When thugs meet poets

There is something sadly somewhat predictable about some English sports page headlines this morning focusing on Lampard’s apparent statement that Chelsea has “some unfinished business” to take care of when it meets FC Barcelona in two weeks time.

In fact my recollection is that Lampard was interviewed  by an English TV journalist after the match against Benfica last night who used the phrase in his question, prompting an even  less literate response.

But the phrase stands as a necessary myth capable of fuelling the base instinct each previously humiliated fan has for revenge. It should be seen in the same context as Mourinho telling journalists , after Real  Madrid had also qualified for the semis, to expect a Champion’s League final between FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich.  But here Mourinho  said what he said knowing that he would be understood as saying that referees would be against Real Madrid and Chelsea and in favour of FC Barcelona.

Thus in one fell swoop, international football’s agent provocateur set about playing one of his characteristic  build-up mind games for which we have known him since his days at Chelsea- was it not Mourinho, while at Chelsea, that claimed that Iniesta’s winning goal should have been disallowed?- appealing to the base instincts of Real Madrid as well as Chelsea fans.

This kind of stuff- I can’t think of a better word to grace it with-is really a rather tedious distraction from the fact that FC Barcelona should get to the finals on its own merit. Chelsea were lucky to win last night. For most of the match  they seemed disorganised and demotivated, with Benfica easily outshining them in terms of skill and entertainment.

Much as some Chelsea fans might fantasise “finishing off the business “ by physically destroying Barca – as if football was just a thug’s game- they have a side that will have to find more than just virility to deal with Pep Guardiola’s team of crafstsmen and poets in motion.