The Blues first played Barca in SW6 all the way back in May 1966. Over 40,000 people saw a pair of own goals secure Tommy Docherty’s side a famous 2-0 win in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup semi-final second leg. We would lose the play-off back in Catalonia, alas.

Our next meeting was during our maiden Champions League voyage, an epic quarter-final tie in 1999/00, and we subsequently faced Barcelona in five of the next eight seasons we were in the Champions League. With two of Europe’s best going toe to toe time and again, a rivalry was born.

Tonight’s game is our first competitive fixture against them since 2018, when more stories will no doubt be written. Here are six of the most memorable from past clashes at Stamford Bridge…

Zola waves his magic wand | 5 April 2000

Gianfranco Zola inspired an extraordinary performance in our first Champions League quarter-final by bending a trademark free-kick over the wall and into the Shed End net.

The Blues had lift-off and went on to score twice more before the break through Tore Andre Flo. A mind-blown Stamford Bridge had just witnessed one of Chelsea’s greatest halves ever.

Captain Marvel wins it | 8 March 2005

In an all-time European classic, Chelsea were bowing out to Barcelona on away goals until captain John Terry intervened late on.

He guided a header from a corner goalwards (pictured top) and his centre-back partner Ricardo Carvalho did the rest, ensuring Victor Valdes could not dive to save it. Chelsea advanced 5-4 on aggregate, with JT the hero.

The Drog delivers | 18 October 2006

On the night Hilario was thrust into the spotlight after Petr Cech and Carlo Cudicini picked up serious injuries away to Reading a few days earlier, the in-form Didier Drogba blasted the Blues to victory against Frank Rijkaard’s European champions.

A minute into the second half, Drogba deftly got the ball out of his feet on the edge of the and then fired a shot past Valdes with minimal backlift. It was some finish.

A goal worthy of winning the game | 6 May 2009

The brilliance of this blue bullet should not be overshadowed by what followed on a dramatic and ultimately heartbreaking night at the Bridge.

The ball looped up a good 25 yards from goal and Michael Essien met it with a left-footed volley so sweetly-struck it would have ripped the net out had it not crashed in off the underside of the crossbar.

The goal may not have secured our progression to the Champions League final, but it deserved won the Chelsea Goal of the Season award.

Ashley off the line | 18 April 2012

Ashley Cole had a happy knack of clearing shots off the line throughout his Blues career. Indeed, earlier in our triumphant Champions League campaign of 2011/12, the left-back had done exactly that away to Napoli to keep our dream alive.

In the first leg of our semi-final tie against Pep Guardiola’s star-studded Barcelona, Blues backs were firmly to the wall: Alexis Sanchez had already hit the bar and Petr Cech was busy between the posts before Cole dashed back to clear Cesc Fabregas’s dinked finish off the line.

Scarcely a minute later, Didier Drogba put us ahead – and that what-if moment set the tone for an epic Chelsea success.

The wonder of Willian | 20 February 2018

Our most recent meeting with Barca at the Bridge came seven-and-a-half years ago. The Blues were excellent from the off and created several chances with Eden Hazard in a false nine role and Pedro and the outstanding Willian providing extra attacking impetus.

Our determination and good play was finally rewarded just after the hour. A corner was worked to Willian on the edge of the box, and he shifted the ball out of his feet before whipping a shot into the bottom right-hand corner.