Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League after a sloppy home defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Despite taking the lead in the first half, the Blues saw their hopes of a third consecutive European final dashed as uncharacteristic defensive mistakes saw them lose out.
Former Atletico Madrid man Fernando Torres gave the hosts the lead, before goals from Adrian, Diego Costa and Arda Turan sealed an all-Madrid final on May 24.
Chelsea started the game with John Terry back in defence and Eden Hazard back on the wing. Terry, who was injured in the first leg, had been expected to miss the rest of the season through injury. Hazard had been out injured since the last Champions League game at Stamford Bridge, and their return was a huge boost to the side.
The opening stages of the game were as cagey as expected, with both sides knowing the first goal would be huge. It was Chelsea who opened the scoring, after Willian pushed through the Atleti defence, he played the ball to Cesar Azpilicueta, who was playing in a wide midfield role, and his cut-back was fired home by Torres.
But, with just a minute of the first half to go Atletico put themselves in the lead overall, after some poor defending gave Adrian an open goal to shoot in to, and handed Atletico a precious away goal.
Samuel Eto’o came on in the second half to play up front with Torres as Chelsea pushed for a second, but the forward’s clumsy tackle gave the away side a penalty. Costa dispatched the penalty to put the Spaniards ahead on the night, with Chelsea needing two goals to go through.
The Blues pressed for a way back in to the back, but Atletico hit them on the counter attack and sealed a place in the final when Turan’s header came off the bar, bounced in front of him and he had an easy tap in to make it 3-1.
Chelsea continued to push for a goal but Atletico weren’t letting them through. That result sets up an all-Spanish final, and the first ever final between two sides from the same city.
After the game Jose Mourinho praised Atletico’s on loan Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, saying the young Belgian changed the game. “One minute in the second half decided everything,” said Mourinho. “A minute where the Atletico goalkeeper makes an impossible save to a John Terry header then the penalty that kills the game.
“After that there was only one team with morale high, knowing with half an hour left they had control. For about 60 minutes, we had the game, but semi-finals and important matches are made of details and this was a very important detail. Congratulations to them because they are a very good side and what they are doing in the Spanish league is fantastic.”
LCN Man of the Match: Azpilicueta