https://www.sportinglife.com-Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech celebrates putting his side ahead at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea and Bayern Munich book the final two places in the Champions League quarter-finals by beating Atletico Madrid and Lazio respectively.
Chelsea 2-0 Atletico Madrid (agg 3-0)
Hakim Ziyech’s sublime counter-attack finish helped steer Chelsea past Atletico Madrid 2-0 at Stamford Bridge and into a first Champions League quarter-final in seven years.
Timo Werner and Kai Havertz combined to create Ziyech’s goal of graft and guile as Chelsea sunk 10-man Atletico 2-0 in the last-16 second leg in west London, and 3-0 on aggregate.
Emerson Palmieri drilled home late on to gloss the score and seal a fine victory, after Diego Simeone’s Atletico had seen Stefan Savic sent off late on for elbowing Toni Rudiger.
An animated Thiago Silva in the stands and THAT reaction for Emerson’s winner 😂#CFC | #CHEATM | #UCL pic.twitter.com/2HeP8In717
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) March 17, 2021
Ziyech’s first goal in 20 Chelsea appearances proved enough to settle an absorbing contest, where N’Golo Kante and Rudiger excelled for the hosts.
Boss Thomas Tuchel has required just 51 days at the Stamford Bridge helm to qualify for the Champions League quarters – a feat that had last been achieved by the Blues in 2014.
Chelsea’s 11th clean sheet in those 13 games under Tuchel provided the foundation for another landmark result, with the Blues coping manfully without the suspended Mason Mount and Jorginho, and injured duo Thiago Silva and Tammy Abraham.
It was a nervy opening for the hosts as Rudiger barged Luis Suarez just outside the Chelsea area but got away without censure and then captain Cesar Azpilicueta enjoyed the reprieve of the half, the defender lucky not to concede a penalty.
Azpilicueta’s under-hit backpass allowed Yannick Carrasco to sneak onto the ball and in on goal, and the Blues skipper promptly wrapped his arm and hand around the Atletico player’s torso.
Neither the man in the middle nor the Video Assistant Referee felt the need for a penalty however, and Chelsea were able to breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Chelsea quickly put that fortune to good use, Werner and Havertz combining well to tee up Ziyech’s goal.
Werner hustled wide to deflect Kieran Trippier’s cross into Havertz’s path, jumping to his feet to race down the inside left.
Havertz found Werner haring clear, and the former RB Leipzig forward kept his cool to roll a smart ball to the far post. Ziyech had tiptoed into a fine position in the box and promptly swept the ball home to cap a stunning break.
Chelsea opened the second half brightly, and Ziyech drew a fine save from Jan Oblak with a curling 18-yard effort.
Felix saw a rasping shot deflected wide as Atletico chased the game in increasingly fraught fashion.
And then the visitors had Savic sent off for elbowing Rudiger, with the defender storming off in disgust at the decision.
When Chelsea raced clear at the death, Christian Pulisic fed Emerson and the full-back did the rest with a smart finish, to cap a big night for Tuchel and Chelsea.
Bayern Munich 2-1 Lazio
Bayern Munich breezed into the Champions League quarter-finals after a comfortable win over Lazio.
The defending champions reached the last eight with a 2-1 victory at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
Robert Lewandowski’s first-half penalty and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s goal eased them to an 6-2 aggregate win to keep them on course for a seventh title.
Marco Parolo did pull a late goal back for spirited Lazio but they never looked like fighting back from their first-leg defeat.