Drogba recalls his plea to ‘maestro’ Juan Mata eight years on from that night in Munich

Didier Drogba has recalled his memories of Chelsea’s Champions League success in 2012 and how he pleaded with ‘maestro’ Juan Mata to help him lift Europe’s biggest prize.

Eight years ago this week, Chelsea became the first-ever London side to win the Champions League, with Drogba at the heart of their final victory over Bayern Munich, scoring a dramatic late equaliser before converting the winning spot-kick in the Blues’ shoot-out success.

The victory was a long-awaited success for the west London side after a series of near-misses in Europe, and Drogba has now revisited the club’s journey and how he pleaded with a young Juan Mata for inspiration.

“Eight years ago, the manager had been sacked by the club and we, the players, had a team meeting where we recognised being partly responsible for his [Villas-Boas’] departure. The captain John Terry spoke, Frank Lampard, Petr Cech and other leaders in the group too,” Drogba wrote on twitter.

“We decided to all give this competition everything, despite our defeat against Napoli [3-1 in the quarter-finals]. We had been chasing this trophy for eight years and couldn’t do better than runner-up. Everyone agreed to put egos aside and challenge each other for the same goal.

“After that meeting, I asked a young 23-year-old Juan Mata, ‘Please maestro, help me win the Champions League’.

Eight years ago today, Chelsea won their first ever Champions League after beating Bayern Munich on penalties 🏆

What a final this was 🤩pic.twitter.com/6lCHoSqF5i

— Goal (@goal) May 19, 2020

“He looked at my like ‘Man, you’re crazy, you’re Didier Drogba, you are gonna help me win it’. I then told him I’ve been here for eight years and never won it, so I believe you’re the one who’s gonna help us win. I’ll even give you a present if we win it, that was the end of February.

“Three months later, we were in Munich, in the final, in their stadium, submerged with a red wave. The hosts took the lead with eight minutes to go and on my way to kick the ball for the last eight minutes I was so discouraged.

“The young man said to me, ‘Believe Didi, you have to believe’. Almost in tears, I answered after looking at the time, ‘Believe in what? It’s almost over’. I’m gonna cry like a few months ago when I lost the [Africa Cup of Nations] final with Cote d’Ivoire.

“Last minute, last corner, I mean first corner for us against eighteen for Bayern Munich. Guess who took that corner kick… Juan Mata. The rest is history. The lesson is ALWAYS BELIEVE!!!!”

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