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Chelsea bow out to superior firepower of Atlético Madrid Chelsea bow out to superior firepower of Atlético Madrid
(about 1 hour later)
Once again there was the sight of a manager running along the touchline at Stamford Bridge, screaming to the skies and letting out all the euphoria. Except this time José Mourinho was back in the dugout, hands pushed into the pockets of his overcoat and knowing there will be no place for Chelsea in the final at Estádio da Luz on 24 May. Once again there was the sight of a manager running along the touchline at Stamford Bridge, screaming to the skies and letting out all the euphoria. Except this time José Mourinho was back in the dugout, hands pushed into his pockets, absorbing the fact there will be no place for his team at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on 24 May.
His team chose a bad day to lose their defensive resilience and Atlético were ruthless in the way they took advantage to recover from the opening goal being scored by Fernando Torres, their old favourite, and put in place Mourinho's heaviest ever defeat at this ground. Adrián's equaliser changed the entire complexion of the game just before half-time. Diego Costa's penalty put La Liga's champions-in-waiting in command after the substitute Samuel Eto'o had brought him down, and it was after Arda Turan followed in his own header to make it 3-1 that Diego Simeone could be seen on his victory run. Chelsea chose a bad night to lose their streak of resilience and Atlético were ruthless in the way they responded to Fernando Torres, their old favourite, opening the scoring. Chelsea have played with so much defensive expertise lately, but ultimately it finished as the heaviest defeat Mourinho has suffered on this ground.
His team had shown great conviction to confirm an all-Madrid final and it leaves Mourinho staring at the strong possibility that his first season back at Chelsea will end without any silver. He did not win anything last season for Real Madrid, either, and he will be anguished about the way this semi-final veered away from him. These were the moments when Atlético demonstrated why they are so close to breaking up the dominance of Barcelona and Real Madrid in La Liga. Adrián's equaliser changed the complexion of the game just before half-time and Atlético excelled in the second half. Diego Costa's penalty put Spain's champions-in-waiting in command and when Arda Turan followed in his own header to make it 3-1, Diego Simeone could be seen on his victory run.
Torres celebrated his goal as if it were a form of apology. His hands were in the air but his palms were spread as if requesting forgiveness from his former club. Yet he took his goal with the kind of clinical finish that was a throwback to more prolific times at the Estadio Vicente Calderon. His shot took a slight deflection off Mario Suárez on the way but Torres did show his old penalty-box anticipation. Chelsea have oozed so much expertise lately when it comes to smothering football matches that it felt as if that might be the end of things. So it was a jolt when the direction of the match changed dramatically within eight minutes as Adrián scored his goal. Simeone's team had shown great powers of recovery but Mourinho will be aggrieved by the way Chelsea abandoned the qualities that have made them such obdurate opponents. It leaves him staring at the strong possibility that his first season back at the club will end without a trophy. There is clearly work to be done because, amid all the analysis of his tactics, it is worth remembering he has opted for caution only because he knows the opposition are often more refined. Atlético confirmed that by running away with the game after the interval.
Ashley Cole will wince when he sees the replays because he made a terrible mistake in assuming that John Terry was going to clear Juanfran's cutback from the byline. Terry could not adjust his feet quickly enough as the Atlético right-back turned Tiago's cross back across the goalmouth. Cole had switched off for a split-second and Adrián's shot was driven into the ground, bouncing off the turf to loop into the top corner. Forty years since their last final, the team from Estadio Vicente Calderon might not have the gravitas of Barcelona or Real Madrid but two more wins in La Liga will confirm them as the best side in Spain. They did not always show it over the two legs, but their reaction to going behind showed, in Mourinho's words, that they are "solid, very mature, a real team". Simeone put it another way: "I would like to congratulate the mothers of these players because they have big cojones."
Until that point, Chelsea had shown just the right balance between making defence their first priority and not overlooking the attacking part either. César Azpilicueta's presence on the right side of midfield, with David Luiz playing just in front of the back four, had taken the number of recognised defenders in the team up to six. Frank Lampard and Mikel John Obi were suspended and Nemanja Matic was also ineligible because he had already played in the competition for Benfica. Mourinho's tactics will no doubt attract more allegations of deliberate dreariness, but Chelsea did not neglect the fact they needed to get behind the opposition defence. Costa reminded everyone why Mourinho likes the idea of bringing him to Stamford Bridge next season, and Thibaut Courtois, on loan from Chelsea, confirmed he will be a worthy successor to Petr Cech. This cannot have been an easy evening for Courtois, given all the blurring of lines, but he made some splendid saves at key moments of the game.
