Atletico, Chelsea set for another clash
madrid — It was after a victory over Chelsea three years ago that Atletico Madrid began to assert themselves as a contender in European soccer.
The Spanish club won over two legs in the 2014 Champions League semifinals to get their first shot at the European title in nearly 40 years. Atletico went on to reach another final in 2016, and to the semifinals last season.
Wednesday’s group match in Madrid will be the first between the teams since Atletico beat Chelsea — the 2012 Champions League champions — with a 3-1 win in England to secure a spot in the final against Real Madrid. Atletico and Chelsea had drawn 0-0 in the first leg at the Vicente Calderon Stadium.
There were some familiar faces in that matchup at Stamford Bridge.
Striker Fernando Torres is now with Atletico but he played for Chelsea at the time, scoring the English club’s lone goal in that home loss. One of Atletico’s goals was scored by Diego Costa, who later played for Chelsea before recently reaching a deal to return to the Spanish club.
Atletico’s goalkeeper was Thibaut Courtois, who now is defending Chelsea’s goal. Atletico left back Filipe Luis played for Chelsea in 2014-15, and current Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata played in Atletico’s youth squads before eventually becoming a regular with city rival Real Madrid.
Atletico had also beaten Chelsea 4-1 in the 2012 European Super Cup final, behind a firsthalf hat trick by Radamel Falcao. The teams’ other matches were in the group stage of the Champions League in 2009, with Chelsea winning 4-0 at home and drawing 2-2 in Madrid.
The Spanish club has never lost at home against English clubs, and it’s looking to carry its impressive overall home record in European competitions into the new Wanda Metropolitano Stadium. —