Chelsea celebrate after beating Bayern Munich on penalties in their own stadium to win the 2012 Champion’s League
Yes, it really is official; dream premonitions ARE linked to the beautiful game! As the new footie season has recently begun I thought it would be appropriate to write a related article, which of course will be based on my actual experiences, so here goes.
I recently had a dream that my beloved Chelsea FC had reached The Champion’s League final again and were pitted against the old enemy Manchester United. No Chelsea fan will ever forget how our hearts were broken in Moscow, when Manchester United beat us by way of a penalty shoot-out, in the 2008 final. In my dream it was thought that Chelsea had won, but somehow there had been another penalty shoot-out and the Super-Blues were beaten once again. I woke up feeling rather disappointed but soon forgot all about what I thought was “just another dream”. However, little did I realise at the time that I had actually had a premonition of The European Super Cup final that took place a few weeks later. For the benefit of the uninitiated I shall explain.
The European Super Cup is an early season (some say pointless) match between the winners of the previous season’s Champion’s League and The Europa League. They can be played out as quite tame friendlies but this season it was slightly different. Chelsea had entered The Eoropa League by default, having been eliminated from The Champion’s League after performing miserably during the group stages. However, they ended up winning the trophy. Chelsea’s opponents were Bayern Munich, currently considered to be the best club side in the world, who were last season’s Champion’s League winners. Bayern were desperate for revenge, having been beaten by Chelsea on penalties in their own stadium, in the 2012 Champion’s League final. So, it ended up being quite a feisty encounter and a wonderful game of football.
Chelsea hero Didier Drogba who stroked home the winning penalty in the 2012 Champion’s League final against Bayern Munich
Chelsea took the lead with a fantastic strike from Fernando Torres and led until the 53rd minute when Frank Ribery scored with a rocket from outside the penalty area to equalise. A few minutes before the end of normal time Ramires was sent off for a bad tackle so Chelsea were down to 10 men and facing a battering from Bayern. Miraculously, Eden Hazard put Chelsea ahead after a few minutes of extra-time, and there then followed a backs-to-the-wall performance of gargantuan magnitude in an effort to hold onto the lead. But with about 20 seconds of the game remaining a cross came over into the Chelsea box, the ball ended up at the feet of Martinez who poked it past Peter Cech. When the ball went in the net there was probably 10 seconds remaining at the most, so there was no time to kick-off again and the game went to penalties. Poor Romelu Lukaku shot tamely at the keeper with Chelsea’s fifth penalty and Bayern were the winners. Now back to this business of premonitions…
Because the opposition team in my dream were wearing red shirts I’d just assumed it was Manchester United. However, Bayern Munich also play in red. Then “it was thought that Chelsea had won, but they lost on penalties“. Exactly that, with literally seconds to go it seemed impossible that Bayern could snatch victory from the jaws of defeat; but unbelievably that is again exactly what happened. It wasn’t until a few days ago that the realisation hit me that my dream had been a premonition of The European Super Cup final. But this is not the first time I’ve had a footie dream premonition.
Drogba again (now of Galatasaray) I just love that bloke!
Back in February 2000 Chelsea were away to arch rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a Premier League match. At the time I was living in Swindon and during the early hours of Saturday morning, February 5th, I had what seemed like a very short, but really weird dream. It was just a screen with white lettering on a blue background. The text said “Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea”. I didn’t read too much into this but thought possibly that I had been given a sneak-peek at what the final score was to be. As was the norm back then on a Saturday afternoon I went to the gym, where I could also keep up to date with all the football via the TV screens that always showed Sky Sports News. When I’d finished in the gym I stopped in the bar on my way out just so I could check the half-time scores on the TV. On a blue screen with white lettering it said “Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea”. The penny dropped that this was exactly what I’d seen in my dream.
If only I’d had the presence of mind back then to nip into a bookies and place a bet on what the half-time score would be, because ironically, Bernard Lambourde scored for Chelsea in the second half to give the Mighty Blues a 1-0 victory. I say “ironically” because Lambourde’s goal was not only extremely lucky in that he bundled the ball over the line with his shoulder, but in his entire Chelsea career he only scored two goals and that was one of them.
