Barcelona. Top of the footballing food chain and the 'Prime Minister' for the G14 select clubs of European Football.
G14 is an inaccurate numerical quantity. G14 actually consists of 18 clubs and poor old Chelsea, who should be one of the European footballing elite is not a member. Simply every time Chelsea try to join this select 'prima-donas' of Europe, its Barcelona that vetos and has the last word on Chelsea pending or never getting membership.
And after last night's result in the Nou Camp where Chelsea upstaged and outplayed the current European Champions, it will be a long while before Chelsea EVER EVER get accepted into the G14 select band.
Look at the different reactions of Mourinho and Rijkaard last night. Who is the coach under more pressure? Rijkaard!!! Who was the coach that celebrated Drogba's equaliser deep into injury time? Mourinho. Certainly stark contrasts to Chelsea's previous visits to the Nou Camp in the last few years.
If it wasn't for the heroics of Barca's keeper Valdes, Chelsea this morning when they arrived back at Cobham at 3am, could have been celebrating first place in the group and top seed qualification for the knockout stage of the last 16. As it stands Chelsea still has two games to acheive this feat and even a defeat in Bremen coupled with a win against Levski will see Chelsea top the group on thirteern points.
And wouldn't it be fun if Barcelona HAD to settle for the UEFA Cup. Perhaps then their 'Prime Ministerial' duties will be replaced with a more meaningful position of 'Junior Minister.'
For the record, Barca took the lead after three minutes when Deco fired in from twenty-five yards after a Boulahrouz mistake. Frank equalised in the second-half from an extremely tight and acute angle.
Six minutes later Eidur (It had to be Eidur!!) put Barca back in front from close range after the 'buck-tooth one' Ronaldinho crossed from Chelsea's right, against Boulahrouz who I admit was responsible for both Barca's goals, but when he kept the 'dinho' quiet in the first game and almost quiet last night - its not a bad addition to your CV.
And then came the moment of sheer human excitement as Captain JT headed an Essien cross onto the chest of Didier Drogba which he controlled and silde the ball under the despairing dive of Valdes and then the outstretched legs of a Barcelona defender on the line.
Cue: Estatic celebrations on the Chelsea bench (and in this writers household), in particular Mourinho and did Rijkaard NOT LIKE THAT!!!