VIDEO Chelsea Vs. Barcelona: Drogba Goal Gives Chelsea Half-Time Lead

Chelsea has taken the lead against Barcelona in the closing stages of the first-half with a goal from Didier Drogba. You can watch the vital strike below in the first-leg of the Champions League semi-final below.

The key team news for Chelsea before kick-off was that Roberto Di Matteo has selected Didier Drogba ahead of Fernando Torres to lead the line. The Ivorian striker was infamously the player most visibly incensed after the semi-final with Barcelona in 2009 and even earned a ban from UEFA die to his strenuous remonstrations.

Chelsea are without center-back David Luiz for the tie, meaning that January signing Gary Cahill comes in for what is surely the biggest game of his career to date. With Frank Lampard in midfield, it means that Di Matteo has reverted to the classic spine of the Chelsea team of John Terry, Lampard and Drogba.

And Guardiola spoke of the quality of that trio before Wednesday's match.

We're playing against a very good team. Lampard, Terry, Drogba... they are very important players, Guardiola said, according to the official Barcelona website.

While there was some concern about the fitness of Xavi, after the midfielder was taken off at the weekend, the playmaker supreme was named in the Barcelona team. However, Gerad Pique is only named among the substitutes, with Javier Mascherano partnering Carlos Puyol in the center of defense and Adriano at left-back.

Further forward Cesc Fabregas and Alexis Sanchez the men charged with supporting Lionel Messi.

Chelsea confirmed team: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Cole, Meireles, Mikel, Lampard, Ramires, Drogba, Mata.

Barcelona confirmed team: Valdes, Alves, Mascherano, Puyol, Adriano, Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Fabregas, Messi, Sanchez.