Ashley Cole’s tackle (middle) saved Chelsea in 2012 against SSC Napoli. A few months later, the Londoners won the Champions League.
Photo: imago images/Action Plus
Sadly, Ashley Cole is no longer here. A few weeks ago, his old colleague Frank Lampard brought him to Everton as assistant coach – so that together they can save the smaller of the two Liverpool clubs from being relegated from the Premier League. But Cole’s phone number should still be known at Chelsea.
He made a name for himself a good ten years ago as an expert in particularly sustainable rescue operations. That’s exactly where they have an increased need at Chelsea. The world used to look nicer at Stamford Bridge. Also, but not only, because the football company from south London is supported with Russian money. This Tuesday, the reigning champion of the premier class is going to Madrid for the second leg of the quarter-finals. And there are signs that Chelsea vs Real at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu will be making their farewell performance on the European football circuit for this year.
Maybe coach Thomas Tuchel should call Ashley Cole. The 41-year-old could then talk about spring 2012, for example. Chelsea ended up in southern Italy in the round of 16 of the Champions League. SSC Napoli put on a magical game and was 3-1 ahead. It was the closing stages of the first leg and Napoli rushed in, determined to score a fourth and likely decisive goal. Christian Maggio shot and his team-mates were already cheering, but left-back Cole appeared at the last moment: with a long stride he prevented the ball from touching the goal net and kept the result within a tolerable limit for Chelsea.
“We can still make up a 1:3,” said Chelsea coach André Villas-Boas. But he never got the chance to do that himself. A few days later, the Portuguese was history at Chelsea Football Club. He was followed by his assistant Roberto di Matteo, who at the time nobody could have guessed would represent the first major success in the club’s history. Chelsea played beyond good and evil in the Premier League, the Champions League offered the only chance for a conciliatory end to the season, but there was hardly anything to get after the 1: 3 in Naples. But then the Blues won the second leg 4-1 after extra time, later also defeated Benfica Lisbon, FC Barcelona and in the Munich »final dahoam« also FC Bayern. The season was saved. And that’s only because Ashley Cole had tipped the ball off the line back then in Naples.
This Tuesday there is another second leg in the round of 16 of the biggest club competition in the world of football. Chelsea lost the first leg in London to Real Madrid 3-1, which requires a moderate miracle if they are to make it into the last four. At least that’s how Chelsea’s harshest critic put it. His name is Thomas Tuchel and he had the best view of things from the coaching bench. With his own penchant for the sport-philosophical apocalypse, the German coach spoke of the worst first half of his tenure in London, which has now lasted a little over a year. And that he could not imagine a turn towards the semi-finals: “How many clubs in world football could do that, three goals difference? How often does that happen?’
But then came Saturday, with him a 6-0 win at Southampton FC. And suddenly the world of Thomas Tuchel looks completely different again. If he also calls Ashley Cole now…
