Didier Drogba could face a lengthy ban from European football after confronting Norwegian referee Tom Henning Ovrebo after the match where Chelsea lost to Barcelona last night in the second leg of the Champions League semi final.

A stoppage time goal from Andres Iniesta earned Barca a 1-1 draw on the night and on aggregate and sent the Catalans into a final meeting with Manchester United at the end of this month on the away goals rule.

Chelsea had legitimate grounds for complaint after being denied at least two good penalty appeals by the referee – who was still considered good enough by UEFA to officiate at last year’s Euro 2008 championships – but that will not be regarded as any excuse by UEFA when they come to judge Drogba’s conduct.

Ovrebo had to be escorted from the pitch by a platoon of stewards with Drogba apparently bent on a physical confrontation.

To compound his intimidating behaviour, the Ivory Coast international then turned to a television camera and screamed into it, describing the official as a “f-ing disgrace.”

Chelsea are also likely to be in hot water with UEFA after infuriated fans threw flags at the officials and the Barcelona bench on the final whistle.

However, Drogba is unlikely to be punished by his club as manager Guus Hiddink said he understood that emotions after such a match run high.

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Christiano Ronaldo scored a fantastic goal early in the game for Manchester United to see them go through to the semi-finals at the expense of FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League semi-final.

No English team had ever beaten the Portuguese champions on their own soil, but the winger’s first-half wonder strike gave his team a 1-0 win on the night, 3-2 on aggregate, to set up an all-English semi-final tie with Arsenal, who turned on the style last night to crush 10-man Villarreal 3-0.

Coming into the game as underdogs after a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford last week, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson urged his players to bring the spirit of the 1999 treble winning team to the Dragao Stadium in what was his 150th Champions League match. One flash of genius from the Portuguese maestro coupled with gritty defensive play earned United glory and keeps the red half of Manchester dreaming of the quintuple. The United handler was like a little schoolboy at the end jumping up and down in delight.

“It doesn’t matter who you play when it is your 150th game!” beamed Ferguson. “150 games is a long time! I thought we defended very well and we had restored stability at the back with (Nemanja) Vidic and (Rio) Ferdinand reunited which is a solid partnership and they understand each other so well. “I couldn’t see too much danger from Porto really, save some half chances but nothing more than that.”

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Last night’s second leg ties in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals were both regarded as being pretty much all over before they started. Despite the unenviable position Bayern and Liverpool faced before the games, one of the two came close to providing one of the biggest ever shocks in one of the best games the competition has seen in years.

Bayern welcomed Philip Lahm back into their team after missing him terribly at the Camp Nou and Barcelona were without the suspended Marquez. Also, of course, manager Pep Guardiola had to watch from the stands after his ludicrous sending off in the first game. So, was it a foregone conclusion or did Bayern Munich surprise everyone including their own manager? Well, it was pretty much a foregone conclusion. Toni and Ribery went close in the first few minutes but the early goal that Bayern needed in order to have any chance at all wouldn’t come.

Eventually, after half-time, Bayern did take the lead when Ribery scored against the team he may well be playing for in this competition next season. It was nothing more than the slightest glimmer of hope and Barcelona ended any remote chance of an upset when Keita finished a seventeen pass move to bring them level on the night. That was the end of the scoring. A 5-1 aggregate win over Bayern Munich tells you all you need to know about this Barcelona side. They are going to take some stopping.

In London, Liverpool travelled to Chelsea to see if they could overcome the 3-1 defeat suffered at Anfield last week. Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez was far more upbeat than Klinsmann and he sounded a rallying cry before the game, citing Liverpool’s amazing Champions League comeback against Milan in Istanbul a couple of years ago. Benitez was going to take the calculated gamble of playing Steve Gerrard despite the fact that he was not totally fit after suffering a groin problem. The manager knew that with Gerrard on board they had little chance, but without him, even that little chance would have disappeared.As it turned out, he didn’y risk him and he left Riera, Babel and Ngog on the bench. What transpired at Stamford Bridge was memorable to everyone who had the privilege to see the game.

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