Chelsea's journey to the Champions League semifinals in 2012 was a true backs-to-the-wall effort.

Nobody had given them a chance when they trailed Napoli 3-1 after the first leg in the Last 16, but defeating the Italians 4-1 in the return at Stamford Bridge gave the Blues belief they could go on to achieve something special—which they did.

Meeting Barcelona in the semis, many thought Chelsea's luck would run out on them, but if anything, it only improved.

They won the first leg 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, yet that was only the beginning.

Trailing 1-0 at the Nou Camp, John Terry was sent off for a needless kick on Alexis Sanchez and soon after, Barca doubled their lead through Andres Iniesta.

With Barca in control, the Blues seemed down and out until Ramires put them back in control of the tie when he chipped Victor Valdes right on half time to make it 2-1 on the night, 3-2 to Chelsea on aggregate.

After the interval, Lionel Messi and his teammates threw everything at Chelsea. Messi himself missed a penalty, striking the bar.

When Fernando Torres replaced Didier Drogba on 80 minutes, little did he know the wheels were in motion for him to play the most significant part of this great spectacle.

Torres had hardly had a kick when, in the 90th minute, Ashley Cole's clearance saw him race clear of the Barca defence on the halfway line.

With nothing but open space in front of him, it seemed to take an age for Torres to bear down on goal, but when he did, he calmly rounded Valdes and tapped home to make it 2-2 and send Chelsea through to the Final.

It was just Torres' eighth goal in all competitions in the entire season.

Chelsea's Premier League match against QPR that followed their heroics in Barcelona saw Torres score his first—and only—Chelsea hat-trick to date, as the Blues won 6-1.