8 Years After, Drogba Reveals Juan Mata’s Role In Chelsea’s Champions League Triumph

'Dotun Akintomide
Writer

Ad

Dangote Vs PENGASSAN Face-off Escalates as NLC Orders Nationwide Strike

By Abiola Olawale The face-off between Dangote Refinery, owned by Africa's richest man, Aliko Dangote, and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has continued to escalate as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has ordered full-scale mobilization of its affiliate unions for a nationwide strike. The NLC said it ordered the…

PSC warns senior officers: fail promotion exam three times, face retirement

By Obinna Uballa The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Monday conducted a compulsory promotion examination for 30 senior police officers in Abuja, with a stern warning that those who fail the test three times will be forced into retirement. The exercise, held at the Commission’s headquarters, involved one Assistant Inspector-General of Police, two Commissioners of…

Brent Prices Retreat below $70 as OPEC+ Mulls Another Output Hike

Brent Crude prices dropped below $70 per barrel, and WTI Crude slipped below $65, due to increased supply and expectations of further output hikes from OPEC+. Iraq resumed crude oil exports from Kurdistan via a pipeline to Turkey, adding an estimated 230,000 barrels per day to the global oil market after a two-and-a-half-year halt. OPEC+…

Ad

Chelsea legend, Didier Drogba has opened up on the circumstance that led to Chelsea winning its first EUFA Champions League trophy in 2012, stating that his former Blues’ teammate, Juan Mata contributed  helped him win the coveted trophy.

Chelsea defeated Bayern Munich 4-3 on penalties in the final to win their first Champions League trophy eight years ago at the Allianz Arena.

Thomas Mueller put the host in front with eight minutes left to the end of the match before Didier Drogba equalised for the Premier League giant following an assist from Mata as the encounter ended 1-1 after 120 minutes.

“Eight years ago, the manager [Andre Villas-Boas] had been sacked by the club, and we, the players, had a team meeting where we recognised being partly responsible for his departure,” Drogba wrote on Twitter on Tuesday night.

“The captain @johnterry spoke, @franklampard @petrcech and other leaders in the team too.

“We decided to all give the Champions League everything, despite our defeat 4-1 to Napoli.

“We had been chasing this trophy for 8 years and could not do better than runners up. Everyone agreed to put egos aside and challenge each other for the same goal.

“After that meeting, I asked a young 23-years-old @juanmatagarcia ‘please Maestro, help me win the champions league.’

“He looked at me like ‘man you are crazy, you are Didier Drogba you are gonna help me win it.’

“I then told him I have been here for eight years and never won it, so I believe you are the one who is gonna help us win.

“I will even give you a present if we win it, that was February ending.

“Three months later, we were in Munich, in the Champions League final, in their stadium, submerged with a red wave.

“The hosts took the lead with eight minutes to go and on my way to kick the ball for the last 8 minutes I was so discouraged, the young man [Mata] said to me ‘believe Didi, you have to believe,’ almost in tears I answered after looking at the time score “believe in what? It’ is almost over, I am gonna cry like a few months ago when I lost the final with Côte d’Ivoire.

“Last minute, last corner, I mean the first corner for us against 18 for Bayern Munich.

“Guess who took that corner kick… @juanmatagarcia and the rest is history. The lesson is ALWAYS BELIEVE!”

Ad

Unlocking Opportunities in the Gulf of Guinea during UNGA80
X whatsapp