CHELSEA and Barcelona have trolled each other over Champions League troubles ahead of their pre-season friendly today.
The two teams face off in the Rakuten Cup in Japan as Frank Lampard continues to prepare for his first season in charge of the Blues.
Ahead of the game, Chelsea tweeted out highlights of their famous second-leg draw at the Camp Nou in 2012 that saw the London club beat the Catalans.
Roberto Di Matteo’s team went on to win the Champions League that year but the Blues were absent from the competition for the last campaign after failing to qualify.
Barca fired back a tweet reminding the London club of their year out of the competition.
Their reply read: “Is this a throwback to when you guys were playing in the Champions League?”
But the needling didn’t finish there as Chelsea poked fun at the Spanish giant’s exit from the competition when they were humiliated by Liverpool in the semi-finals.
Despite winning the first-leg 3-0, Barca were beaten 4-0 in the return leg to be eliminated while Liverpool went on to lift the trophy.
So Chelsea replied: “Best not to mention Champions League throwbacks after the year you’ve had.”
Japan is the second stop for Lampard’s pre-season tour having drawn with Bohemians and beaten St Patrick’s Athletic in Ireland.
They were beaten by Kawasaki Frontale in Yokohama and will now face Barcelona before returning to the U.K.
Friendlies against Reading, FC Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund remain before the new campaign kicks off.
Lampard’s first competitive game will be against Man United at Old Trafford on August 11.
