UCL · Semifinals · First Leg - Club Atlético de Madrid vs Chelsea

The first leg of UEFA Champions League Semifinal 2 pits La Liga-leaders Atletico Madrid against Premier League heavyweights Chelsea in what promises to be a highly interesting and fiercely-contested match. The styles of the two sides, as noted widely almost immediately upon their drawing one another, are highly similar, and there will doubtless be much interest from across the viewership spectrum as to how their going head to head against one another will pan out, in what's shaping up to be a fascinating tactical battle.










The sides got themselves to this advanced and hallowed stage of the competition by successfully overcoming tall orders in their respective Quarterfinal draws....










Atletico completed an heroic scalp of the competition's dominant side over the last half decade with a 2-1 aggregate win over Barcelona. A 1-1 draw in the first leg at the Camp Nou set the capital club up perfectly for the second leg back at home, and a Koke goal 5 minutes into it after the hosts hit the woodwork 3 times was more than enough to see the Rojiblancos into the final 4, while Chelsea turned around a crushing 3-1 loss at the Parc de Princes against virtual Ligue 1 champions-elect Paris Saint-Germain with a thrilling 2-0 win in the home leg via goals from André Schürrle 10 minutes before the break and an exhilarating dying-minute tie-winner from forgotten man Demba Ba to send José Mourinho sprinting down the touchline and the Blues crowd into euphoria.










The most recent meeting between these sides was, of course, the horror-show UEFA Super Cup match in Monaco in late August 2012, which pitted Champions League-winners Chelsea against Europa League champions Atlético. A first-half hat-trick from on-fire hitman Radamel Falcao buried the staggered Blues before even the interval, and a 4th from Miranda on the stroke of an hour completed a thoroughly humiliating evening for Roberto Di Matteo's men, a consolation goal from Gary Cahill just over 15 minutes from time notwithstanding.










The two managers, who are often likened to one another in both style and circumstance, are no strangers to occupying a technical area opposite the other. As heads of bitter capital-city rivals Real Madrid and Atletico, Mourinho and Simeone, respectively, have faced off in both League and Cup competition a total of 4 times - 3 in La Liga, and once in the Cope Del Rey - yielding a record of 3 wins for Mourinho — a 4-1 thumping away in April 2012, a 2-0 win at home in December 2012, and a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture 4 months later — and 1 for Simeone - that, the Copa Del Rey Final in Real's own backyard last season in what turned out to be the now-Chelsea manager's third-to-last game as Bernabeu boss.










Perhaps the most notable link between these two sides is Fernando Torres. The Chelsea striker was from the tender age of 19 the captain of Atleti, and was also a teammate of now-manager Simeone's during the twilight of the Argentine's playing career. Torres, a noted life-long supporter of the club, has also been the subject of frequent transfer rumours over a return there. With the Blues seemingly interested in every striker the Rojiblancos have had over the last several seasons, it has invariably made easy work for the usual suspects in the speculative media only too happy to put 2 and 2 together and get 5, though Simeone himself has recently lent credence to these reports, saying in the build-up to this match, "Fernando is always with us; obviously I have sent messages to him, he is very happy with everything that is happening to this team, he is always present, wishing us luck. Of course he would love to come back to the club he grew up in and where he was very happy."










There has been much speculation starting the very day the Spanish club advanced to these semifinals over their goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, on loan from Chelsea, and his availability for these ties. Club president Enrique Cerezo said the evening of the 2nd leg quarterfinals that there was a clause within the loan contract for the Belgian stating that the club must pay a fee to Chelsea every time they wished to field the shot-stopper against them. UEFA, immediately following the draw which, as incident would have it, did of course indeed pit the pair of capital city outfits against one another, that any contractual stipulation seeking to exert influence over the availability of a loanee to play was not lawful. Nevertheless, Cerezo again stated that the club are "gentlemen" and are committed to "deliver on what we sign", and would elicit talks with Chelsea and try to come to some agreement with them, while Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay, contrastingly, said, "The loan was arranged back at the start of the season. It's quite simple - Thibaut can play against Chelsea. That was never in doubt", all making for a very confusing saga of sorts. Diego Simeone, however, seemed to put an end to all the speculation Friday night, saying after his side's 2-0 defeat of Elche in La Liga, "In principle he will play. Until the president or directors come to tell me that he can't, we assume he can play".










Hugely doubtful for Chelsea is Eden Hazard, still yet to recover from his calf injury sustained in the last European game against PSG a few weeks ago, while Petr Cech, though missing for the Blues in their shock 2-1 defeat to Sunderland at Stamford Bridge Saturday, was out only with illness, and is expected to be fit for Tuesday's affair.










Also missing for the visitors will be Branislav Ivanovic, after the Serb was booked for a foul on Blase Matuidi on the edge of his own box in the Londoners' home leg against PSG.

Just came in here to admire the pre-match thread.     

Great work Shed.

It's gonna be an interesting match

mr-r34 wrote:Just came in here to admire the pre-match thread.     

Thanks mate

Soul wrote:Great work Shed.

Cheers as always, Souly

We better win this.....

That is all I am going to say until I am in a better frame of mind.

I'll take a score draw for defo.

I suppose, I want to get back to winning ways though.

Yea we can def grab points here, Aston villa, palace and sunderland were nightmare games

Eriksson to referee Atlético-Chelsea first leg:
The Swede has taken charge of five matches in this season’s Champions League, including Bayern Munich's 3-1 victory over Manchester United in the quarterfinals and Barcelona’s 2-0 win over Manchester City in the last 16
http://as.com/diarioas/2014/04/20/english/1398006634_151720.html
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That is bad?

I don't know how he refs.

Idk but he completely cocked up that City-Farca game if I remember right.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3779156/title/take-off-for-spain

A squad of 20 players is travelling from England to Madrid this afternoon (Monday).

Samuel Eto'o is not included, he has a minor knee irritation. Eden Hazard does travel. He has not played since a calf problem forced his early withdrawal from the previous Champions League game, the home win over Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.

There are no other absentees due to injury and Petr Cech is in the squad having missed Saturday's game against Sunderland due to a minor illness.

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No Eto'o.........

Torres in his boyhood club, his dream but will be another nightmare from him.

I'm back lads.. Lets do this.. come on Chelsea!! So nervous for this..

Feroze

are you the same feroze as the guy on youtube?

Shed wrote:Feroze

Sheddddd!  

fatman123 wrote:are you the same feroze as the guy on youtube?

Yep!

Lets do this boys.

I saw that video on facebook today, top quality as always

Anyway, my 2 cents on this game is that if i have to wake up at 4.30am, then this lot better at least get a few away goals

Hoping for this XI


If Hazard is fit enough to start then id have Schurlle at CF over Torres

Hey Feroze, welcome back.

Loving your videos, as always!

Agree with you, Fitty.

feroze

dem videos

CHELSEA XI: Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry (c), Cole; David Luiz, Mikel, Lampard; Ramires, Torres, Willian


Christ...

Martin Lipton ‏@MartinLipton  2m

That #cfc team news confirmed. Mikel 1st start since Feb 15, Cole 1st start since Jan 26

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