Chelsea lose to Atletico

Chelsea’s hopes of reaching a third Champions League final in seven seasons were ended as Atletico Madrid produced a stunning counter-attacking display at Stamford Bridge to set up a final against city rivals Real.

While Mourinho has a very enviable record in the Champions League that’s now six losses in eight semi- finals and last night the reason was obvious Chelsea were far too negative, last night was his third semi-final with The Blues and they have a return of two goals in six matches and have failed to progress on all three occasions.

When it’s a one off game and Chelsea need to go somewhere, Anfield etc., and get a result then Mourinho has showed time and again that he is the man for the job but in Europe when you have to play the same team twice in a week and at some point need to take the initiative and go out and get the result, not wait for the other team to go for it and catch them out, then two wins and six defeats out of eight shows there’s a weakness in Mourinho’s philosophy, it’s a small one I grant you but it’s there.

Last night in a game where Chelsea were playing a team that coming into the game had five consecutive clean sheets Mourinho started with seven defensive minded players and played a fullback in midfield and he and Chelsea paid the price. 

As for Atletico they continue to perpetually amaze me, last season they fell away towards the end of the season but this season with virtually the same squad they’ve managed to sustain their La Liga challenge and are favourites to be champions of Spain, and they are in the Champions League final, it’s incredible.

I must admit like last season I expected them to be over taken by either Barca or Real but they just keep going and I was rooting for them last night, because the last Madrid derby at the Vicente Calderon finished 2-2 and it was a fantastic game and I knew Real-Atletico would make a better final, and if it is anything like that game we’re in for a treat. Vamos Atletico.