Our sports journalist Michael Yiakoumi got the opportunity to meet former German international and Chelsea, Bayern Munich football superstar Michael Ballack at the UEFA Champions league match Chelsea v Barcelona which ended 1-1.
Willian put the Blues ahead at Stamford Bridge, but Lionel Messi capitalised on an error to ensure the match finished 1-1 by netting 15 minutes from time.
Barcelona, who are seven points clear in La Liga, had barely threatened the hosts before their equaliser.
“We were close to playing the perfect performance,” said Conte.
“We made one mistake. It is a pity and we are disappointed with the final result.”
Chelsea twice hit the post with strikes from outside the area from Willian, before the Brazilian scored at the third attempt with another 20-yard effort.
However, 13 minutes later, Andreas Christensen played a loose pass and Andres Iniesta linked up with Messi, who scored his first Champions League goal against the London club.
Christensen, 21, had made only three appearances for Chelsea before this season, but has played 31 times for the club this campaign.
After selecting him ahead of England centre-back Gary Cahill, Conte defended the Denmark international.
“It was an incredible performance,” said the Italian. “We are talking about a very young player. It is great that he is able to play this game with maturity and personality. He was one of the best players.
“It is very difficult to mention one player but I think Christensen played a top game and I was very pleased with his performance.
“We made one mistake but we know against these opponents and players like Messi, Iniesta and [Luis] Suarez, if you make a mistake you pay.”
The return leg takes place at the Nou Camp on Wednesday, 14 March.
When Michael was at Bayer Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, UEFA Champions League and Germany lost to Brazil in the 2002 World Cup Final.
A €12.9 million move to Bayern Munich led to further honours: the team won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Ballack had become a prolific goalscorer from midfield, scoring 58 goals for Bayern between 2002 and 2006. He joined Premier League club Chelsea in mid-2006 and won his first English honours, the FA Cup and League Cup, in his first season at the club. Injury ruled him out of much of 2007, but he returned the following season to help Chelsea reach their first ever Champions League final. He also went on to win the FA Cup again in 2009 and then once more as part of a league and cup double in 2010.
Internationally, Ballack has played in the UEFA European championship in 2000, 2004 and 2008, and the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and 2006. Jürgen Klinsmann appointed him captain of the national team in 2004. Ballack scored consecutive game-winning goals in the quarter-final and semi-final to help his country to the 2002 World Cup final, and led his team to the semi-finals of the 2006 World Cup and the Euro 2008 final.