Alvaro Morata opened the scoring from an Eden Hazard cross
Up against the might of Atletico in their own new backyard, Chelsea produced a performance of remarkable bravery and skill as they fought back from potential disaster to grab a totally deserved win.
Michy Batshuayi’s goal in injury time at the Wanda Metropolitano will go down in Chelsea folklore after an astonishing match.
But Conte’s immaculately prepared team to a man delivered – as they fought back from potential Champions League catastrophe.
Defeat loomed when David Luiz gave away a stupid penalty on the stroke of half time after a 45 minutes they had utterly dominated to enable Antoine Griezmann to score.
Luiz, playing with a broken wrist after being sent off against Arsenal, had had an immaculate game but once again in his career, a moment of lunacy let the Brazilian down.
Chelsea refused to be denied, as the excellent Eden Hazard set up Alvaro Morata for his seventh goal in seven games with a delicious header – and then Batshuayi silenced the cacophony with virtually the last kick of the game.
The task ahead of Chelsea had been formidable.
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Michy Batshuayi scored with the last kick of the game
Atletico had reached two out of the last four finals, each time losing to their bitter rivals Real. Last year they were semi-finallists.
Simeone’s team had never lost at home to English opposition in Uefa competition before last night.
They had lost just one of their last 22 Champions League home matches, while Chelsea had won only three of their last 12 European away games.
The teams last met in the semi-finals in 2013-14. Chelsea gained a creditable draw at the infamous old Vicente Calderon cauldron, but were beaten 3-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Diego Costa scored a penalty for Atletico that night. Last night, having secured his £67 million return to his first love from Chelsea only this week, the Spaniard was there greeting his old teammates warmly in the tunnel.
In their new spectacular £210 million home, Atletico had played twice and won twice, without conceding a goal. After 18 months without the Champions League for Chelsea, barring that straightforward opener against Qarabag, last night it felt like the real thing again.
Conte’s masterstroke was deciding to play Hazard, starting a game for the first time this season, behind Morata.
As expected, Atletico were straight onto the attack but Hazard then beat his man and fed Morata, who screwed his shot wide of the far post. Then Hazard hit the side netting, and as the pair linked up again, again Morata dragged his shot wide.
There was more to come. Then Hazard let fly from 25 yards as Morata laid the ball off and his drive came back off the post with goalkeeper Jan Oblak helpless.
Chelsea were by far the better team and when Luiz floated a long ball into space, Morata climbed, and Oblak had to turn his header over the bar.
But then all Chelsea’s hard work looked to have been undone.
Koke floated in a corner, Luiz grabbed Lucas’s shirt in the melee at the near post and Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir gave the spot kick to the English’s team’s consternation. Up stepped Griezmann to ram home the penalty and Atletico, with virtually their first shot on target, were ahead totally against the run of play.
At that point, things looked ominous. Atletico had the bit between their teeth, and Saul Niguez should have made it two but somehow shot wide after Thibaut Courtois pushed out Koke’s shot.
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David Luiz gave away an early penalty for shirt pulling from a corner
Despite the setback, Chelsea still looked in control with Hazard linking up well with Morata and Tiemoue Bakayoko tireless in midfield.
And then on the hour the partnership finally worked. Hazard jinked, cut inside on the left from Bakayoko’s pass and crossed, and there was Morata to glance a lovely header beyond Oblak for his seventh goal in seven games.
A minute later, Chelsea should have been ahead, as the unstoppable Hazard poked a pass square to Fabregas six yards out but the Spaniard incredibly put the ball wide when it looked easier to score.
On came Fernando Torres for Atletico as Simeone tried to wrest control of the game for his team, but it was Morata who could have won it for Chelsea, shooting just wide when clean through.
But no matter. Chelsea went forward as the minutes ticked away, full-back Marcos Alonso crossed from the right and there was substitute Batshuayi to sidefoot in a famous goal.
