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CHELSEA: THAT'S MY FINAL ANSWER - PART TWO

/noticias.info/ With the countdown to the Champions League Final now at four days to go, we continue to catch up with the first team squad for past memories of watching Europe's number one club fixture.

Zinedine Zidane's special winner for a Spanish side in Scotland in 2002 has already received a couple of shouts and over in Africa, it made a splash too according to Salomon Kalou.

'I watched Madrid against Leverkusen and that goal from Zinedine Zidane, 2-1, that was a great goal and a great game to watch and I really enjoyed it. I watched it on TV and I was dreaming to be in that situation, to be in the Champions League Final, so it is a dream come true and it will be a better dream if we lift the cup on May 21st.

'I was back in Africa. The Champions League Final and the World Cup Final, that is the big events. Ivory Coast is a country that loves football, it is a big, big thing and when it is the Champions League final, everybody tries to get in front of the TV.

'So I can tell how many people will be watching us on the 21st because Africa will stop and watch us with Michael Essien, John Mikel Obi, Didier Drogba. It is a great thing that we get to this level in such a big competition.'

'What stands out for me?' Ashley Cole asks himself. 'I have to say the Man U one in 1999, and I remember the Zidane goal a few years back, in the game that Michael Ballack was playing in. I don't remember anything else about that game apart from Zidane's goal, what a strike!'

They didn't know it at the time, but two of Chelsea's Portuguese think back to a time when their future club Porto were first excelling in Europe.

'I remember when I was very young watching Benfica lose twice in the Final,' says Paulo Ferreira.

'The first time was on penalties to PSV and the second was against Milan in 1990. It was sad for Portugal but the year before Porto won against Bayern.'

Hilario would later be coached at Porto and Chelsea by Silvino, the Benfica keeper for those two defeats.

'My number one memory was 20 years ago when Porto played their first final, in '87. I think, and there was a player Rabah Madjer who scored with his heel to equalise. I was just a kid at the time, and the other memory I have is when Man United played Bayern and were losing on 90 minutes. They won 2-1 in the end of the game - wow!'


The 2008 Champions League final can be followed through Chelsea's official live radio coverage on Chelsea Plus. Broadcasting starts at 7.15pm UK time with Gary Taphouse commentating and Kerry Dixon providing expert analysis. notas_de_prensa_archivo