Our man in Spain typed his fingers to the bone, swore loudly when Michy Batshuayi scored in the fourth minute of injury time and then typed his fingers to the bone some more to bring you this on-the-whistle report.
A huge result for Chelsea: With back to back matches against Roma, who beat Qarabag earlier this evening, coming up in this group, Chelsea have put themselves in the box-seat for qualification for the knockout stages. That win over Atletico was as good a performance away from home in the Champions League as I think we’ve been treated to by an English team in several years. I can’t think of a better one off the top of my head - perhaps there isn’t one.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte celebrates after the final whistle. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images via Reuters
Chelsea would almost certainly have been delighted with a point, but they’ll be thrilled to bits to become the first visiting team to get out of the Metropolitano with all three. They had to do it the hard way, coming from behind after Antoine Griezmann had given Atletico a first-half lead from the penalty spot. Alvaro Morata restored parity after 60 minutes after excellent work from Eden Hazard. Having come off the bench to replace Morata, Batshuayi popped up with the winner in the fourth minute of added time. Watching from the stands, Diego Costa looked absolutely distraught.
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It’s all over! What a sensational finish to this match, which the substitute Michy Batshuayi wins with what was quite literally the last kick of the game. It was a splendid finish to a marvellous move from Chelsea. Having passed the ball around the Atletico Madrid box from the free-kick won by David Luiz, the ball was played to Marcos Alonso on the right. He arrowed a low drive across the face of goal, which Batshuayi had the fairly straightforward task of steering home from three or four yards out. Excellent play from Chelsea, when the temptation to just hump the ball into the mixer from that free-kick must have been huge.
90+1 min: David Luiz is fouled by Koke, goes to ground and wins a free-kick. As Koke goes to help him to his feet, David Luiz grabs his face - his own face - and pretends he’s been hit. The ref’s having none of it.
90 min: Gimenez shoots high and wide from distance with a shot from distance that Courtois had to be wary of. He appeals for a corner, but doesn’t get one.
89 min: Seconds after Fernando Torres went down a couple of entries ago, Antoine Griezmann steered the ball wide to waste what looked a decent opportunity. He’s been very, very poor tonight and seems to have spent more time than most players on the field falling over.
86 min: Chelsea substitution from a couple of minutes ago: Cesc Fabregas off, Andreas Christensen on. The Danish central defender replaces David Luiz in Chelsea’s back three, with the Brazilian moving forward to play alongside N’Golo Kante.
85 min: Torres goes down under a challenge from behind by Tiemoue Bakayoko just inside the Chelsea penalty area and might feel rather aggrieved he didn’t win a penalty. I’ll tell you what - I’ve seen them given for a hell of a lot less. Torres didn’t lodge a particularly strong appeal, but did look quizzically at the ref after going down.
82 min: Chelsea double substitution: Michy Batshuayi and Willian on for Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata. The duo who are making way have both played well, but Hazard in particular has been outstanding. I suspect this may be a case of Antonio Conte resting two of his more prized assets ahead of Chelsea’s match against Manchester City this weekend. That ought to be a belter of a game.
81 min: Saul Niguez shoots from distance, but Thibaut Courtois isn’t troubled by his dipping effort, which came about after Cesc Fabregas gifted possession to Atletico with a rare mistake.
79 min: Antoine Griezmann wins Atletico a free-kick wide on the right, almost in line with the right side of the Chelsea penalty area. He and Koke stand over the ball, but it’s Griezmann who sends it into the crowded penalty area. Chelsea clear.
77 min: Atletico Madrid make their final substitution:Uruguayan central defender José Giménez on for Thomas Partey. Diego Simeone has three central defenders on the pitch now and is playing with Juanfran and Filipe Luiz as wing-backs.
74 min:Chelsea attack on the counter, with Alvaro Morata getting goalside of Lucas and finding himself in a one-on-one with Jan Oblak. He draws the keeper and attempts to roll the ball into the far corner with the side of his boot, but it trickles agonisingly wide.
Alvaro Morata chases the ball as he looks to put Chelsea into the lead. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images via Reuters
72 min: N’Golo Kante receives a pass from Eden Hazard in the Atletico penalty area, makes a yard for a shot and shoots narrowly wide. No n’goal for N’Golo on that occasion.
69 min: Atletico Madrid substitution: Many are the players with connections to both these teams and here comes one now: Fernando Torres on, Yannick Carasco off.
