Chelsea Star Ballack Laughs Off Barcelona’s Criticism

Barcelona had launch a scathing review of Chelsea and referee, Wolfgang Stark’s performance in last Tuesday’s Champions League semi-final first leg clash at the Camp Nou.

Blues manager, Guus Hiddink utilised an ultra-defensive strategy and a physical approach to stifle the Blaugrana attacking tidal wave and duly earned a 0-0 draw, while the referee was condemned by numerous Barca figures for allowing the English side to get away with an excessive amount of dangerous challenges.

Now, midfielder, Michael Ballack has chipped with his own two cents about all the fuss surrounding the much talked-about game, starting with the match officiating.

“The referee did a great job. This is football and the Barcelona players should know this. Maybe they expected us to roll over for them and because we didn’t, they don’t think it’s fair,” he told The Sun.

“You have to play differently against Barca as you do against Liverpool. This was all part of our strategy,” he added.

The German then responded to his nemesis, Andres Iniesta, who was one of the more vocal players to criticise the referee as well as Chelsea’s ‘anti-football’.

“Iniesta is a great player and there’s no need for him to talk that way,” he declared.

“In fact, it was a game where it was not necessary to talk about the referees at all. But this is how players react when they do not obtain the result they want.”

Chelsea and Barcelona will square-off again this coming Wednesday for the second leg at Stamford Bridge.