Champions League news – Hakim Ziyech and Emerson’s latest goal send Chelsea to the round of 16

Hakim Ziyech was right when Chelsea booked a place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over 10-man Atlético de Madrid after a dominant performance in the second leg.

The Moroccan international scored his first goal at Stamford Bridge in the 34th minute and the Blues sealed a 3-0 win on aggregate and kept Thomas Tuchel’s undefeated start as manager.

Atlético will point to a rejected penalty appeal eight minutes before the first game when César Azpilicueta was lucky not to be penalized for appearing to push Yannick Carrasco into the area.

However, the visitors rarely threatened and their misery was compounded with nine minutes remaining when Stefan Savic received his marching orders to elbow Antonio Rudiger. In added time, substitute Emerson slammed Chelsea’s second to throw salt on the visiting team’s wounds.

Chelsea can now look forward to Friday’s final eight draw before hosting Sheffield United in the sixth round of the FA Cup on Sunday. Atlético play at home against Alavés in La Liga on the same day.

TALKING POINT

No chance of 13 unlucky for Tuchel as Chelsea advance. The Tuchel effect continues to reap early rewards. Chelsea were left without some key men under German command in the form of the suspended Mason Mount and Jorginho, while Andreas Christensen was ruled out due to illness. In the end, it mattered little, as the Blues made it past the final 16 stages for the first time since 2014. It’s 13 games undefeated with Tuchel and this was a ninth win. Many positives were shown, including another clean sheet. Kai Havertz, Timo Werner and Ziyech combined for a goal that many Chelsea fans would have expected to see in a trio of their summer signings many months earlier. Still, better late than never, and it was crucial in the context of the tie, as Atlético had shown much more purpose in the early exchanges at the Bridge. Diego Simeone will regret that a strong penalty appeal is rejected, but the truth is that his team was clearly second best in both stages. Chelsea seem like a tremendously efficient team now and it’s the kind of team you’d want to avoid in the later stages of this competition.

THE MAN OF THE PARTY

Timo Werner (Chelsea). There were several blue-shirted candidates, including the tireless N’Golo Kante. However, the German is given the go-ahead for scoring his seventh assist of the season and possibly his most valuable as well. He led the line well and caused fear in Atlético’s defense with his rhythm. The bad luck of not entering the payroll at halftime.

PLAYER RATINGS

CHELSEA: Mendy 7, Azpilicueta 6, Zouma 8, Rudiger 8, James 8, Kante 8, Kovacic 8, Alonso 7, Ziyech 8, Werner 8, Havertz 7. Subs: Pulisic 7, Hudson-Odoi n / a, Emerson n / a , Chilwell n / a.

ATLETICO MADRID: Oblak 7, Renan Lodi 6, Trippier 6, Gimenez 6, Savic 5, Saul 6, Koke 6, Llorente 7, Carrasco 6, Felix 6, Suarez 5. Subs: Hermoso 6, Dembele 6, Correa 6, Lemar 6.

KEY MOMENTS

26 ‘- CRY OF PENALTY FROM THE ATHLETIC! Carrasco pursues Suárez’s pass to the area. Azpilicueta seeks to put in order but his pass back is weak and it seems that the Atlético man falls. There was certainly contact there, but the referee is not interested in penalty appeals and the VAR doesn’t even review it. That is a great decision!

34 ‘- GOAL! – Chelsea 1-0 Athletic. Ziyech hits Werner’s low ball from the left after Havertz led a Chelsea counterattack at full speed. – (Chelsea leads 2-0 on aggregate).

49 ‘- CHELSEA OPPORTUNITY! Werner throws himself beyond Atleti’s high line and throws himself to the right side of the area. It’s a tight angle but it still stings Oblak’s palms with a low shot that the goalkeeper does well to stop.

80 ‘- ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITY! Joao Felix spins a yard of space just inside the box, but his deflected shot flies just past the far post.

81 ‘- ATHLETIC RED CARD! Savic receives a direct red card for pushing Rudiger off the ball. That is so silly.

90 ‘- ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITY! Joao Felix cuts inside but sees his blunt punch pushed over the bar by Mendy.

90 + 4 ‘- GOAL! – Chelsea 2-0 Athletic. Pulisic clears and feeds Emerson, who fires a low shot into the far corner. He literally just walked out into the field. What a substitution! (Chelsea lead 3-0 on aggregate).

KEY STATISTICS

Werner (10 goals, 7 assists) has been directly involved in more goals in all competitions this season than any other Chelsea player.

Four of Ziyech’s seven goals in the CL have been scored against Spanish rivals: two against Real Madrid in 2019, one against Valencia in 2019 and one against Atlético.

Chelsea have never been eliminated in a two-game European tie after winning the first leg away from home (progressed from 14).

Chelsea are undefeated in their 13 matches with Thomas Tuchel in all competitions, the longest undefeated start by a Blues coach in club history.

Savic received his third red card in the UEFA Champions League; Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Edgar Davids and Sergio Ramos (all four) have had more in the history of the competition.