Chelsea legend Claude Makelele has offered a critical assessment of his former captain John Terry’s decision-making in the 2008 UEFA Champions League final, a match that ended in heartbreak for the Blues.
Makelele, who has Congolese heritage, was part of the Chelsea side that faced Manchester United in the dramatic final in Moscow, which the London club lost on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
The defining moment came when Terry, stepping up for what could have been the winning spot kick, slipped and missed, handing United a path to victory.
Reflecting on the agonizing defeat, Makelele, speaking to talkSPORT, did not hold back in his critique of the events that unfolded during the shootout.
“The dressing room after the game was like fire,” he recalled. “There was no happiness whatsoever – it was a sad place to be.”
The former Real Madrid midfielder believes a critical mistake occurred when the order for the penalty takers was altered at the last moment, disrupting the planned sequence and ultimately costing them the title.
“We made a big mistake ahead of the penalties. We had an order which was agreed with the players and the manager, but it changed at the last minute,” Makelele explained.
“It was supposed to be Salomon Kalou taking the last penalty but John (Terry) took the opportunity off him.”
Reflecting on the consequences of that decision, he added, “I think we lost this competition because football is very harsh sometimes and, if you don’t do things the right way, you get punished.”
Makelele did not shy away from pointing a finger at Terry for his role in the heartbreaking defeat.
“I was very angry when he missed the penalty because it was a chance that I knew a lot of the young players wouldn’t get,” he said.
“John had to be the leader and do what was best for the team.”
Despite the painful memory, Makelele remains a respected figure in Chelsea’s history, his midfield dominance and leadership still fondly remembered by the Stamford Bridge faithful.
