He Atlético de Madrid
will be measured at Chelsea in the knockout stages of the Champions League. The first leg will be played in February at the Metropolitan and the return a few weeks later at Stamford Bridge. A duel that, reviewing history, is most balanced.
Because equality is total seeing the precedents of confrontations between both groups. Atlético and Chelsea have met in continental tournaments seven times and, as we say, equality is maximum. Two red-and-white victories, two blue and three draws. The balance occurs even in the scoring balance, as both teams have scored eleven goals in their duels.
The first that Athletic and Chelsea they saw each other was in the group stage of 09/10 in London. Resounding 4-0 for the English, with goals Lampard (today technical blue), two of Kalou and another from Perea at own door. In the second leg, at the Calderón, 2-2, with two doublets of Omen and Drogba. Atlético was eliminated in that group stage.
The revenge would come in 2012, when both teams played the European Super Cup in Monaco. And the rojiblanco painting offered one of the greatest exhibitions that is remembered, with a stellar Radamel falcaOr that it destroyed the British. 4-1 for Atlético, with a hat-trick from the Colombian and another from Miranda. Cahill put the one of honor.
Two courses later, Atlético and Chelsea met in the semi-finals of the Champions League. 0-0 at the Calderón and 1-3 in the English capital, with goals from Adrián, Arda and Costa penalty. The ‘blue’ goal scored it Fernando Torres, who did not celebrate. Those of Simeone they reached the final in Lisbon.
And the most recent precedents date from the group stage of 17/18. 1-2 in the Metropolitan, where Morata and Bathsuayi scored in victory ‘blue’ and Griezmann for Atlético, and 1-1 at Stamford Bridge, with 'targets' of Saul and Savic at own door. As before, the mattresses were dropped from the Champions League, although later they would raise the Europa League in Lyon.
In short, that total equality in the balance of confrontations, although while Chelsea has dominated in the league, Atlético has done so in life and death duels. The rojiblancos will try to maintain this dynamic in the round of 16 of this Champions League.