Atletico will prove to be dogged contenders
Chelsea against Atletico Madrid is one of the standout ties of the UEFA Champions League last 16 this season.
Despite going into the draw as group winners, we were hardly given easy pickings with the La Liga giants. Diego Simeone’s side is one of the best-organised sides in Europe and will present us with a proper challenge.
We will play away first before welcoming Atletico to the Bridge to wrap up the tie.
According to the club’s official site, the first leg in Spain will be played on 23 February with the match at Stamford Bridge set to take place on 17 March. Both kick-off times are yet to be confirmed.
We have played Atletico seven times before, with both sides winning two apiece. Six of them have come in the Champions League while the remaining tie saw us square off against each other in the 2012 UEFA Super Cup.
Our most recent meeting was in the group stages of the Champions League in 2017. We won the away tie 2-1 and drew 1-1 at the Bridge. A repetition of the scorelines will serve us well.
The tie will also see us face off against former striker Diego Costa. The 32-year-old spent three seasons at the Bridge helping us to two Premier League titles.
We will also come up against Uruguayan international Jose Gimenez. The defender has been continually linked to the Blues in recent months. The tie should give us the opportunity to scout him first hand.
With the likes of Luis Suarez now among Simeone’s players, Atletico certainly packs a punch. The tie will be a test of Frank Lampard’s managerial acumen.
It cannot be claimed that Chelsea has been given a draw that is easy on paper. Atletico represents one of the toughest teams we could have come up against.
But then, we cannot afford not to beat the top sides if we are keen on lifting the Champions League.
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