Sports

How Ronaldinho paused Stamford Bridge – Ex-Chelsea star, Joe Cole

Published

3 years ago

July 22, 2021

Former Chelsea star, Joe Cole, has revealed that Barcelona legend, Ronaldinho, literally paused Stamford Bridge by scoring a 27th-minute penalty against the Blues during the 2005 Champions League last-16 second-leg tie..

Cole said this while revealing the best game he’s ever played during his career.

According to him, Chelsea’s 2005 encounter with Barcelona was the game that had everything, including Ronaldinho smashing up a fridge in the tunnel.

Recall that Barcelona had defeated Chelsea 2-1 at Camp Nou in the first leg, but the Blues won the Catalan club 4-2 at Stamford Bridge to qualify for the last-8 on 5-4 aggregate.

“I have never experienced this…, but when Ronaldinho scored that goal, I have never seen a stadium… he like paused the stadium, it was unbelievable,” Cole told Jamie Carragher’s The Greatest Game podcast.

“Then there was a bit of afters, afterwards, which is always nice in the tunnel.

“It felt like a Champions League game, but an old school game, like when we first came through. There were mega stars everywhere.

“Ronaldinho was in it [in the tunnel afterwards], he smashed up the fridge. Ronaldinho was smashing up the fridge.

“I was well away, celebrating – but there was a little melee. I think it all bubbled from the first leg, with Jose [Mourinho] when he was up to his tricks as we lost in the Nou Camp.”