5 Superstars who Played for Chelsea & Barcelona

Chelsea and Barcelona are two of the biggest football clubs in the world. As such, whenever they face off, it’s a big occasion – this season is no different. 

As the two teams prepare to take each other on in the Champions League, let’s take a look at some of the best players who have played for both outfits. Who makes your list?

Deco

One of the most underrated footballers of all time, Deco enjoyed a much more fruitful spell at Barcelona than he did at Chelsea. He won two La Liga titles and the Champions League with the Catalonian giants and was named as runner up in the 2004 Ballon d’Or, losing out to Andriy Shevchenko.

While he won the Premier League in 2010 with Chelsea, Deco did not enjoy his time at the club, as he stated in an unrepentant 2009 interview. He would score just five goals in 43 Premier League games before leaving to join Fluminense.

Samuel Eto’o

At Barcelona, Samuel Eto’o was one third of perhaps the greatest attacking trio of all time. Alongside Lionel Messi and Thierry Henry, they scored a combined total of 100 goals in the 2008/09 season and won the treble along the way.

Eto’o was past his best by the time he arrived at Chelsea, but nonetheless managed to make a respectable impact during his stint at Stamford Bridge. He scored a modest nine goals in 21 Premier League games, but notably found the back of the net against bitter rivals Arsenal in a seismic 6-0 win.

Pedro

Another player who enjoyed more success at Barcelona than they did at Chelsea, Pedro played a part in both of Barca’s treble winning campaigns in 2008/09 and 2014/15. With 58 goals scored in 204 La Liga games, Pedro’s name is firmly etched into the tapestry of Barcelona history.

He was often the victim of criticism at Chelsea for his lack of physical presence, but still managed to score some outstanding goals and was part of their Premier League winning team in 2016/17. Furthermore, he would go on to win the FA Cup in 2018 and the Europa League in 2019 with the Blues as they overcame Arsenal in the final.

Eidur Gudjohnsen

Finally, we have a player who enjoyed greater success at Chelsea than they did at Barcelona! Eidur Gudjohnsen was just 21 when he joined the Blues in 2000, scoring 13 goals in his debut campaign. The former Icelandic international would go on to win two Premier League titles and the League Cup at Chelsea before he made the jump to the Camp Nou in 2006.

While Gudjohnsen won more trophies at Barcelona than he did at Chelsea, he could not replicate his stellar Premier League goalscoring record in La Liga. By the time he left Barcelona, he had scored just 10 league goals in 72 games.

Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas left Arsenal to join Barcelona in 2011, following a lengthy and expensive transfer saga. He would thrive in a midfield that contained the legendary trio of Xavi, Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, scoring 28 goals in 96 La Liga games. He won the Copa del Rey in 2011 and La Liga in 2012, but failed to capture the Champions League at the Camp Nou.

Likewise, he could not win Europe’s top prize at Chelsea, but still enjoyed immense success at the Bridge. He won two Premier Leagues, the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Europa League before making his leave to join Monaco in 2019.