Coaches driven worlds apart

By Greg Demetriou at Stamford Bridge

In the unlikely event that Chelsea FC's players were unsure about the required result in this UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg, a section of fans had been primed to provide a striking reminder. As the teams lined up for the pre-match formalities, gold cards were raised aloft in the form of what appeared to be a giant 2-0 scoreline.

Bright start
The fact that a few were still taking their seats and others must not have understood the announcer's instructions meant the message was somewhat unclear. Things were not to go to plan for the home team on the pitch either - although they started in full fury, eager to turn around their 3-1 deficit from a fortnight ago as soon as possible.

Tactical trouble
On the sidelines, Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri was expending almost as much energy as his livewire players. The likeable Italian had creditably accepted the blame for his tactics a fortnight ago with the score at 1-1 and with Monaco down to ten men. However, few could argue with his selection this evening. Eight of the starting eleven were acquired before the Roman Abramovich revolution last summer, with a solid spine of established west London favourites leading the fight against the free-scoring French side.

Stunning opener
It was one of the old guard, Jesper Gronkjær, who threatened to raise the roof in the 22nd minute with a cross-shot which flew in from the right-hand side of the area. Not content, Ranieri urged his men to keep pushing Monaco back and maintained a constant stream of advice in the direction of anyone within earshot. In contrast, France's newly crowned coach of the year, Didier Deschamps, cut a restrained figure. Rarely taking to his feet early on, the former Chelsea player seemed content in the knowledge that his captain, Ludovic Giuly, the skilful Jérôme Rothen and the imposing Fernando Morientes would protect his interests. They did not disappoint.

Mourinho watching
Meanwhile, above Ranieri and Deschamps, sat a content José Mourinho, the FC Porto coach who had already booked his place on the touchline for the final in Gelsenkirchen. The Portuguese coach would perhaps have been readying himself to face Chelsea next month when Eidur Gudjohnsen and Frank Lampard combined superbly before Lampard fired in his side's second. It was not even half-time and the pre-match objective had been achieved.

Always thinking
Almost. With seconds remaining, Hugo Ibarra finished off an equally sublime move for Monaco and Chelsea's away-goal advantage was gone. Deschamps was not settling for that, however. He had been warming up Jaroslav Plašil throughout the first 45 and the Czech international came on after the interval to add more attacking flair. Monaco rightly sensed more goals were possible against a Chelsea side frustrated by several near-misses.

Killer second
As the match wore on, the leather-jacketed Deschamps stood barely two metres from Ranieri, but the pair might have been worlds apart. As the hour-mark approached, there had been no intervention from Ranieri who this time did not know whether to stick or twist. While he pondered his options, Morientes fired low to give Monaco a deserved equaliser on the night and the killer second away goal.

Treble chance
Deschamps and Ranieri embraced at the final whistle but while Ranieri ponders a possible Chelsea exit, the Frenchman can look to the chance of coaching his side to the trophy he won twice as a player. He was part of the Olympique de Marseille side that triumphed in 1993 and was victorious again with Juventus FC three years later. Now, at the age of 35, he has the chance to complete a treasured hat-trick.