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28 March 2024

Champions League: Atletico ease past Chelsea to set up Madrid final

Published
By Football Correspondent and Agencies

Atletico Madrid produced an inspired display of counter-attacking football to beat Chelsea 3-1 in the Champions League semi-final second leg on Wednesday and set up an all-Spanish final against city rivals Real.

Goals from Adrian Lopez, a penalty from Diego Costa and Arda Turan gave Atletico a 3-1 aggregate victory after last week's goalless draw in Madrid and put them into the final of Europe's elite competition for the first time since 1974.

Chelsea took the lead after 36 minutes when former Atletico favourite Fernando Torres scored with a deflected shot, but the goal inspired the La Liga leaders who will meet their neighbours in the first European final to feature two clubs from the same city in Lisbon on May 24.

"The truth is the team was brilliant," Atletico forward Costa said in an interview with Spanish television broadcaster Canal Plus.

"We have done everything possible to get to the final. Both Real Madrid and us are deserved finalists."

Chelsea midfielder Willian started the move that led to the opening goal and turned his marker wide on the right before Cesar Azpilicueta, playing in an unfamiliar midfield role, set up the chance for Torres who clipped the ball home via a deflection off Mario Suarez.

Atletico took advantage of poor defending for the equaliser a minute before halftime when the home team failed to clear a floated cross from Thiago to the unmarked Juanfran who stole in at the far post.

He crossed for Adrian Lopez whose shot bounced down on its way into the net.

Veteran Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer rolled back the years at the start of the second half with a stunning two-handed reflex save from Turan who took advantage of more poor defending to rifle in a blistering angled shot.

Atletico, who held the away goal advantage with the score at 1-1, refused to sit back and were rewarded after an hour when Samuel Eto'o, who had replaced Ashley Cole, fouled Costa to concede a penalty.

Costa blasted the ball past Schwarzer to make it 2-1 before Turan sealed a glorious victory with the third goal as Chelsea collapsed at the back.

David Luiz hit the post for Chelsea but they were totally outplayed in the second half and Atletico ran out deserved winners.

"The game until a certain minute was very equal," Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho told Sky Sports.

"The first half was more ours than them, but the second half one minute changes everything. One minute the Atletico keeper makes a very good save, the same minute it was a penalty, after that, 2-1 against Atletico is almost impossible.

"After that there was only one team. One team with morale high, knowing they had the result under control."

FULL TIME

Chelsea 1 (Torres 36") Atletico 3 (Adrián 44", Diego Costa 60", Turan 72")

90+2" Chelsea fight on till the last with Ba stabbing a right foot in the box but is blocked by Courtois.

90" The ball still is in Atletico's possesion with Miranda moving it around in the midfield.

88" Atletico are now clinging strongly to their lead with Koke and Godín coordinating well to keep the ball away from the blue brigade.

86" David Luiz labours to get past the ball to Hazard but Suárez intercepts to move it over to Sosa.

84" Chelsea fight back strongly with Eto'o, Ba and Schürrle unleashing counter attacks but fail to make impact at this stage.

82" Quick changes by Atletico Rodríguez is brought in for Turan as they mount fresh attacks on the blue brigade.

80" Chelsea seems to have lost the plot with Koke and Sosa launching fresh attacks.

76"Diego Costa is replaced as he appears hurt and in comes Sosa to play his role.

75" The game at this stage looks going the Atletico way with both teams making quick changes.Torres and Willian are replaced .

Chelsea 1 (Torres36") Atletico 3 (Adrián 44", Diego Costa 60", Turan 72")

72" GOAL! Turan scores. The fast paced counter attack paid off with Turan managing to push in the ball on the second attempt with Schwarzer completely beaten.

69"  Ba comes in for Torres and now there surely will be a change in their game plan.

67" Yellow for Adrián. Ramires is brought down with a ugly tackle but the ref does not hesitate to recognise the offence and books him promptly.

63" Willian shoots off a corner on the edge to Torres in front of the box but the alert Courtois pushes it over the crossbar for a corner.

