Chelsea have been drawn against Spanish league leaders Atlético Madrid in the semi-final of the Champions League. HereÂ’s my take on what will be a difficult tie against a top, top side.
Most people will be happy with the draw, having avoided Real Madrid and German champions Bayern Munich, but Atlético are the dark horses in this competition.
An impressive display to beat favourites Barcelona over two legs earned them a place in the Champions League semi-final for the first time since 1974. Back then they did actually reach the final, which they lost 4-0 to Bayern Munich at the Heysel Stadium in Brussels.
Playing the first leg away from home is always an advantage and Chelsea will feel it could be a contributing factor to qualifying for a third consecutive European Final, having won the previous two in 2012 and 2013.
Atlético are no pushovers and the match at the Vicente Calderón Stadium could be one of the toughest Chelsea have played all season. Astonishingly their ground only has a capacity of 54,000 – quite small compared to other top European clubs – but their fans always create an unbelievable atmosphere, making it hard for the opposition to settle.
Chelsea need a big performance in the Spanish capital and an away goal is crucial in this semi-final. Atlético have been impressive all season, but they’re lacking experience at this stage of the competition. If they miss out on a win in their home match, we could see them crack at Stamford Bridge, an intimidating place for any visiting team.
The Blues have kept six clean sheets in 10 Champions League matches so far this season, four at home, so you canÂ’t really see anything other than a Chelsea win at the Bridge, which could and should decide this tie.
A big talking point is whether on-loan goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois will play for Atlético against his parent club.  Apparently Chelsea inserted a clause in the deal forcing the Spanish club to pay them extra money for every time the young Belgian appears against them – that figure is said to be £3-4 million.
Jose Mourinho will be poised to reach the final in his home country Portugal, where he could potentially face his former club Real Madrid, managed by former Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Is it written in the stars for Chelsea once again?
