1. Mourinho punished for negativity
JOSE MOURINHO STARTED with no fewer than six players who could be regarded as glorified defenders against Atletico this evening.
Unconcerned by those who had suggested the coach was both overly cautious and hypocritical for playing the type of defensive game that he previously berated opposition managers for implementing, the Special One adopted a conspicuously negative approach once again this evening.
Despite playing at Stamford Bridge, the ground in which they are so often formidable under Mourinho, Chelsea appeared to play a game based primarily on fear of the opposition — somewhat understandably showing an obvious reluctance to trust their own limited attacking abilities in the process.
Of course, this strategy has worked out well in the past for the Londoners, but against a determined and technically superior Atletico Madrid side, they toiled away while rarely looking like scoring from open play, with the visitors ultimately emerging as deserved winners.
2. Can we read too much into one result?
Bayern Munich produced a poor performance last night as they were beaten 4-0 by Real Madrid.
However, it can be easily forgetten that they dominated the previous game in Madrid, and with a bit of luck could have come away with a first-leg lead rather than a deficit.
Pep Guardiola’s team consequently failed to rise to their usual standards last night, but one Champions League semi-final loss should not detract from what has been a wonderful season overall for Bayern.
Granted, their defensive ineptitude was exposed by Madrid’s proficient attack time and again, however those suggesting the result indicates Guardiola’s style of football is now somehow redundant are surely guilty of reactionary thoughts.
The former Spain international’s distinctive brand of football has brought him significant levels of success in the recent past, and so to dismiss this style on the back of one poor result seems overly extreme.
3. Another miraculous achievement for Atletico
A historic double is on for Atletico Madrid — the Spanish side still have an opportunity of winning both La Liga and the Champions League.
Diego Simeone side’s are just two games away from domestic glory, and could subsequently secure the double by overcoming rivals Real in the Champions League final on 24 May.
For a side with only a fraction of the resources of the top European teams, most pertinently Barcelona and Real, the achievement is nothing short of a miracle.
With Liverpool similarly financially inferior to their Premier League rivals — though to a far less considerable degree — this truly has been a year for the footballing romantic.
4. Ronaldo a fitting recipient of Champions League goalscoring record
Cristiano Ronaldo last night broke Lionel Messi’s all-time Champions League goalscoring record, with 16 goals in total in the competition for just this season alone.
The Real Madrid star proved a constant menace on the break, as Real Madrid comfortably overcame a Bayern side who failed to turn their relentless dominance in terms of possession into superiority on the scoreboard.
And Ronaldo, as is almost always the case, played an integral role in this triumph, showing his customary ruthlessness with two well-taken goals.
There was a period when the 29-year-old was a less-than-popular figure as a result of his consistent tendency to engage in petulant behaviour, nonetheless he has matured considerably since moving to Real Madrid, and his performances over the course of each season have steadily improved to boot.
5. Eden Hazard won’t want to watch tonight’s game again
One of the main arguments put forward for Juan Mata’s January departure from Chelsea was that despite all his creative ingenuity, the star’s reluctance to track back and conform to the Mourinho way cost him his place in the side.
Yet if the Chelsea boss seeks to apply such logic consistently, he may start to question the role of Eden Hazard in the team on tonight’s showing.
The Belgian international was partially responsible for two of the three goals Chelsea conceded against Atletico, as a lack of concentration on both occasions allowed his marker to go past him unchallenged.
Of course, a player of Hazard’s talents is surely still indispensable as far as Chelsea are concerned, given that the side are not exactly blessed with attacking talent elsewhere. Nevertheless, Mourinho at the very least will presumably give the prodigious 23-year-old, who has had an excellent season for the most part, a stark warning owing to his costly slip-ups.
