Chelsea hold Athletico

Chelsea produced a dogged defensive
display as their UEFA Champions League
semi-final first leg with Atletico Madrid
ended in a 0-0 draw at the Vicente
Calderon.
But the result came at a cost, with Petr
Cech and John Terry both forced off
through injury and Frank Lampard and John
Obi Mikel receiving bookings which will see
them miss the return leg at Stamford
Bridge next Wednesday through
suspension.
Jose Mourinho sent his side out with the
clear intention of keeping a clean sheet,
with five men in midfield providing a solid
screen to the back four and only former
Atletico striker Fernando Torres operating
in a lone attacking role.
The match had been billed as a showdown
between Chelsea goalkeeper Cech and the
heir to his Stamford Bridge throne, Thibaut
Courtois, who is taking in his third season
on loan with the Spanish league leaders.
But Cech's night was brought to a
premature conclusion when he was injured
after falling awkwardly onto his elbow after
a collision with Raul Garcia as he pushed a
15th-minute Koke corner over the
crossbar, with 41-year-old Mark Schwarzer
sent into the fray after a lengthy stoppage.
Schwarzer had very little to do through the
opening half, with Diego Simeone's side
unable to find a way through and any
crosses which were swung into the box
comfortably dealt with by Terry and Gary
Cahill, with Cesar Azpilicueta and the
returning Ashley Cole providing good
support.
Diego Costa squared up to Terry in the
opening exchanges after a clearance from
the Chelsea skipper with referee Jonas
Eriksson forced to step in, before Cole got
away with taking an additional touch on
the edge of his box as Raul Garcia was
penalised for his challenge on the left-
back.
Cahill nodded a corner narrowly wide in
the 21st minute but the whistle had
already gone before, as the half-hour mark
approached, Willian burst forward and fed
Ramires, but his effort from the edge of
the box was not a threat to the under-
employed Courtois or close enough to
Torres.
After being a spectator for much of the
time since entering the fray, Schwarzer
was forced to scramble across his line to
cover a fine curled effort from midfielder
Mario Suarez which shaped just the wrong
side of his left upright.
Azpilicueta had to throw himself in front of
a powerfully struck Diego Costa effort as
half-time approached, with the Spain
striker's hopeful penalty appeals rightly
ignored.
Courtois was finally called into action early
in the second period as he dropped to
gather a Lampard shot from distance,
before David Luiz required treatment after
coming off second best in an aerial
challenge with Diego.
Schwarzer came haring off his line to punch
clear in the 55th minute, with the ball
dropping kindly to Diego, but he could only
fire a weak shot straight into the arms of
the grateful goalkeeper, before Torres
found Courtois' midriff after working a yard
of space for a shot outside the Atletico
box.
Arda Turan was sent on in place of Diego,
with Lampard going into the book for a
late sliding challenge on the Atletico
substitute.
Mikel took responsibility to head Juanfran's
cross away ahead of Schwarzer with Diego
Costa lurking before Chelsea suffered
another significant blow, as Terry limped
off after injuring his left ankle in a
seemingly innocuous incident involving
Diego Costa and David Luiz.
Mikel and Gabi were booked following a
melee in the wake of a Lampard handball,
with suspension now ruling both men out
of the return, and Gabi curled the resulting
free-kick narrowly wide of goal.
Arda Turan headed just off target at the far
post from Juanfran's cross after getting up
above Cahill before Raul Garcia's looping
header landed on the roof of Schwarzer's
net as Chelsea held out, while David Luiz
fired a late free-kick well wide for the
visitors.