The Tribune

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Chelsea eliminated defending champion Barcelona and reached the Champions League final with a gruelling 2-2 tie Tuesday night, winning the semifinal on 3-2 aggregate despite playing most of the game a man short. Seeking its first Champions League title, Chelsea advanced to the final on May 19 at Munich. In the other semifinal, Real Madrid is home today trying to overturn a 2-1 deficit against Bayern Munich. Barcelona trailed 1-0 from the first leg but took a 2-1 aggregate lead on goals by Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta in the 44th. Playing a man short after captain John Terry was given a red card in the 37th for fouling Alexis Sanchez, Chelsea rallied as Ramires scored on a lob over goalkeeper Victor Valdes in first-half injury time. That tied the aggregate and gave Chelsea the advantage on away goals. Three-time FIFA player of the year Lionel Messi, who has 63 goals this season, had a chance to put Barcelona ahead after Didier Drogba pulled down Cesc Fabregas in the penalty area. But Messi, who has never scored in seven games against Chelsea, sent a penalty kick off the crossbar in the 59th. Barcelona, regarded as one of the best club teams ever, then piled on the pressure but couldn't get another goal despite 72 per cent possession, a 22-7 advantage in shots and a 10-1 margin in corner kicks. Sanchez had a goal allowed for offside in the 82nd, Messi hit a post a minute later and Blues goalkeeper Petr Cech palmed a shot by Javier Mascherano in the 89th. Chelsea substitute Fernando Torres sealed the win when he scored on a breakaway in the first minute of stoppage time.