LAMPARD WALKS TALL IN EUROPE

Their performance in Tuesday's 2-2 draw at Barcelona suggests this

season they can also walk the walk.

Twice Chelsea bounced back from conceding a sloppy goal to equalise.

They had to dig deep to snatch the point thanks to Didier Drogba's goal three minutes into stoppage time.

But the English champions came away from the Nou Camp emboldened by the belief they have shown the rest of Europe that they have the character and confidence to go the distance.

In the past three seasons in Europe, Chelsea have fallen short when it counted.

They should probably have won both the semi-finals they lost, to Monaco in 2004 and Liverpool a year later.

And last season they were very much second best to Barcelona, even though the difference over the two legs of their contest was a single goal.

The suspicion existed that Chelsea were a little brittle, that under the most intense examination of technique and character the men from Stamford Bridge were prone to losing their nerve.

On Tuesday's evidence, something has fundamentally changed.

Frank Lampard said that this season's Chelsea, strengthened by Michael Ballack and Ashley Cole, are a team of greater substance.

The England midfielder put in one of his best performances of the season – capped by a wonderful goal from an impossible angle.

He recognises the crucial difference between this team and the ones that have

stumbled in previous years.

"When you come to these places you have to have a character and a mentality that says, ‘Give me the ball, I can play'," said Lampard.

"Last year maybe we didn't quite have that. Maybe we were in awe a bit, but this year we stood up. The whole performance was exactly what it hasn't been in the last two years we have been here."

Mourinho can be rightly proud of the manner of Chelsea's draw.

They conceded an early goal but never lost heart. In fact, they created more and better chances to score than Barca. Had Arjen Robben been more clinical in front of goal, Chelsea might be toasting a famous victory.

They also more than matched their illustrious hosts when it came to the dark arts.

Mourinho likes to paint Barcelona as a team of cheats and divers, but it was his own side that set the tone with match-winner Drogba at the forefront of the Chelsea histrionics. The players were unapologetic about their behaviour, insisting it was the only way to handle the intimidating atmosphere of the Nou Camp.

Skipper John Terry was one of six Chelsea players booked by referee Stefano Farina. But the England captain was adamant the blame for the niggly nature of the match lay at the door of the Catalans.

Terry said: "We showed great spirit when everything was going against us. We stayed relatively calm and it shows great togetherness.

"We always think that whether it is the first minute or the last, we can go down and kill them off and that's what we have done.

"We didn't go there to get bullied by the referee, their players or get intimidated by their fans. We outplayed them at times and we showed great character.

"They have world-class players and it's disappointing to see them play like that.

"We fully respect them, but waving cards in the referee's face to get people booked is disappointing.

"We showed maturity. We argued when we had to and showed calmness when appropriate. Sometimes you have to mix and match it with them. You can't come to places like this and let the fans make decisions for the referee.

"It's a shame when you see world-class players trying to get players booked.

"They tried all game. We expected that and we are mature enough to walk away or to stand our ground when we need to."