Their goal was classy in its creation and clinical in its execution. Branislav Ivanovic started the move on the inside-right channel but it was Willian's improvisational brilliance that really created the danger. His turn, close to the corner flag, took him away from two defenders in one elegant movement. Azpilicueta took possession and picked out Torres, who was able to put home a low right-footed shot from 12 yards. Chelsea had started the match with César Azpilicueta on the right of midfield and David Luiz operating just in front of defence. Their tactics, with six recognised defenders on the pitch at the same time, were predominantly based around stifling the opposition. Yet they did not neglect the fact they needed to get behind the opposition defence and their goal was classy in its creation.
Mourinho's first response to the equaliser came after 53 minutes when he removed Cole to bring on Eto'o. Azpilicueta went back into defence and this was the signal that Chelsea had to start playing with greater adventure. Yet Eto'o had been on the pitch only six minutes when he committed the mistake that ultimately condemned his team. Branislav Ivanovic started the move on the right but it was Willian's improvisational brilliance that really created the danger. His turn, close to the corner flag, took him away from two defenders. Azpilicueta took possession and picked out Torres for a low right-footed shot that beat Courtois after a slight deflection off Mario Suárez.
His challenge on Costa, as Chelsea were defending a corner, was careless in the extreme, and the consequences were heavy for the home side. Costa was shown a yellow card because of the amount of time he took to take the penalty, but when he finally got round to drawing back that distinguished right foot he put the ball past Mark Schwarzer as though immune to nerves. Torres celebrated the goal like a form of apology, with his palms spread as if asking for forgiveness from his former club. Yet he took the chance with the kind of clinical finish that was a throwback to his good old days in Atlético's colours, and Chelsea are usually so accomplished at defending the lead that it was unusual to see the carelessness that followed.
The most disappointing part for Mourinho was that the goals were so easily preventable and, by Chelsea's standards, almost unorthodox in the way they were created. Eden Hazard was guilty of not tracking Juanfran for the first and, at this level, a team cannot be so obliging as Eto'o was in dangling out his leg to bring down Costa. Ashley Cole will wince when he sees the replays of the equaliser because he made a fatal mistake assuming John Terry was going to clear Juanfran's cutback. Terry could not adjust his feet quickly enough. Cole had switched off for a split-second and Adrián's shot was driven into the ground, bouncing off the turf to loop in.
A few minutes before, Thibaut Courtois had kept out Terry's header with a splendid save. Shortly after Costa's successful penalty, Willian put the ball in again and Luiz's header came back unfortunately off the post. Mourinho's first response to the equaliser came after 53 minutes when he removed Cole to bring on Eto'o. This was the signal that Chelsea would now have to start playing with greater adventure. The problem was two-fold. First, it meant leaving more space at the back for their opponent to exploit. Secondly, Chelsea's players continued to contribute to the team's downfall.
Yet Atlético could also reflect on hitting the woodwork through Koke in the opening exchanges of the match and when they did it again, after 71 minutes, Arda Turan ended any lingering arguments with Atlético's third goal. Juanfran supplied the cross again and Turan's header came back off the crossbar before dropping at his feet again for him to score the third Atlético goal from eight yards. Eto'o had been on the pitch only six minutes when he and Costa went for the same ball from an Atlético corner. The challenge was clumsy in the extreme and it was a straightforward decision for the Italian referee, Nicola Rizzoli, to make. Costa was shown a yellow card because of the amount of time he took with the penalty, but he eventually put the ball past Mark Schwarzer as though immune to nerves.
A minute earlier, Courtois had kept out Terry's header with a save that Mourinho described as "impossible". Shortly after Costa's penalty, Luiz's header came back off the post and Courtois pawed the ball away. Yet Atlético could also reflect on hitting the woodwork through Koke, the game's outstanding player, early in the match and when they did it again, after 71 minutes, Turan's header came back to him off the crossbar and he confirmed an all-Madrid final from the rebound.