CHELSEA are through to their first Champions League semi-final for eight years despite a 1-0 loss to Porto in their quarter-final second leg.
- RESULT: Chelsea 0 Porto 1
- Chelsea XI: 16 Mendy; 28 Azpilicueta, 6 Silva, 2 Rudiger; 24 James, 5 Jorginho, 7 Kante, 21 Chilwell; 19 Mount, 29 Havertz, 10 Pulisic
- Porto XI: 1 Marchesin; 18 Manafa, 3 Pepe, 19 Mbemba, 12 Sanusi; 17 Corona, 27 Oliveira, 8 Uribe, 16 Grujic, 25 Otavio; 11 Marega
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THAT’S ALL FROM SEVILLE
Chelsea are through to the Champions League semi-finals, despite losing 1-0 to Porto at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, thanks to an aggregate of 2-1.
The Blues lacked any major chances throughout the entire encounter but were still composed and didn’t allow the Dragons to create any major dangers.
It looked like the west Londoners would pick up another clean sheet but Mehdi Taremi ruined their plans in the fourth minute of stoppage time with an incredible overhead kick.
Thomas Tuchel’s men are now set to face either Real Madrid or Premier League rivals Liverpool in the semi-finals
GETTY IMAGES MORE FROM TUCHEL
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel admitted that he got “nervous” after Mehdi Taremi’s screamer.
Tuchel added that Mateo Kovacic got injured before the game and will miss Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, which is why he had to risk with N’Golo Kante.
Tuchel said: “I was still nervous because a goal can change anything, even if it is a crazy goal or bicycle kick like this, it can happen.
“I can imagine both games were not the nicest games to watch on television, I can totally accept, but it is very hard to play your best game against Porto.
“He [Kovacic] had a little injury out of nothing. I am sure he is out for the City game as well, very sad for him.
“We took the risk with N’Golo, maybe not a risk but the situation. We put him on the field and hoped he had the energy for 90 minutes.
“N’Golo is incredible, he is like one-and-a-half or two players, everyone loves him. He wins so many balls, gives everybody confidence. We were not sure if N’Golo would have started today but now it is time to recover good”
GETTY IMAGES FULL-TIME SCUFFLE
There was a bit of drama on the pitch following the referee’s whistle.
A video and a number of pictures have emerged showing Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel and Porto manager Sergio Conceicao exchanging heated words after the Blues’ coach reportedly said something towards the Dragons’ bench.
There was also a confrontation between Antonio Rudiger as well as Pepe and Agustin Marchesin but Porto sporting director Luis Goncalves separated them.
Thiago Silva helped defuse the situation when he embraced Pepe
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TUCHEL REACTS
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is pleased with his players’ performance, despite the loss, and claims they deserved a clean sheet.
Tuchel told BT Sport: “It was a tough fight. Maybe not nice to watch on the television. It was very hard to play against them, very hard to escape the pressure. They are aggressive and attack in an aggressive way. They overlap, underlap, you have to adapt to many movements.
“With every minute we adapted better and better. We defended very well, deserved a clean sheet and had the better chances, not a lot. But we couldn’t finish them off. Overall, we deserved to beat Porto.
“Porto is a team that can make other teams underperform. It happened to Man City in the group stage and Juventus. So you have to accept things are very hard.
“Part of performances is to not let the other team perform and we did that today. Lucky shot in the last minute but we did not concede chances.
“I like it in Champions League not to play in teams from your own league, it gives the feeling more of a European competition. The game is far from over and I will watch it for sure. It’s a pleasure to watch it as a semi-finalist. It’s a great achievement and tomorrow we will watch the game. Everything is possible. We will take what we get”
GETTY IMAGES STATS
Porto dominated 54.1 per cent of possession throughout the second-leg.
The Dragons registered a total of eight shots, two of which were on target.
Chelsea recorded the exact same total amount but only managed one shot on target.