65 min: Angel Correa wins a corner for Atletico. Koke sends the ball into the penalty area and Diego Godin rises above Gary Cahill to get his head on the ball and send a downward header wide. He’s promptly penalised for climbing all over Cahill.
63 min: Cesc Fabregas goes close to putting Chelsea ahead. Hazard pokes the ball his way across the edge of the six yard box, but Fabregas shoots narrowly wide from a great position.
Relief for the Atlético players and despair for the Chelsea players as Cesc Fabregas puts the ball the wrong side of the post. Photograph: Paul Hanna/Reuters
61 min: Atletico Madrid will not be pleased that the first goal scored by an opponent in their shiny new stadium came of the head of a Real Madrid old boy who’ve they’ve spent all night jeering. Eden Hazard sent in a sensational whipped cross at speed and on the edge of the six-yard box, Morata got in front of his man and used the pace of the ball to flick a header pass Jan Oblak. That’s his seventh goal for Chelsea, but only his first against Atletico in his seventh match against them.
56 min: Filipe Luis goes down with an audible yelp under a challenge from Kante over by the touchline, near the halfway line. No free-kick is forthcoming, but Atletico win a throw-in after the ball goes out of play off Victor Moses.
51 min: Cesar Azpilicueta curls a wonderful cross from the right across the face of the Atletico goal. The goal’s gaping, but despite stretching every sinew, Alvaro Morata just can’t get his head to it.
48 min: A scrappy start to the second half is punctuated by another foul; this time it’s Gary Cahill on Angel Correa. From the ensuing free-kick, Saul Niguez gets the jump on Tiemoue Bakayoko but sends his header over the bar.
46 min: Chelsea kick off and will feel aggrieved at being a goal down. They’ll need to become the first visiting team to score at Atletico’s new stadium to take something from this match. There are no changes in personnel on either side.
The Spanish side lead at the interval, courtesy of ANtonione Griezmann’s fiercely struck penalty into the roof of the net, after David Luiz had been caught hanging out of Lucas’s shirt at a corner.Chelsea can consider themselves unfortunate to be behind, having created more chances than their hosts in an entertaining 45 minutes of football.
45+1 min: Saul Niguez shoots inches wide of a gaping goal as he follows up on the rebound from a fierce Koke drive which Thibaut Courtois did well to save, but could only parry. Chelsea were lucky not to go 2-0 down there.
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois gets down smartly to make a save. Photograph: Paul White/AP
45 min: Chelsea have been the better team in this half, but look likely to go in at the break a goal down thanks to some ridiculously lazy defending from David Luiz. I’m one of his biggest fans, but that shirt-tug, right in front of the referee, was idiotic.
44 min: Gary Cahill has just gone close for Chelsea, narrowly missing with an effort that briefly looked bound for the top corner. They’ve responded well to going a goal down.
42 min: Marcos Alonso appeals for handball and a penalty after he has a shot blocked by Filipe Luis. No spot-kick is forthcoming and replays show the ball hit the former Chelsea player in the chest. Good decision.
Goal! Atletico Madrid 1-0 Chelsea (Griezmann 40pen)
Antoine Griezmann makes no mistake, burying the ball past Thibaut Courtois. David Luiz, incidentally, was booked for that rather gormless bit of shirt-pulling that cost his team a goal.
Atlético’s Antoine Griezmann thumps the ball down the middle to open the scoring. Photograph: Paul White/AP
Atlético Manager Diego Simeone is pretty pleased to go ahead. Photograph: Denis Doyle/UEFA via Getty Images
38 min: Angel Correa and Yannick Carasco combine well through the centre and the latter unleashes a shot. Cesc Fabregas blocks and puts the ball out for a corner.
37 min: Gary Cahill hacks the ball clear after Thibaut Courtois failed to cope adequately with a bullet cross to the near post from Juanfran to Griezmann. David Luiz and Cesar Azpilicueto were on hand to put the French striker off, although the delivery was a mite behind the striker.
34 min: Attempting to shepherd that doesn’t appear to have the necessary legs out of play, Atletico skipper Diego Godin gets the slightest touch from Alvaro Morata and goes down to win himself a free-kick. Good defending.
32 min: David Luiz chips a pass from deep into the Atletico Madrid, who fail to clear properly. The ball drops for Tiemoue Bakayoko, who tries to make room for a shot but is crowded off the ball.
29 min: Atletico concede a free-kick wide on the left, in line with the front of the penalty area. Cesc Fabregas curls the ball into the penalty area, where Saul Niguez heads it clear.bustedmusicnews.blogspot.com
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