Chelsea 1 (Torres 36") Atletico 2 (Adrián 44", Diego Costa 60")

60" GOAL! Diego Costa scores off a penalty shooting safetly on top of the net beating Schwarzer completely.

57" Adrián mounts attack with Koke in front of the box but the ball is defelcted off Ivanovic for a corner.

55" Chelsea are playing to plan with David Luiz scripting moves in the midfield with Torres firing off the lose ball.

53" Terry gets the ball off a assist from Torres  but misses to convert in front of the box.

49" Ramires on the ball with Terry matching his strides the duo make a dash towards the box but are blocked by Juanfran.

47" Schwarzer saves a rasping volley off Koke pushing the ball over the crossbar for a corner.

45" Koke takes a free kick on the edge but fails to make contact with Suárez chesting the ball out of play.

Chelsea 1 (Torres 36") Atletico 1 (Adrián 44")

HALF TIME

45" Atletico now struggle to increase their lead as the clock races to the half time mark with the ref finally signalling for the break.

Chelsea 1 (Torres36") Atletico 1 (Adrián 44")

44" GOAL! Adrián scores. Juanfran simply stretches out from the edge of the line to put the ball in play to Adrián in front of the box who takes a first timer.

42" Miranda attempts to get past Terry and taps it onto to Suárez who lifts the ball over to Diego Costa in the box.

40" Atletico look desperate to cancel off the lead with Diego Costa getting on top of the ball with Suárez in the box.

Chelsea 1 (Torres 36") Atletico 0

36" GOAL! What a fantastic move by Willian from the left flank dodging Godín and Filipe Luis to volley the ball to Torres in front of the post who makes no mistake to slam it in.

33" Both teams fight hard as the clock races past the half time mark with Chelsea having more ball possesion and scoring opportunities.

31" Yellow! for Cahill. Diego Costa sprints towards the box with David Luiz close on heels but Cahill catches up from behind and brings him down with a ugly tackle.

26" Torres and Hazard look dangerous with the ball and the alert Filipe Luis along with Tiago manage to tame the threat.

24"  Miranda attempts to move the ball around with Koke and Adrián but fail to hold on for long.

22" Willian takes a corner shooting well over the heads of Juanfran and Filipe Luis with the ball diping to David Luiz who takes a back-kick missing the net by inches.

20" Chelsea are bombarding the Atletico defence with Willian,Torres and Hazard combining well in the box.

17" Turan moves the ball around to Koke but Cahill intercepts to tap it out for a throw-in.

15" Atletico look threatening in their counter attack with Diego Costa almost missing to squeeze in through a tight corner with Ivanovic on his heels.

13" Diego Costa and Suárez are coordinating well in the midfield with Koke adding to the attack at this point.

11" Adrián brings down Hazard on the edge and the ref awards a free kick taken by Willian who shoots wide over the crossbar.

9" Willian is all over the box and manages to earn a freekick on the edge of the box. But his shot goes over the blue jersey's.

8" Both teams are fighting tooth and nail for ball posession at this stage of the game with Chelsea attacking strongly.

7" Willian darts ahead with the ball with Ramires latching on to the pass who taps it to Torres in the box.

5" Suárez labours along with Turan and Diego Costa but are blocked by Cole and Willian wins over the ball.

4" Koke lofts the ball over Cahill and Cole with Schwarzer stretching to punch the ball over the post.

2"Atletico charge with Diego Costa and  Koke sprinting towards the box but are intercepted by Ivanovic and are given a corner.

1" Azpilicueta get on top of the ball off a Ivanovic assist but is blocked by Tiago.

Chelsea'shome record against Spanish opposition is W9 D4 L1 that is interesting to note as the atmosphere out here is simply fantastic.

STARTING XI

Chelsea: Schwarzer, Ivanovic, Cole, David Luiz, Cahill, Terry, Willian, Ramires,Torres, Hazard, Azpilicueta.

Subs: Oscar,Schurrle, Van Ginkel, Ba, Eto'o Kalas, Hilario

Atletico Madrid: Courtois, Torres, Miranda, Godin, Luis, Cardoso, Suarez, Koke, Arda Turan, Adrian, Diego Costa.

