Atletico Madrid 0 Chelsea 1 LIVE REACTION: Giroud scores incredible bicycle kick to seal Blues victory – latest updates

GOODNIGHT FROM ROMANIA

It may only be half-time in the tie – but that’s all from us in Bucharest.

Chelsea are in control, and head back to London with a slender lead courtesy of a gorgeous goal from a gorgeous man.

Olivier Giroud’s overhead kick may be the only difference in the scoreline, but the Blues will be confident of completing the job at Stamford Bridge such was their dominance over Atletico Madrid this evening.

The return takes place next month, and we’ll be in position to bring you all the action as it happens.

Until then, thanks for reading and goodnight.

BLANKING IN BUCHAREST

Their defence breached, an away goal conceded, and barely a sniff for their strikers. It’s been an awful night for Atletico Madrid, who registered only six attempts on goal in Romania, none of which were on target.

CALLUM’S REDEMPTION

Someone is in a better mood than they were at the weekend.

TUCHEL REACTION

Thomas Tuchel was delighted with his side’s performance after a hard-fought first leg victory in Bucharest. He spoke to BT Sport at full-time.

It’s a fantastic result and a fantastic goal, it was well deserved. It’s half-time and we know that only too well. It’s one of the toughest challenges to open up a defence like Atletico’s, but we can, and we will not stop pushing.

Thomas TuchelBT Sport

BLUE WALL

While much of tonight has focused on Atletico Madrid’s defensive strengths, the Chelsea backline has clocked up yet another clean sheet.

Since Thomas Tuchel came to the club and switched to a back three, the Blues have conceded just twice in eight games – one scored by Takumi Minamino and the other an own-goal from Antonio Rudiger.

OLIVIER’S TWIST

Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud was the matchwinner with an acrobatic overhead kick, and he’s been discussing both his contribition and his side’s performance.

We came here with strong intentions to win the game. We knew how we could give them trouble offensively, and I think we’ve been very strong at the back. I think it’s a deserved win. We just need to stay focused and finish the job at home.

I just tried focus on hitting the ball well and was pleased to see it in the net. I didn’t know if I was offside or not, but Mason [Mount] told me he didn’t touch it and that it came from the defender. It’s good for the team, it’s good for me.

Olivier GiroudBT Sport

GIROUD’S GENIUS

Relive the moment when Olivier Giroud sent Chelsea fans head over heels.

ADVANTAGE CHELSEA

The Blues take a one-goal lead back to London. It would take a history-making effort from Atletico in the second leg to deny the Premier League club a place in the quarter-finals.

FT: ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

A disappointing match, but a brilliant result for Chelsea. The Premier League side were superior throughout and worthy of a victory earned when Olivier Giroud’s spectacular overhead kick was awarded by VAR, having originally been disallowed for offside.

PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
THE FINAL WHISTLE GOES IN BUCHAREST!

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

90+6. Vitolo catches James on the knee with his studs. It’s a naughty challenge but nothing comes of it because the Chelsea substitute made such a little fuss of it.

Perhaps he just wants to get on and celebrate a superb away victory in the Champions League.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

90+5. The ball is stuck up by the corner flag. This will do for Chelsea.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

90+3. Now it’s Chelsea’s defence that have dropped deep. Koke is denied in his attempts to wrestle his way through the crowd, and then Lemur leaves one on Pulisic.

It brings a booking for the French winger.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

90. In the final minute of the 90, Havertz finds himself in possession with his side three-on-two.

The young German just needs to get his pass right and Chelsea are in. Unfortunately, he doesn’t.

There will be a minimum of six added minutes.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

88. Dembele does well to keep the ball in play, and then tries to pick out Suarez with a cross. Christensen intervenes to calm Chelsea nerves.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

86. Of course, it’s hard to get any attacking momentum when substitutes are being made every other minute.

Here’s two more: Christian Pulisic and Kai Havertz are introduced to the Chelsea ranks with Olivier Giroud and Timo Werner making way.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

85. Dembele is playing alongside Suarez in a more conventional front two, but Atletico are struggling to change their mindset from the defensive one that been their stance for so long.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

84. And another one! Vitolo comes on for Mario Hermoso.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

81. And it’s a triple change from Diego Simeone. On come Renen Lodi, Moussa Dembele and Lucas Torreira, off go Saul, Angel Correa and Joao Felix.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

80. Another Chelsea switch as Reece James comes on for Callum Hudson-Odoi.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

79. Now Rudiger and Suarez square up to each other as the latter wins a corner.

The Chelsea defender is not happy with the Uruguayan, and jabs him in the face with a finger. Replays show that Suarez had pinched Rudiger’s thigh as the pair tussled for possession.

Boys will be boys.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

77. Will that Chelsea goal spark Atletico into life? The La Liga side are committing men forward, and have upped the tempo.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

74. A double substitution for Chelsea. N’Golo Kante and Hakim Ziyech are on for Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount.

ATLETICO 0-1 CHELSEA

72. Chelsea lead with a vital – and superb – away goal.

After close to three minutes of video review, Felix Brych points to the centre-circle to speak wild celebrations from the visitors.

The debate came from whether the ball was diverted into Olivier Giroud’s path by Mason Mount or Mario Hermoso.

Ultimately, it was deemed that it was the Atletico defender who purposefully played the ball to the Chelsea striker, and therefore Giroud being in an offside position was irrelevant.

GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLL!!
VAR OVERTURN THE DECISION AND GIROUD’S STRIKE STANDS!!