Olivier Giroud’s spectacular overhead kick gave Chelsea an outstanding victory against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last 16 first leg in Bucharest.
Giroud’s superb moment of improvisation not only delivered the win and a vital away goal but also continued new manager Thomas Tuchel’s unbeaten start at Chelsea and put them in pole position to reach the quarter-finals.
In a tie played in Romania instead of Spain because of Covid-19 restrictions, Giroud demonstrated athleticism and technique to send an acrobatic effort beyond Atletico keeper Jan Oblak in the 68th minute. The goal was originally ruled out for offside before a video assistant referee review revealed the ball had bounced off Atletico defender Mario Hermoso.
It was reward for Chelsea’s more progressive style in the face of the usual attritional approach from Diego Simeone’s Atletico. They rarely troubled Tuchel’s side who comfortably kept the in-form but increasingly frustrated Luis Suarez at bay.
Chelsea have now gone eight matches unbeaten since Tuchel succeeded Frank Lampard while Giroud is emerging as their Champions League talisman after scoring all four goals in the group-phase victory against Sevilla and a last-minute winner away to Rennes.
More to follow.
How to play
Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.
Rating range key = Give it up = Pure perfection
Atlético Madrid
Starting XI
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Squad number13Player nameOblak
Average rating5.36
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Squad number15Player nameSavic
Average rating5.10
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Squad number18Player nameFelipe
Average rating4.98
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Squad number22Player nameHermoso
Average rating4.78
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Squad number14Player nameMarcos Llorente
Average rating4.88
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Squad number6Player nameKoke
Average rating4.96
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Squad number8Player nameSaúl
Average rating4.94
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Squad number11Player nameLemar
Average rating4.84
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Squad number10Player nameCorrea
Average rating4.89
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Squad number7Player nameJoão Félix
Average rating4.96
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Squad number9Player nameSuárez
Average rating4.57
Substitutes
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Squad number5Player nameTorreira
Average rating4.24
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Squad number12Player nameRenan Lodi
Average rating4.22
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Squad number19Player nameDembele
Average rating4.36
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Squad number20Player nameVitolo
Average rating4.32
Chelsea
Starting XI
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Squad number16Player nameMendy
Average rating6.90
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Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta
Average rating7.49
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Squad number4Player nameChristensen
Average rating7.20
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Squad number2Player nameRüdiger
Average rating7.20
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Squad number20Player nameHudson-Odoi
Average rating7.46
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Squad number5Player nameJorginho
Average rating7.14
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Squad number17Player nameKovacic
Average rating7.20
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Squad number3Player nameAlonso
Average rating7.32
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Squad number19Player nameMount
Average rating8.23
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Squad number11Player nameWerner
Average rating7.45
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Squad number18Player nameGiroud
Average rating8.62
Substitutes
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Squad number7Player nameKanté
Average rating7.56
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Squad number10Player namePulisic
Average rating7.04
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Squad number22Player nameZiyech
Average rating6.82
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Squad number24Player nameJames
Average rating7.13
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Squad number29Player nameHavertz
Average rating6.82
Line-ups
Atl Madrid
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 13Oblak
- 15Savic
- 18Felipe
- 22HermosoSubstituted forMachín Pérezat 84′minutes
- 14LlorenteBooked at 63mins
- 6Koke
- 8SaúlSubstituted forTorreiraat 82′minutes
- 11LemarBooked at 90mins
- 10CorreaSubstituted forDembeleat 82′minutes
- 7SequeiraSubstituted forLodi dos Santosat 82′minutes
- 9Suárez
Substitutes
- 1Grbic
- 4Kondogbia
- 5Torreira
- 12Lodi dos Santos
- 19Dembele
- 20Machín Pérez
- 27Camello
- 28García
- 29Sánchez
- 31San Román
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 16Mendy
- 28Azpilicueta
- 4Christensen
- 2Rüdiger
- 20Hudson-OdoiSubstituted forJamesat 80′minutes
- 5JorginhoBooked at 64mins
- 17KovacicSubstituted forZiyechat 74′minutes
- 3Alonso
- 19MountBooked at 1minsSubstituted forKantéat 74′minutes
- 11WernerSubstituted forPulisicat 87′minutes
- 18GiroudSubstituted forHavertzat 87′minutes
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 7Kanté
- 9Abraham
- 10Pulisic
- 13Caballero
- 15Zouma
- 21Chilwell
- 22Ziyech
- 23Gilmour
- 24James
- 29Havertz
- 33Emerson
- Referee:
- Dr. Felix Brych
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Atlético de Madrid 0, Chelsea 1.
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Second Half ends, Atlético de Madrid 0, Chelsea 1.
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Reece James (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Vitolo (Atlético de Madrid).
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Foul by Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea).
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Lucas Torreira (Atlético de Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Thomas Lemar (Atlético de Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Christian Pulisic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Thomas Lemar (Atlético de Madrid).
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Foul by Kai Havertz (Chelsea).
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Koke (Atlético de Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Andreas Christensen (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Luis Suárez (Atlético de Madrid).
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Foul by Kai Havertz (Chelsea).
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Renan Lodi (Atlético de Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Substitution, Chelsea. Christian Pulisic replaces Timo Werner.
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Substitution, Chelsea. Kai Havertz replaces Olivier Giroud.
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Foul by Reece James (Chelsea).
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Renan Lodi (Atlético de Madrid) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Olivier Giroud (Chelsea).
