfica found themselves in a deep hole after captain Pereira saw a red card close to the break

Chelsea vs Benfica game saw a disoriented and confused Benfica after the given penalty. And Chelsea seemed certain to progress to semi finals when Benfica were reduced to 10 men before half-time as they clearly lost some nerves too. The visitors mission got even more difficult when captain Pereira was sent off for two bookable offences just before half time. Yet Chelsea failed to kill the tie vs Benfica and Javi Garcia made it 2-1 on aggregate with just five minutes remaining. But Chelsea’s Portuguese tattoo man Raul Meireles finally destroyed Benfica ‘s hopes with a goal in the 2nd minute of added time of Chelsea vs Benfica game.

Benfica vs Chelsea Highlights : Watch video highlights how Chelsea managed to the Champions League Semis in a bad season:

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Benfica also had a man sent off in the half but a spirited second half display saw the visitors grab a dramatic equaliser when Javi Garcia nodded home from a corner.For protesting too vigorously about the award of the penalty, Maxi Perreira was given a yellow card for his troubles, something he would come to bitterly regret before half-time, because the Benfica right-back was shown a second yellow card for a poor challenge on Chelsea’s Mikel John Obi that reduced Benfica to 10 men and made their already difficult task virtually impossible.

Yet with full time at Chelsea vs Benfica game only five minutes away Benfica got back in the tie when Garcia headed home from a corner, but Meireles made sure with a 20-yard rocket in the dying minutes of Chelsea vs Benfica showdown.

Chelsea breathed a sigh of a relief whit Raul Meireles’ emphatic winner in stoppage time to win the Chelsea vs Benfica game 2-1 and this 2012 Champions League Quarter Finals contest 3-1 on aggregate.

Chelsea should have put the Chelsea vs Benfica tie completely out of Benfica’s reach had Chelsea speedman Ramires not spurned a gilt-edged chance shortly after the half-time intermission. From Salomon Kalou’s cross, Ramires somehow missed the ball from a few meters out with the goal waiting like an Amsterdam whore in the red light district.

But despite being a man down, Benfica continued to have more possession, yet never seriously looked like getting back into the tie.

Indeed, Benfica manager Jorge Jesus also appeared resigned to defeat in the second half of Chelsea vs Benfica Champions League game. After the break Jorge Jesus withdrew Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo, Nicolas Gaitan and Bruno Cesar, eventually with his thoughts turning to their crucial Liga Sagre match against rivals Sporting Lisbon who are on the rise this weekend.

Chelsea vs Benfica :  Gateway to Barcelona vs Chelsea revenge

The result sets-up a rematch of the dramatic 2009 Champions League semi-final when Chelsea lost on away goals following an injury-time goal from Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta. And revenge will firmly be on the minds of Chelsea fans and many of the players going into the contest later this April. Those connected with Chelsea still feel that it was the poor decisions of a fat referee in the second-leg of the tie Barcelona vs Chelsea that cost them their rightful place in the Champions League final of 2009.

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