by Trevor Haylett from London
Nothing will ever match Moscow 2008 for sheer disappointment for Chelsea FC's players but Andrés Iniesta's added-time equaliser for FC Barcelona, which consigned them to another defeat in a UEFA Champions League semi-final, runs it pretty close.
Bitter end
Twelve months after they lost the final to Manchester United FC in an agonising penalty shoot-out, Chelsea's hopes of making amends by winning this season's competition came to a bitter end just when it looked as if Michael Essien's stunning ninth-minute volley would carry the day against Barcelona. "We have been knocked out of a semi-final and we are obviously going to be down, especially considering the circumstances in which it happened," said Frank Lampard.
Still believing
"We were disappointed we could not take our other chances and in the end we have been kicked in the teeth," he added. "It's a big disappointment but we have to be big and stand up to be counted. We have to be professional and we have to believe we can still get to another Champions League final and win it. There would be no point carrying on otherwise."
No luck
After their fourth semi-final defeat in this competition in six seasons, Michael Ballack believes the fates have turned against Chelsea. "Last year was a big, big disappointment when it came down to one penalty and now we have been beaten by a goal in the 93rd or 94th minute," he said. "It is just unbelievable. Normally you can't say that the wrong team has gone through to the final but we had the better chances and that's why we deserved to have won. We know Barcelona are a great team and they can play great football but we were the better team."
