Bayern Munich’s first visit to Stamford Bridge was the opening leg of a quarter-final in April 2005, when Chelsea were about to end a 50-year wait for a second league title success.

Striker Mateja Kezman was suspended, dependable right-back Paulo Ferreira had a broken foot, and Arjen Robben was ruled out of both legs by ankle ligament damage, stripping the team of half the devastating wing partnership he had struck up with Damien Duff.

Jose Mourinho was also serving a UEFA touchline ban, though there were mischievous suggestions assistant Rui Faria’s beanie hat masked an earpiece giving him contact to the head coach. The Special One did not look missed as this brilliant side took the game to the visitors from the off, with a pulsating Stamford Bridge crowd urging them on.

The roar from the stands was instantly rewarded with the perfect start, when Joe Cole’s snap 25-yarder deflected off Lucio to wrong-foot Oliver Kahn and nestle in the net.

After that boost the Blues’ attackers reached a level befitting the occasion, Didier Drogba taking on and beating two defenders at a time and Eidur Gudjohnsen dropping deep to initiate moves, troubling the Bavarians in the box with his subtlety and physical presence.

Just before the break, Bixente Lizerazu was fortunate not to be penalised for grappling goalscorer Cole in the box, but Chelsea went in at half-time one goal to the good, Bayern largely restricted to set-piece chances.

After that boost the Blues’ attackers reached a level befitting the occasion, Didier Drogba taking on and beating two defenders at a time and Eidur Gudjohnsen dropping deep to initiate moves, troubling the Bavarians in the box with his subtlety and physical presence.

Just before the break, Bixente Lizerazu was fortunate not to be penalised for grappling goalscorer Cole in the box, but Chelsea went in at half-time one goal to the good, Bayern largely restricted to set-piece chances.

So it was that a loose foul by William Gallas on the edge of the box led to a free-kick the Blues struggled to clear, and half-time substitute Bastian Schweinsteiger swept past Petr Cech from an angle to level.

Only a few minutes later, however, the hosts’ advantage was restored. Glen Johnson hit the ball long to Drogba, who won his aerial duel to set up Frank Lampard for an assured left-foot finish from the edge of the box.

The lead was extended to 3-1 by what Lampard considers his best ever goal from a technical perspective. Drogba’s back-header to Duff caused disarray in the Bayern ranks but they squeezed out the Irishman and the ball squirmed clear to the lurking Claude Makelele.

The midfielder could see two unmarked teammates on the left of the box and chipped the ball in. It arrived at chest height for Lampard, but he controlled it brilliantly, swivelled, then half-volleyed across Kahn for a truly world-class finish, his second strike in 10 minutes.Drogba finally scored the goal his performance warranted when the visitors failed to clear an inswinging corner and the Ivorian thrashed home the loose ball.

A 4-1 scoreline would have handed the Blues a seemingly unassailable three-goal buffer to take to Germany’s deep south but in stoppage time, Michael Ballack won a penalty. The Guardian reported the incident thus: ‘Carvalho had the merest of tugs and Ballack went down like he'd been shot. Referee Rene Temmink bought it though.’

The midfielder netted against his future club to give the Felix Magath’s side a glimmer of hope.The second leg in Munich was an end-to-end affair in which Chelsea led twice before losing 2-3 at the death. The 6-5 aggregate score still secured a place in the last four.

By Rick Glanvill

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