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Chelsea’s Road To The Champions League Final In Pictures

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  • Chelsea 2 Bayer Leverkusen 0

    Chelsea's Spanish player Juan Mata (L) celebrates scoring his goal against Bayer Leverkusen during a UEFA Champions League Group E football match at Stamford Bridge in London on September 13, 2011. (Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP/Getty Images)

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  • Valencia 1 Chelsea 1

    Chelsea's midfielder Frank Lampard (C) celebrates his goal with team-mates during the UEFA Champions league first leg football match at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia on September 28, 2011. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN/AFP/Getty Images)

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  • Valencia 1 Chelsea 1

    Dejected Petr Cech of Chelsea looks on as Roberto Soldado of Valencia celebrates scoring from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League match between Valencia CF and Chelsea at the Estadio Mestalla on September 28, 2011. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

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  • Chelsea 5 Genk 0

    Chelsea striker Fernando Torres (R) celebrates scoring the second goal with Raul Meireles (L) during the UEFA Champions League match against KRC Genk at Stamford Bridge on October 19, 2011. (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)

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  • Genk 1 Chelsea 1

    John Terry and Frank Lampard look on from the bench during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between KRC Genk and Chelsea at the KRC Genk Arena on November 1, 2011 in Genk, Belgium. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

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  • Bayer Leverkusen 2 Chelsea 1

    Leverkusen's players celebrate after scoring during the Champions League Group E football match Bayer 04 Leverkusen vs Chelsea FC in Leverkusen, Germany on November 23, 2011. Leverkusen won 2-1. (Photo by PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images)

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  • Chelsea 3 Valencia 0

    Didier Drogba of Chelsea slips the ball past goalkeeper Diego Alves of Valencia to score his team's third goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Chelsea FC and Valencia CF at Stamford Bridge on December 6, 2011. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

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  • Napoli 3 Chelsea 1

    Edinson Cavani (UP) of SSC Napoli celebrates after scoring the second goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match between SSC Napoli and Chelsea FC at Stadio San Paolo on February 21, 2012 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Paolo Bruno/Getty Images)

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  • Napoli 3 Chelsea 1

    Dejected Chelsea teammates Juan Mata and Gary Cahill leave the pitch following their team's 3-1 defeat in the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg match at Stadio San Paolo on February 21, 2012 in Naples, Italy. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

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  • Chelsea 4 Napoli 1

    Despair for Morgan De Sanctis of Napoli as Branislav Ivanovic of Chelsea scores their fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between Chelsea FC and SSC Napoli at Stamford Bridge on March 14, 2012. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

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  • Chelsea 4 Napoli 1

    Roberto Di Matteo caretaker manager of Chelsea celebrates victory with Didier Drogba after the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between Chelsea FC and SSC Napoli at Stamford Bridge on March 14, 2012. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

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  • Benfica 0 Chelsea 1

    Fernando Torres and Juan Mata of Chelsea congratulate scorer Salomon Kalou after his goal during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Benfica and Chelsea at Estadio da Luz on March 27, 2012 in Lisbon, Portugal. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

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  • Chelsea 2 Benfica 1

    Frank Lampard of Chelsea scores their first goal from the penalty spot during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final second leg match between Chelsea FC and SL Benfica at Stamford Bridge on April 4, 2012. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

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  • Chelsea 1 Barcelona 0

    Didier Drogba of Chelsea shoots past Adriano Correia #21 and goalkeeper Victor Valdes of Barcelona to score the opening goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Chelsea and Barcelona at Stamford Bridge on April 18, 2012. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

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  • Barcelona 2 Chelsea 2

    John Terry of Chelsea FC (L) is shown a red card by referee Cuneyt Cakir during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final, second leg match between FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC at Camp Nou on April 24, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

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  • Barcelona 2 Chelsea 2

    Barcelona's midfielder Andres Iniesta (2L) scores past Chelsea's Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech during the UEFA Champions League second leg semi-final football match Barcelona against Chelsea at the Cam Nou stadium on April 24, 2012. (Photo by JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images)

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  • Barcelona 2 Chelsea 2

    Lionel Messi of Barcelona takes a penalty and misses during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final, second leg match between FC Barcelona and Chelsea FC at Camp Nou on April 24, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

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  • Barcelona 2 Chelsea 2

    Chelsea's Spanish forward Fernando Torres shoots and scores against Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League second leg semi-final football match Barcelona against Chelsea at the Cam Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 24, 2012. (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images)

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  • Barcelona 2 Chelsea 2

    Chelsea forward Fernando Torres (L) celebrates with team-mates after scoring during the UEFA Champions League second leg semi-final football match at the Cam Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 24, 2012. Ten-man Chelsea reached the Champions League final after drawing 2-2 with holders Barcelona. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

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  • Munich is that way...

    Chelsea's Italian coach Roberto Di Matteo (C) celebrates after beating Barcelona during the UEFA Champions League second leg semi-final football match Barcelona against Chelsea at the Cam Nou stadium in Barcelona on April 24, 2012. (Photo by LLUIS GENE/AFP/Getty Images)

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When Chelsea step out onto the Allianz Arena pitch on May 19 it will be the culmination of a rollercoaster ride that has seen them go from the brink of exiting the Champions League to within 90 minutes of winning it.

While opponents Bayern Munich are surprising finalists to some, Chelsea have to be the biggest surprise package of the all. They looked to be heading out of the competition when they lost the first leg of their last-16 tie with Napoli, but out went Andre Villas-Boas and in came Roberto Di Matteo. The rest, as they say, is history.

To trace Chelsea’s road to Munich you have to head back to last September when the kicked off their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen. A solid draw at Valencia was followed by a 5-0 rout of Genk at Stamford Bridge, but the wheels came off as they followed up a 1-1 draw against Genk with a 2-1 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen. That left them needing either a win or goalless draw in the final group game against Valencia, and they got what they needed as Didier Drogba struck twice in a 3-0 victory.

Napoli were next up in the last-16 and the side from Naples looked set to end Chelsea’s quest after Ezequiel Lavezzi netted twice in a 3-1 win for the Serie A outfit. The Blues returned home in crisis, but boss Villas-Boas was soon shown the door and replaced, on an interim basis, by former midfielder Di Matteo. The Italian responded to his appointment by inspiring a miraculous recovery at Stamford Bridge, with Branislav Ivanovic netting a 105th minute goal to hand Chelsea a 4-1 second-leg victory, and a 5-4 aggregate success.

Chelsea comfortably saw off Benfica in the quarter-finals, but their European dream was expected to end after they were paired with holders Barcelona in the semi-finals. What followed were two nights that no Chelsea supporter will ever forget.

Didier Drogba was the hero as they won the first leg at Stamford Bridge, but things appeared to be turning sour at the Camp Nou when John Terry was sent off and both Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta scored in the first half. However, Ramires pulled one back just before the break and Fernando Torres then netted late on as Chelsea dumped out Barcelona in front of their own supporters.

Di Matteo’s men must battle the odds once more in the final. They face a Bayern Munich side that has the advantage of playing on their home turf, and they will do it without the likes of John Terry, Ramires and Branislav Ivanovic. But after a remarkable campaign, would you bet against Chelsea?

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Chelsea’s Road To The Champions League Final In Pictures

When Chelsea step out onto the Allianz Arena pitch on May 19 it will be the culmination of a rollercoaster ride that has seen them go from the brink of exiting the Champions League to within 90 minutes of winning it.

Read more »

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