Champions League

N’GOLO KANTE made a lung-busting run from one end of the pitch to the other deep into injury time last night.The Chelsea midfielder showed his remarkable energy, endurance and speed late in their Champions League win over Atletico.
N’Golo Kante drew all the plaudits for his performance against Atletico MadridCredit: The Sun
Chelsea broke clear in the 94th minute with Christian Pulisic on the counter attackCredit: BT Sport
And Kante came flying down the right wingCredit: BT Sport
Impact! 💥Emerson smashed the ball home with his first touch to seal the 3-0 aggregate win for Chelsea 🙌Look at the celebrations in the stands from Thiago Silva, Mason Mount and Jorginho! 😆🤣 pic.twitter.com/wNX3YZe0Sx— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 17, 2021

Midfield engine Kante sensed a chance of a counter-attack and ended up playing a crucial role in Chelsea’s second goal of the night.
The Blues were 1-0 up in the second leg and 2-0 on aggregate as they cruised towards a quarter-final berth.
But Kante kept his foot on the gas by sprinting from one end of the pitch to the other.
Chelsea broke clear with Christian Pulisic in the 94th minute against the LaLiga leaders.
And the American had fellow substitute Emerson Palmieri to his left but little other support.
That’s when Kante came flying forward down his right and made a valuable decoy run to draw defender Marcos Llorente’s attention.
And that freed up room for Pulisic to slide in Palmieri, and the Brazilian to slot home Chelsea’s second goal.
Kante’s performance was hailed by former Blues midfielder Joe Cole.
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Broke up play constantly ✅🔝 N’Golo Kanté takes the prize after a sensational display in the middle for Chelsea🥇👉 @nglkante will be one of four candidates you can vote for to win the Player of the Week crown 🔜 #UCLPOTM | #UCL pic.twitter.com/JT76TCvIMm— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 17, 2021

Maybe N’Golo Kanté doesn’t speak much because he just saves up ultimate oxygen so he can just run around for 90 minutes at full tilt— Alex Goldberg (@AlexGoldberg_) March 17, 2021

N’Golo Kante with as close to a 10/10 CL game you’ll ever see from a midfielder.It’ll be forgotten because he didn’t get a goal or an assist but that was a football heritage performance. pic.twitter.com/f6mh2R30CZ— Ayden (@AydenMalek) March 17, 2021

Cole told BT Sport: “Kante looks about five years younger again.
“He has missed a lot of football, but he has had a good run at it now and he has built his fitness and match stamina up that you need.
“He just looks so comfortable. I think he likes having Kovacic in there as well, because I think it takes the burden off him, and they both get about the pitch.
“He was sensational. Not only does he have the physical capabilities, but he has got that canny ability to be in right place at right time and players don’t get round him.
“He’s like having two men in there in one. He decides when he takes it, he blocks lines and then still has the energy to keep starting attacks and break forward in the 90th minute as well, he was fantastic and he’s back to his best.
“He is underestimated for his technical ability, he dribbles and he can pass, he is fantastic.”
Kante hit the ground running at Chelsea after joining from Leicester in 2016 before a torrid run of injuries over the last few years.
BT pundit Rio Ferdinand added: “He is like a magnet to the ball.
“He looks like the Kante who played for Leicester in the year they won the league again in the last few weeks.
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“What I like about him is that he is doing both sides of the game now, he is winning the ball. Like I said, he is a magnet to the ball in defensive situations.
“But when there’s a turnover and a transition, and that last goal sums it up perfectly, he can get up and beyond things.
“He has got the capabilities to turn defence into attack. He was a joy to watch today on both sides of the game.”

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THOMAS TUCHEL was handed a Champions League quarter-final date with his former club PSG by our simulations.And Liverpool were drawn against Manchester City in an all-English last-eight showdown.

SunSport ran a simulator on the Champions League draw this morning after all eight quarter-finalists were confirmed.
And the results provided by randomresult.com threw up some tasty last-eight ties.
The best of all saw Chelsea land a date with Kylian Mbappe and Co.
Last season’s beaten finalists PSG were also managed by Tuchel before he was sacked last December.
The other big tie for British clubs saw Liverpool paired with Manchester City.
Jurgen Klopp’s side took on Pep Guardiola’s men in the quarter-finals three years ago.
The Reds came out on top after a 3-0 victory in the first leg at Anfield and a 2-1 win at the Etihad.

