Ohh Those Glorious European Nights...

First off, let me just gush a little here and say, "WHAT AN AMAZING NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL"!! Truly incredible. Nights like that are what make it the greatest club tournament on the planet. Malaga played spectacularly, only to have a Manchester City-esqe stoppage-time comeback shred their Cinderella-story hopes and dreams to pieces in front of their eyes. Not to mention Galatasaray's brave and gritty comeback attempt. Hat's off to them too - they went out and took it to Madrid after going down early and being all but written off. They made it interesting.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who felt a strong twinge of pain watching Didier's sublime backheel goal? Let me clarify - I couldn't be happier for him. He just about single-handedly delivered us the trophy we've all coveted more than any other. But watching the striker - no, player - I've loved and revered more than any other, effortlessly execute a moment of such sheer brilliance - all while NOT wearing a Blue shirt with a Lion on the front - was, honestly, a bit depressing. I can't help be nostalgically sad that we will likely never see the Drogs do that in a Chelsea shirt again.

But I digress...

If tonight wasn't enough inspiration for our boys to buckle down, focus hard, finish the season strong, and seal a CL spot for next season, I don't know what would be. I hope every player in the squad watched the matches today. And I hope every emotion from our championship run last season flooded through their bodies. I can't imagine, after watching that, they wouldn't be hungry for more of those glorious European nights. I pray it made them hungry for more. It sure did so for me.

It's nights like tonight that make me pine to see our Blues walking onto the field under the lights, the Champions League anthem bellowing through the Bridge. Call me arrogant, pompous if you will - We need CL football. It's been written into our history for almost a decade. We've had our hearts broken in Moscow. And again the next year with one swift strike of Iniesta's boot. Last year, we became the first London-based team to ever win it. We've staked our claim on the competition. We've written our names in the history books. We deserve it. We want it. Deliver us that, Rafa. Please. Do this, and you will bow out with dignity, and you will have earned the respect of this fan.

(Besides, if those perpetually underachieving Gooners to the north think a CL birth is their right, I'd say we certainly have one hell of claim to the same.)


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Carefree & KTBFFH!