Subs: Aranzubia, Alderweireld, R. García, Cristian Rodríguez, José Sosa, Diego, Villa.

TEAM NEWS

Eden Hazard is fit to play and should come into the starting XI, while John Terry and Samuel Eto'o trained with the first team on Tuesday.

Gabi is suspended but Diego Simeone has a fully fit squad to choose from.

Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel are suspended, while Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah are ineligible.

Mario Suárez is expected to come into midfield in the absence of Gabi.

Mark Schwarzer may keep his spot in goal following an impressive display against Liverpool, though Petr Cech could make a surprise return from a shoulder problem.

PROBABLE FORMATIONS

Chelsea:4-2-3-1

Atletico Madrid:4-4-2

STAT ATTACK

Atletico are undefeated in their last 11 matches in the Champions League.

There have been under 2.5 goals scored in 6 of Chelsea's last 7 games in the Champions League.

There have been under 2.5 goals scored in 6 of Atletico's last 7 games in the Champions League.

PREVIEW

Chelsea got a massive boost before Wednesday's Champions League semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid when manager Jose Mourinho said John Terry was fit to play after recovering from an ankle injury.

Captain Terry limped off after turning his ankle in the second half of the 0-0 first-leg draw in Madrid last Tuesday and Mourinho said then he was unlikely to play again this season.

Yet central defender Terry, who missed Sunday's 2-0 Premier League win at Liverpool, trained on Tuesday and has been declared fit for the return at Stamford Bridge.

"He is ready and he will start," Mourinho said at his pre-match news conference on Tuesday.
Terry added that he was relishing the opportunity of playing after recovering from last week's knock.

"I'm fully fit, I've trained for three days and feel totally okay. Certainly walking off last week I didn't feel great at all and for two or three days in my head, I ruled myself out.

"But last Thursday it starting feeling better," he said.

Mourinho further backed his skipper, who is now 33, as being as good as he was when the Portuguese coach came to Chelsea in his first stint as manager a decade ago.

SAME LEVEL


"He is at the same level now," said Mourinho, "and he deserves more from this competition than he has had. He lost the 2008 final in special circumstances and won the 2012 final in special circumstances so he deserves something more."

In 2008 Terry slipped and missed the penalty that would have given Chelsea victory in the penalty shootout in the final against Manchester United in Moscow which United won.

In 2012 he was suspended from the final against Bayern Munich but said he was now delighted to be on the cusp of playing in the club's third final.

"After the first one I wasn't sure we'd reach the final again and, after what has happened in the past, I am delighted we have another chance," he said.

Chelsea's Belgium playmaker Eden Hazard, who went off injured after 17 minutes of the quarter-final, second leg against Paris St Germain on April 8 and has not played since, is also available leaving Mourinho to decide if he will start.

But their Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech, who dislocated his shoulder last week, is not fit, although he trained on Tuesday.

"His condition does not give him a chance," Mourinho said.

FRUSTRATED ATLETICO

Mourinho, whose defensive tactics frustrated free-scoring Atletico in Madrid, will also be without the suspended Frank Lampard and John Obi Mikel on Wednesday.

"A draw with a goal in it gives them the advantage," said Mourinho. "They are a very good team. They are not just a counter-attacking side they are a good side they defend well, they score a lot of goals and they win matches and they are in the semi-final of the Champions League and they need two victories to win the Spanish League title.

"For a team to do that against Barcelona and Real Madrid means they are a very good team."

Atletico manager Diego Simeone did not criticise Mourinho's defensive tactics last week, saying his opposite number did what he had to do to give his team an advantage for the second leg.

"I am a football man and I respect the different ways of how you can play the game," he told a news conference. "You have to congratulate a team that defends well.

"There is more than one way of playing football. If we all played the same way it would be very boring. You can play 10 at the back or one at the back - it is all the same, it is all about the result."

Simeone added it made little difference to him what team Atletico faced.

"They are a fantastic rival, a super-competitive opponent who are strong at the back and very good at set pieces. But we are confident. You don't get to the semi-finals of the Champions League and not feel confident."