Tomorrow @ 12PM PST While they are at the top of La Liga, they're coming off the back of a 2-0 loss to 8th placed Levante and an otherwise unimpressive run of form. Hav & Pulessi back in the mix. Expected lineup (I'm literally just guessing) Mendy CHO-Azp-AC-Rud-Chilly Kov-Jorg Mason-Pulisic Werner Words from Tuchel..
I don't watch Spanish football and don't know much about it but the fact that they're top of their league suggests they must be pretty good! I'm guessing it's going to be a tough game. Actually having somebody other than Barcelona or Real Madrid top of their league will do Spanish football a huge favour I reckon.
It would be cool to see. Though, Barca are a train wreck at the moment and Madrid are going through an almost fantasy-level injury crisis. This is prob their best chance in years to actually, finally do it.
3pm EST 8pm GMT Live from the National Arena in Bucharest Thiago still out. Captain America is back. Kai Havertz is back. Atletico are without Gimenez, Sime Vrsaljko and Yannick Carrasco and Hector Herrera recently tested positive for Covid-19. Luis Suarez and Joao Felix should both start for the La Liga leaders Kieran Trippier misses out because he is a dodgy fcuck Simon Gleave, head of sports analysis at Nielsen's Gracenote, said: "Chelsea are one of the outsiders to win this season's Champions League. Their chance of doing so is currently 2%." The overall head-to-head between Atletico and Chelsea in European competition is perfectly balanced, with two wins each, three draws and 11 goals each. Atletico prevailed in their only previous Champions League knockout tie with Chelsea in the 2013-14 semi-finals (3-1 on aggregate). Atletico have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League for the seventh time in the last eight seasons. Meanwhile, Chelsea will attempt to progress past the round of 16 for the first time since the 2013/14 campaign (semi-finalists).
Chelsea are the last team to beat Atletico on their own turf in European competition - it was in September 2017, Atletico's first European match at their new (Wanda Metroplitano stadium (1-2). But we are playing this one in Bucharest behind closed doors. Of keepers to play at least three Champions League games this season, Chelsea's Edouard Mendy has the best save percentage in the competition (94%), only conceding from one of the 16 shots on target he has faced so far
blast from the past WED 30 Apr 2014 Champions League - Semi-Finals - 2nd Leg Chelsea FC 1Atlético Madrid 3 --- [we lost 1-3 on agg] strange team that night 4-2-3-1 with Azpilicueta playing on the RW 23Schwarzer 2Ivanovic 24Cahill 26Terry 3Cole Substituted for Eto' oat 54'minutes 7Ramires 4David Luiz 28Azpilicueta 22Willian for Schürrle at 77'minutes 17E Hazard 9Torres Substituted for Ba at 67'
Suarez is goalless in the past 4 CL matches, but has 16 in La Liga so far. I'm almost positive Giroud will start this match.
The worst thing about being a football fan is getting excited for games like these and then the eventual letdown when you realize your club/squad find it impossible to play to their max potential. On paper, we have just a good of a squad as Atletico.
Very true. In the past, there was always a chance where we could play at the top of our abilities and really take the game. It's been so long since I've had this confidence in the team. We don't even know what our ceiling with this lot and struggle just to have consistency. Until then, all games will be a uphill battle.
Yeah. It's not being a fair weather fan or anything. (1) We seriously lack a midfielder who is threat on goal, is tenacious, or inventive. We have Mount, which is a nice start. We all know Jorginho's shortcomings, Kante is not a threat on goal, and Kova isn't either. I think Kai is supposed to be this player. Maybe he will be. Right now, he's not. He's too precious and lacks the desire to be near the ball all the time, like a Bruno Fernandes. (2) We don't have a unifying presence in defense. When Silva is healthy, sure. But we have missed this for years. You see what a Van Dijk does. Ruben Dias. Rudiger is not this. Zouma is not. Christensen is not. Those two areas are a huge difference. I'd rather overspend there than get a Haaland. Of course, I'd rather get Haaland, too.
Atletico lost to Levante over the weekend, so they could be out for blood. I'm hoping we have a good performance against them a la a few years ago under Conte.
Its a shame but it's why we continue to watch, yeah? I can only pray that I get to see these guys play a high level at the Bridge again like I did in 2010. Lampard's passing, Ashley Cole's domination on the left and Drogba being Drogba are forever imprinted into my mind. There seems to be a lot of hope with this current crop - IMO we do have one of the strong squads in the world. Werner is young, Havertz is still very young, Pulisic is very young, Mount, etc. The upside is crazy to think about.
Our upside is just potential. Which is great to have. What we need is someone with the ability to carry the team and want to. That attitude is missing. Maybe that's due to the young age for now. Add the experienced Vandyke on defense and a mid that runs the show and I'll be happy. Is Saul still a sought out player?
I just don't feel very confident for this one, I have one of my 'feelings'........................but there again I was very confident against Southampton and had one of my 'feelings' then too! :-D The truth is that I just don't find our current form very 'inspiring', there again I felt the same before the group game against Saville but that turned out OK. Perhaps a team shakeup will help, maybe publicly 'outing' CHO for his lack of effort was the kick up the a*se needed to get the team playing to the potential of the sum of their parts?
Yea this was one of the worse match ups we could have had. We’ve been given a shot by having the game moved out of Spain. And Tuchel at least has us trending in a better direction then the erratic play under Lamps. We need Silva to play here. He’s massive. But def not feeling this game either. Hope those comments worked too. Def a gamble. We will see how the team really reacted today.
Would love a draw. 1-1 is ideal and would be amazing. I think it'll be 3-0 Atletico, unfortunately. Atletico won the Europa League at this stadium (Bucharest). That's not why Im picking them. Its more about our inability to create or stop the other team from scoring. Get ready, Mendy.
Atlético Madrid starting lineup (3-4-3): Oblak | Hermoso, Felipe, Savic | Saul, Lemar, Koke (c), Llorente | Joao Felix, Suarez, Correa Substitutes from: Grbic, San Roman, Kondogbia, Torreira, Renan Lodi, Dembele, Vitolo, Camello, Garcia, Sanchez Chelsea starting lineup (3-4-3): Mendy | Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta (c) | Alonso, Kovacic, Jorginho, Hudson-Odoi | Werner, Giroud, Mount Substitutes from: Arrizabalaga, Caballero, Zouma, James, Chilwell, Emerson, Kante, Gilmour, Ziyech, Havertz, Pulisic, Abraham
Pretty much what we expected for the team. The Kova/Jorg midfield makes me nervous. Would feel better with Kante in there, but perhaps since its not a true away fixture, Tuchel thinks we can keep the ball more than if we were in Madrid.
5 subs allowed for this game. Hope to see our more creative players at some point in the game. With the defensive mindset of both teams. We could be about to witness a really boring game. Or not.