Former Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole has recalled his side's famous Champions League final win over Bayern Munich eight years after it happened.
Chelsea won their first Champions League crown by defeating the Bavarians in penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes at Bayern's home ground of Allianz Arena.
The game was scoreless through 83 minutes before Thomas Muller put Bayern ahead, after which Cole admitted he thought his chance to lift the trophy had gone.
‘‘During the game I always thought we had a chance,” Cole told Derby University Football Journalists. ‘’But when Muller scored, I thought it was over and my last chance [to win the Champions League] had gone.’’
However, Didier Drogba would come up huge for his side in the 88th minute when his header tied the game, a goal that Cole describes as a "blur."
‘‘The Drogba goal was a blur really,’’ Cole said. ‘’I was physically and mentally drained. But after the goal went in I was ready to go again and knew we would win.’’
Chelsea once again looked like they'd let the trophy slip away in extra time when Drogba fouled Franck Ribery in the box, giving Bayern a penalty. Cole said he believed that Petr Cech could save Arjen Robben's spot-kick, and that faith was rewarded when the goalkeeper denied the Dutch star from the spot.
‘’I still had belief that we would win. Big Pete studied players’ penalties beforehand, so I had faith in him," Cole said.
The game would eventually reach a penalty shootout, with Cole presented the chance to level the score at 3-3 before the fifth and final round of takers.
‘’Personally I felt good. There’s no way to practice as you can’t replicate that situation so you just have to have confidence when taking it," Cole said of his spot-kick, which he successfully converted past Manuel Neuer.
The Blues would win the Champions League in the next round of shooters, as Cech saved from Bastian Schweinsteiger's penalty before Drogba sealed the European crown for Chelsea.
Cole recalled the heavy burden facing Drogba before his penalty, and said he was delighted to see the ball go in to clinch the first and only Champions League he would win in his career.
He said: ‘’Putting a feeling of my whole career on one man was hard but to share making history with Chelsea, the fans and my family is an experience that will never be forgotten.’’
