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John O'Shea battles with Fernando Torres. Dave Thompson/PA Wire/Press Association Images
LIVE BLOG

Champions League Tuesday: as it happened

We went minute-by-minute as Manchester United hosted Chelsea and Barcelona travelled to face Shaktar Donetsk.

Manchester United welcomed Chelsea to Old Trafford as they tried to protect a one-goal lead from the first-leg in London. Meanwhile, Barcelona travelled to Donetsk with a very healthy lead. Here’s what happened.

Okay, that’s your lot. As a lot of you Romeos have often said in your time: it wasn’t that bad was it?

Tomorrow’s papers will brim with speculation about Carlo’s exit, Fernando’s future and more on Terry, Lampard, Malouda and Essien.

Someone seriously needs to get that portrait out of Ryan Giggs’ attic. The man is not human.

Join us tomorrow for more of the usual mix of stories, or join us tomorrow for another liveblog with Niall.

Let’s stay in contact, we can go for a spin at the weekend or something if the weather holds up.

And in the big story of the night, Brighton go up after an epic 4-3 win over Dagenham and Redbridge. I have a soft spot for the Seagulls I must say.

I’m just going through the scores in the Championship. Both Shane Long and Ian Harte scored as Reading beat Scunthorpe 2-0.

Leeds and Derby is still ongoing. Forest won, QPR won, Cardiff won. Check out the full classified results here.

That ad on TV3 now with the lads beaming into a futuristic Dublin McDonalds’ outlet is unrealistic because that gang of lads would never really be friends.

I also have issues with the science behind that transportation device.

OptaJose tweets: “3 – Lionel Messi is top scorer in all three competitions Barcelona are currently involved in. Superman.”

He’s up there with Paul Weller, Jimmy Barry-Murphy and the Dali Lama for me, Jeff.

FULL TIME for the record Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1 (3-1 on agg); Shaktar Donetsk 0 Barcelona 1.

Oh no. Trevor pre-empted the final whistle by 20 seconds and didn’t really have it in him to give it the full throttle finale when it then actually went.

More importantly, United cruise through handily in the end.

All things going to plan it will be Alex Ferguson’s men versus Shalke and Barca v Real.

If you think this party has died a death, in Donetsk, Shaktar have three minutes to get five goals.

Giggs has played like a God all night but he gave away the ball cheaply there and Kalou made van der Sar stretch to save.

LiterallyJamie tweets: “Press the red button now for a super slo-mo 3D close up of John Terry’s bottom lip starting to go”.

Trev reminds us that United could be at Wembley almost as many times as Old Trafford before the end of the year. They have that FA Cup semi-final on Saturday and a possible Champions League decider in May.

He said another one too but I didn’t catch it. Maybe a semi-final replay?

Ferriera’s on for Chelsea. There’s a lot of things in life I don’t pretend to understand.

GOAL Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1 (3-1 on agg) Wow. After Chelsea get back in it and Old Trafford realsie this game isn’t quite over, Park makes sure it is.

Within 60 seconds of the equaliser he sweeps the ball past Cech. The old stadium is in full voice now and that is an absolute killer for the visitors.

GOAL! Game on now, Ger.  Drogba makes it 1-1.

Nani’s off for Valencia with 15 minutes left. A ridiculous card-waving gesture is his final act.

You’re getting sacked in the morning rings around Old Trafford as Nani skips past Alex and Terry.

The England skipper – already on a yellow – takes him out -he’s lucky to stay on. As are several of the players’ wives.

RED CARD Ramires is gone. He arrives fractionally late and Nani goes down like he was picked off from a book depository.

Kevin Moran thinks the second yellow a bit soft; whatever the merits or otherwise of the decision, it essentially heralds the end of Ancelotti’s Chelsea tenure, and the career Champions League hopes of people like Terry, Lamps and Drogba.

Or am I getting ahead of myself?

For all you Leeds fans out there of a certain vintage, your boys have thrown away a lead. Derby now lead 2-1

Down the other end, United break and ultimately Nani skips inside from the left and unleashes. Cech gets down and bats it behind – but doesn’t look particularly confident.

Chelsea get a sight at the United goal at last. Frank Lampard floats in a nice, inviting corner and alex is the man who rises highest.

The Brazilian nods it a yard wide of the post however.

Matt Cooper tweets from the TV3 studio: “Tony and Martin gobsmacked Chelsea have subbed Anelka now as well as Torres.”

Big penalty shout from Rooney as he’s obstructed by Frank Lampard Jr on the edge of the box. The ref rightly gives the free kick outside the line.

Anelka’s off for Kalou in the meantime. This guy always seems to score.

Wonderfully, the way Trevor Welsh says ‘Kalou’ makes him sound like an outlaw in a spaghetti western.