Porto were the most frustrated side as they picked five yellow card whereas none of Thomas Tuchel’s men got into the referee’s book
REMEMBER MI
Porto beat Chelsea 1-0 thanks to Mehdi Taremi’s incredible overhead kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time.
To be more exact, Taremi scored on 93:01 minutes, which marks the latest goal Chelsea have conceded in the Champions League in over 15 years.
That of course excludes any extra-time goals they have let in throughout the past.
Bayern Munich legend Mehmet Scholl is the one to have netted the latest Champions League finish against the Blues
WHAT’S NEXT?
Chelsea are through to the Champions League semi-finals thanks to a 2-1 aggregate over Porto.
The Blues are now set to face off against either Real Madrid or Premier League rivals Liverpool in the next round.
Real and the Reds lock horns tomorrow at Anfield with the reigning LaLiga champions leading 3-1 on aggregate.
Zinedine Zidane’s men won last week thanks to Vinicius Junior’s brace and Marco Asensio’s finish, but the reigning Premier League champions got an away goal with Mohamed Salah
SCREAMER
Porto didn’t go through to the Champions League semi-finals due to a 2-1 aggregate.
But they did leave Chelsea something to remember them by, and it wasn’t their 1-0 victory at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
It was Mehdi Taremi’s incredible overhead kick that led to the Dragons’ win.
Look at how well he picks up Nanu’s cross, Cristiano Ronaldo would be proud!
FT: CHELSEA 0-1 PORTO
Chelsea made it through to the Champions League semi-finals thanks to an aggregate of 2-1, despite losing to Porto at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
The Blues failed to produce any major chances but still qualified thanks to a calm and collected performance.
Porto had a few chances to open the scoring throughout the match with Jesus Corona failing to hit the net even though he found himself in front of Edouard Mendy twice.
Mehdi Taremi broke the deadlock on the third minute of stoppage time with a sensational overhead kick but it was too late by that time…
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PEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
AND THAT’S FULL-TIME IN SEVILLE!!!!!
CHELSEA 0-1 PORTO
90+4 PENALTY APPEAL
Porto make a desperate call for a penalty but instead see Taremi getting booked with a yellow card for his complaining
CHELSEA 0-1 PORTO
90+3 Can it be…?
Regardless of what happens, Porto just scored an incredible overhead goal!
Nanu produces a fantastic cross and Taremi sends the ball to the back of the net with a stunning overhead kick that would make Cristiano Ronaldo proud!
GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!
TAREMI SCORES A FANTASTIC GOAL FOR PORTO!!!!!!!!
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
90+2 WHAT A CHANCE!
Ziyech plays Pulisic with a fantastic ball and the Chelsea star gets in front of Marchesin.
The winger gets the ball past the Porto goalkeeper but Nanu clears it!
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
90 SUBSTITUTION
Giroud takes Havertz’s place for the final four minutes of stoppage time
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
89 Chelsea are basically in the Champions League semi-finals and did so in comfortable fashion.
They have lacked the big opportunity throughout the match but never really worried about qualifying to the final four
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
88 YELLOW CARD
Diaz gets booked for pulling Pulisic down to the ground.
Another silly challenge by a Porto player
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
86 SUBSTITUTION
Ziyech comes on for Mount.
It seems like Silva has returned to the pitch
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
84 CHANCE
Taremi gets a back header and then Mbemba gets one of his own but the ball goes straight to Mendy’s safe hands
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
84 SUBSTITUTION
Porto make their final change as Vieira replaces Oliveira
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
82 YELLOW CARD
Pepe becomes the third Porto player to find his way in the referee’s book because of his complaining
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
80 Silva is down on the ground with what looks like a calf problem.
It seems like the star defender will come off
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
78 As things stand, Porto are going to need a miracle to go through.
It’s almost full-time and we have only see one shot on target from the visitors!
CHELSEA 0-0 PORTO
75 SUBSTITUTION
Porto manager Conceicao is going all out for it with a triple change!
Nanu is on for Manafa, Evanilson replaces Marega, and Diaz comes on for Corona
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
