Chelsea are into the final of the Champions League after surviving John Terry’s red card to seal a truly remarkable victory over Barcelona.
The Blues were in serious trouble after goals from Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta put Barca ahead either side of Terry’s red card for violent conduct.
But Ramires strode forward to chip the away side back ahead in the tie.
Lionel Messi hit the bar with a penalty for Barca and Fernando Torres ran clear to seal the tie in injury time.
Earlier in the week, Torres had said “the best team does not always win”. His words proved gloriously prophetic for England’s last men standing in Europe as they fought tooth and nail to scrap their way past the continent’s finest and into the final in Munich on 19 May.
The game turned logic on its head. Holders Barcelona had scored 102 goals at the Nou Camp this campaign and were unbeaten in 15 European home fixtures dating back to October 2009, having won 13 and drawn two, during which time they had scored 18 goals.
However, a number of factors combined to give Chelsea a hope heading into the second leg: their last three visits to the Nou Camp had each yielded a draw, Real Madrid had torched the myth of Barca’s invincibility on Saturday and they brought with them the shield of Didier Drogba’s first leg winner as protection.
It was a result that owed a lot to a moment of guile from Ramires but more to a display of guts from the Brazilian and his team-mates after Terry’s needless dismissal for driving a knee into the back of Alexis Sanchez off the ball.
The Blues challenge was already rocking at that point with Terry’s centre-back partner Gary Cahill lost to injury and Barca having just levelled the tie through Busquets’ neat finish from close range from Isaac Cuenca’s pull-back.
Within five minutes the true cost of Terry’s indiscretion seemed to have been laid bare as Iniesta collected from Messi in the box and swept the home side into the lead.
However, Chelsea have already shown during this Champions League campaign that they are made of stern stuff and somehow they raised themselves for a final pre-half-time salvo as Frank Lampard’s through-ball gave Ramires his opportunity, which he did not waste, chipping Valdes from 15 yards.
The goal was even more remarkable for the fact that the Brazilian had moments earlier had his dreams of a final appearance snatched away from him by a booking.
Chelsea’s joy looked set to be short-lived, though, as early in the second half Barca were given the chance to take hold of the tie again when Didier Drogba tripped Cesc Fabregas in the box.
Messi has scored 14 goals in the Champions League this season – one more would have given him the record for a single campaign – but he blazed his spot-kick against the bar.
It was a let-off for Chelsea, but one they seized upon and their rearguard action in the remainder of the second half was stunning.
Barca had their chances, with Cuenca seeing an effort saved by Cech and Messi striking a post from 22 yards, but the Blues deserved their luck.
In the final minute, substitute Torres – so maligned this season – provided the perfect finish for both he and his team by running clear and rounding Valdes before slotting in to set up a showdown with either the team of Chelsea’s former boss Jose Mourinho or the side whose home ground hosts the final, Bayern Munich.
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