Here Be Dragons

Chelsea arrived in early December 2004 secure of their qualification to the knock-out stages. Porto "welcoming" their former manager Jose Mourinho back to the Estádio do Dragão, literally Stadium of Dragons, sat in third place in the group, hoping on PSG slipping up and picking up three points to avoid the ignominy of becoming the first Champions to go out at the group stage. Sufficiently fired up, they triumphed 2-1 with a late goal from Benni McCarthy. I was at the game that night and felt the fiery passion of the home supporters who drove on Porto to play above themselves. Porto, it seems, are most dangerous with their backs to the wall. Luckily, Chelsea have something to play for this time around and should proceed to the quarter-finals. Although, not without a fight.