Brendan Rodgers will go into tomorrow’s game still hurting over a defeat three years ago in the biggest club game in European football
Rodgers was part of the Chelsea coaching staff that watched on in agony as John Terry missed the vital penalty to hand the Champions League final to Manchester United – tomorrow’s visitors at the Liberty Stadium.
Rodgers said “To be involved in the Champions League final was an incredible experience and something I had always wanted
“Chelsea had earned the right to be there because they had fallen just short in the previous few years.
“We stayed at the Ritz Hotel in Moscow.
“I remember the kick-off was so late it was unbelievable, it felt like the longest day in the world.
“United had been the better side in the first half and could have scored a couple of goals but Chelsea were fantastic in the second and it went to penalties.
“If you look at the images of the penalty shootout there is a picture of Sir Alex Ferguson and you could see in his face that he thought it had gone.
“It all came down to John Terry and you would have put your house on him to score.
“At the time we were all in a huddle on the touchline and I was so sure he was going to score I had my mobile phone in my suit jacket and I moved it to my trousers and zipped it up so I didn’t lose it.
“I wanted to make sure my mobile didn’t get lost when we celebrated!
“All my family were in the ground and I wanted to make sure I would be able to get in touch with them afterwards.
“Even when John took a run up we were sure he was going to score, he hit it and we started to run forward. But he missed and the rest is history.
“It was a horrible night, by the time the game finished it was the early hours of the morning.
“We went back to a party at the hotel afterwards and as you can imagine it was a real damp squib.
“To be involved so closely is something I may never do in a lifetime again. And for Manchester United it typified the resilience they have.”