In 2012, Chelsea FC made history by winning the UEFA Champions League. One of the most memorable moments of that campaign was the goal scored by Fernando Torres against Barcelona in the semi-final.
However, there has been some debate over who assisted that crucial goal. Let’s take a closer look.
The Build-Up to the Goal
The match between Chelsea and Barcelona was played at Camp Nou, and Barcelona were overwhelming favorites to progress to the final. The first leg had ended in a 1-0 win for Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, which meant that Barcelona needed to win by at least two goals to go through.
Barcelona dominated possession and had numerous chances, but they were thwarted time and again by Chelsea’s heroic defending. As the minutes ticked away, it looked like Chelsea might just hold on for a famous victory.
However, in the 90th minute, Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez scored to level the tie on aggregate. At this point, it seemed like all hope was lost for Chelsea.
But then came one of the most dramatic moments in Champions League history. In injury time, Fernando Torres broke away from the Barcelona defense and went one-on-one with goalkeeper Victor Valdes. Torres rounded Valdes and slotted home into an empty net to send Chelsea through to the final.
The Assist
So who assisted Torres’ goal? The official UEFA website lists Lampard as providing the assist. However, there is some debate over whether this is accurate.
Some sources suggest that Ramires should be credited with the assist. Ramires played a crucial role in setting up Torres’ run by intercepting a pass from Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets and then playing a perfectly weighted through ball to Torres.
Others argue that Juan Mata should be credited with the assist because he played a key role in winning possession back for Chelsea before Ramires’ interception.
The Verdict
The truth is that there is no definitive answer to the question of who assisted Torres’ goal. All three players – Lampard, Ramires, and Mata – played important roles in the build-up to the goal.
What is clear, however, is that Torres’ goal was a moment of pure magic that will be remembered by Chelsea fans for generations to come. It was a fitting end to a remarkable game and a remarkable campaign for Chelsea.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Fernando Torres’ goal against Barcelona in 2012 will go down as one of the greatest moments in Chelsea’s history. While there may be some debate over who assisted the goal, what is certain is that it was a team effort that saw Chelsea overcome the odds and progress to the final. The use of different HTML styling elements such as , ,
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