Anyone else ever had any sporting premonitions?
Author - Richard F Holmes 
I really enjoyed reading this, Richard, it brought back many memories of supporting/suffering [both words apply] Chelsea over the years. Nice to see a picture of Drogba, one of the legends. Some of my favourite games were around the Dennis Wise, Zola and Vialli era, although my first live game at the Bridge was in days of Kerry Dixon and David Speedie. Never had any premonitions, football or otherwise, just wishful day-dreaming.
š
Sue
LikeLike
Thanks for your comment Sue! My earliest memories are getting the 14 bus from Holloway Road to Stamford Bridge during the days of Tambling, Bonetti and Chopper Harris etc. š
LikeLike
The opening match in any World Cup is always a full house match. So was the opening match between Argentina and Cameroons in the 1990 World Cup. The game was carried Live on TV starting at 2.30 am Malaysian time..Wanting to see Argentina and Maradona in action I was fully prepared to watch the match..I made myself as comfortable as I could. As I watched the game progressing I soon found it boring. Where was all the excitement and hype in the papers about the Argentine team and Maradona. He was on the field more as a spectator than a player. I remember thinking where the ball was Maradona wasn’t and where Maradona was the ball wasn’t. it was getting so dull I soon dozed of. Then I heard the commentator’s voice announcing, “Argentina nil, Cameroons 1” over and over again. In an instant I had forced myself to wake up. I looked at the screen.The teams were still playing like local sides. I had to force myself to keep awake because now my attention was the result of the match. As I WATCHED, I REMEMBERED THINKING,. “ARGENTINA SEEMS TO BE PLAYING TO LOSE.” Every time Cameroons had possession of the ball 11 Argentinians would be defending at their goalmouth. That, I thought, was rather unusual. Then, the unthinkable, the unexpected, the can’t be, happened. All the Argentinians were milling around the Cameroonian goalmouth when suddenly someone kicked the ball to where an old man was walking about aimlessly. He exploded into action and took the ball towards the opposite end. The Argentine goalkeeper rushed forward to intercept. The old man, Roger Milla,, flicked the ball over the keeper’s head and headed for goal. That was when the world was shown the the Milla victory dance. And what a joyous dance it was. The score was now 1-0 in favour of Cameroons. I had heard that minutes before. I couldn’t go back to sleep anymore. I was too stunned.. Maybe I was dreaming. I had to watch until the end to see what the result would be.. When the final whistle went the commentator was screaming ” Cameroons has won the match 1 -0.”.
The papers confirmed the result the next morning..
. ..
LikeLike
Great story Lim! I remember Roger Milla and his goal celebration well! š
LikeLike
I also had a premonition 3rd of May 2014, of a football game liverpool vs crystal palace at the time I was unsure between qpr and crystal palace as I don’t have a great interest in football.
The dream must of lasted no longer than 10 seconds but so much happened within in it liverpool was 3-0 out of nowhere the other team came with a come back I couldn’t even believe It even said to myself in the dream nobody is every going to believe this. The other team should of won they could of scored there 4th goal but missed just before the end then the whistle blows I see the final result 3-3 end of dream. Next morning the dream was first thing on my mind I check to see if Liverpool were playing that day and they wernt, I put it down to just some weird dream, couple of days later 5th of May I was down a freinds when his dad came in who was more interested in football and in formed his son that Liverpool were playing crystal palace there and then I knew this was the game I had a dreamt about, he even mentonied how he thought it would be a draw too I didn’t mention this to anyone as they think I’m mad and at the time I thought still this surely isn’t going to happen so I didn’t bet and I didn’t tell anyone if it comes true it will be interesting but freaky so any way later that night I checked the result just wondering what happened there it was 3-3 couldn’t believe it not only was It just the score correct every retail also was like Liverpool scoring all there goals first then the late comeback and even on the 94th minute crystal palace had the chance to win the game but went over crossbars. Next time if there ever is I will not make the mistake of not taking the trip to bookies.
LikeLike