Hakim Ziyech And Emerson Palmieri Fire Blues To Champions League last Eight
Match report as Hakim Ziyech and Emerson add to Olivier Giroud’s goal in the first leg to secure Chelsea’s Champions League progress; Stefan Savic sent off for violent conduct in closing stages
Chelsea progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals, beating Atletico Madrid 2-0 on Wednesday to complete a 3-0 aggregate win in the last-16 second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Olivier Giroud’s spectacular overhead kick separated the sides in Bucharest three weeks ago, giving Chelsea a valuable one-goal advantage that was added to by Hakim Ziyech (34) during the opening half.
The Blues extended their record of never having been eliminated from a European knockout tie after winning the first leg away from home to 14 occasions and frustration got the better of Atletico in the closing stages.
Stefan Savic was dismissed for violent conduct (81) after elbowing Antonio Rudiger as Emerson Palmieri came off the bench in stoppage time and scored with his very first touch to complete a professional job by the hosts.
It is the first time Chelsea have reached the Champions League last eight in seven years and they are yet to lose in 13 matches under Thomas Tuchel in all competitions, making this now the longest unbeaten start to a tenure by any manager in the club’s history, overtaking Luiz Felipe Scolari’s 12 games in 2008.