Barry Glendenning on the Guardian writes: “What must Fernando Torres be feeling like on the bench – this must be the lowest ebb of his career. Indeed, what must Carlo Ancelotti be feeling – did he want the Spaniard to start, or was his hand forced?”

Have to say I thought the same of Torres; he must be humiliated at this stage. Any sympathy Liverpool fans?

I’d still agree to an ol’ life-swap if he fancied it.

Lip-reading the faces in crowd when Ashley Cole takes a throw-in is one of the game’s small pleasures.

United are more or less on top here with Giggs spreading things on one wing and Park busy on the other.

To state the bleedin’ obvious, Chelsea need to score quick if they’re going to make a game of this.

Chris Smalling is warming up to replace Rio, we reckon. He’s limping around the place.

“That’s no good” is Kevin Moran’s assessment.

Drogba’s on – and he’s looking mean. Torres has got the hook.

And that Leo goal is a milestone, I read; it takes him to 48 for the season, setting a new club record.

HALF-TIME Get the kettle on and get stuck into those orange slices. United are two goals to the good on aggregate and Leo Messi has put Barca another goal up in Ukraine.

Ukraine or the Ukraine? Let’s say Ukraine.

O’Shea and Giggs made a fool of Anelka on the right and the old winger put it on a plate for Chicarito to tap in.

Big picture: we will not have extra-time tonight in Manchester and I can get home to watch Mad Men on the Sky Box. I know you guys worry about me catching that last bus.

GOAL! Hernandez 43′

It’s still scoreless in Donetsk for those Malaysia betting syndicates amongst you who actually care.

John Terry has picked up his obligatory booking for an elbow on Hernandez. He didn’t seem to take his eyes off the dropping ball, but I don’t think that’s technically the rule. Three minutes left now.

Customary Abramovich crowd-shot? Check? Torres reference? Check. Job done, Mr Commentator.

Van der Sar drew the cheers of his home crowd as he rushes out and tackles Le Sulk with that long, 40-year-old leg of his. He was lucky though.

There’s definitely a goal in this before the break.

Sandwich watch: ham, coleslaw, some salami and lettuce on cutty bread. Brought from home. Also some taytos.

GOA…offside! Hernandez puts the ball past Cech after a lovely assist from Rooney on the right. The flag goes up immediately however.

As the Lakers’ fans say of Kobe… Rooney’s getting hot!

I’m not watching the Barcelona game but Ian Macintosh is: “Barcelona have an admirably laissez-faire attitude to defending. It’s an afterthought. Jadson finds space, but shoots straight at Valdes.”

Torres does that new trick of his in which he takes three touches you wouldn’t expect in the Phoenix Park and then hits it towards the general direction of goal like Peter Kay in those John Smith ads.

Have it!

O’Shea is booked. This is going to be a long night for the Waterford man.

He arrived late and took out Malouda who was in full flight. He’ll have to be very careful now.

United have started really brightly but it was Chelsea who almost nicked the lead there when Torres poked the ball to strike partner Anelka on the D. The Frenchman squeezed it though but United survive.

And as I type Rooney wellies a volley at Cech and Lampard then fires to van der Sar’s right. The 40-year-old gets a stair lift down however and saves.

This is really open.

As well as the one-and-a-half games in Europe tonight, of course, it’s a busy night in the Championship. QPR are gone one up away to Barnsley and Norwich are leading by the only goal at Watford.

Earlier, Celtic beat St Johnstone thanks to a Kayal goal.

Jeff Shreaves on Sky reports that Fergie had to jump over a padlocked to get to his seat on the bench. He’ll feel that in the morning.

The words O’Shea, John and over-run it have had their first airing for those with bingo cards.

The teams are now on the pitch and all across Europe men in armchairs are looking at the line-ups graphic and saying that Roman picks the team these days.

While we’re getting settled in, here’s a nice piece on Rooney’s role in the United team.

I’m watching Al Jazeera because TV3 is acting the goat for me, unfortunately. They have Lineker and Shearer doing what’s called a foxer in my part of the world.

The Dubs amongst us might call it a nixer I believe. What a rich tapestry is Hiberno-English.

Here are your gladiators:

Man United - Van der Sar, Evra, Ferdinand, Vidic, Sheasy(!), Giggs, Park, Carrick, Nani, Rooney, Chicarito.

Chelsea – Cech, Ivanovic, Cole, Terry, Alex, Essien, Ramires, Lampard, Malouda, Torres, Anelka.

For the record – my colleague Niall was WRONG in saying Torres wouldn’t start.

Okay, are we all present? then let’s begin.

It’s another night of intriguing Champions League football… well half a night. Barcelona look to have their tie with shaktar Donestsk well and truly sown up but Chelsea travel to Old Trafford looking for the early goal that will put them level with United.

We’ll be here til everything is decided. Let us know your thoughts in the usual way.

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