Our simulated draw also saw reigning Champions League winners Bayern Munich handed a clash with Real Madrid.
And the other last-eight tie was Porto against Borussia Dortmund.
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Chelsea cruised past Atletico Madrid to seal their quarter-final spotCredit: Getty
Liverpool beat Man City in the quarter-finals when they met in 2018Credit: Getty Images – Getty

The Champions League quarter-final and semi-final draws will take place on Friday morning in Switzerland.
Quarter-final ties are scheduled to take place on April 6/7 and April 13/14 with the semis on April 27/28 and May 4/5.
This year’s final is due to be played in Istanbul on Saturday 29 May.
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Thomas Tuchel hails outstanding Chelsea following Atletico Madrid win More

ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI sent Bayern Munich into the Champions League quarter-finals.The Polish goal machine took his season’s tally to 39 with the opener past Lazio on Wednesday night.
Robert Lewandowski helped Bayern Munich seal a comfortable win over LazioCredit: AP
And Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting was also on target as the Germans kept their title defence on course.
Lazio striker Vedat Muriqi hauled Leon Goretzka to the ground right in front of Romanian ref Istvan Kovacs to give Lewandowski the chance from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute.
And the hitman obliged by sending ex-Liverpool and Aston Villa keeper Pepe Reina the wrong way, firing into the bottom left corner for his 73rd Champions League goal.
It was the 33-year-old’s fifth goal in six European games this season — and helped German giants Bayern ease into the last-eight for the ninth time in ten seasons.
Lazio’s exit means there will be no Italian side in the quarter-finals for the first time in five years.
The Rome club needed to overhaul a 4-1 first-leg deficit but never looked like pulling it off at the Allianz Arena.
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Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting sealed the hefty 6-2 aggregate winCredit: AP
Marco Parolo hit a consolation for Lazio, the last Italian side left in the competitionCredit: AFP

Former Manchester City winger Leroy Sane curled an early Bayern effort just past the post before Muriqi’s mindless manhandling gifted them the lead.
Lewandowski smashed a 20-yard effort against the post after the break.
But Bayern grabbed their second on 73 minutes when David Alaba found Choupo-Moting and the former Stoke forward deftly converted.
Marco Parolo nodded in an 82nd-minute consolation to keep up Lazio’s record of scoring and conceding in all eight of their Champions League games this season.
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Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting wraps it up for Bayern with a delicate finish! ⚽Hansi Flick’s side cut Lazio apart with two passes 😳 pic.twitter.com/ugLuk2JH1g— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 17, 2021

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CHELSEA saw off Atletico Madrid in the Champions League to reach the quarter finals for the first time since 2014. Looking at the fixture, Chelsea were clearly the underdogs. When they had the draw they were placed mid-table in the Premier League and struggling to climb it under Frank Lampard.
Chelsea’s underdogs showed they had plenty of bite against Atletico MadridCredit: AFP
Chelsea beat Atleti 3-0 on aggregate to reach the Champions League quartersCredit: Reuters
Since Thomas Tuchel arrived at the club things have improved and the Blues sit in fourth place in the Premier League.
Yet still, they were still unfancied in this fixture coming up against a team who currently sit top of LaLiga. 
But Tuchel’s side did not concede a goal during the two legs and won 3-0 on aggregate.
Both games were easy for them, and it didn’t look like they were up against a team currently having a better season than the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona. 
Chelsea proved tonight that the Premier League is right up there as one of the toughest leagues in the world.
This was a great endorsement for English football, as the Blues simply pushed aside a team sitting top of La Liga. 
Atletico have only lost two matches in the league all season, and Chelsea have beaten them twice in their last two meetings, simply incredible. 
Tuchel now goes 13 games unbeaten, collecting 11 clean sheets along the way.
But they made it look like they were knocking Accrington Stanley out of the Champions League tonight, not Atletico Madrid.  
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No team will want to face the Blues in the next roundCredit: Reuters

This is not saying that Atletico were even that bad, this is simply saying just how colossal Chelsea were over the two legs and really announced themselves as contenders for the trophy. 
Not only have they built a solid foundation in terms of a defensive unit, as the games go on their attackers are starting to look more and more convincing and full of confidence. 
Hakim Ziyech turned up tonight, and Timo Werner and Kai Havertz are getting better by the day. 
Antonio Rudiger was a different kind of beast tonight, and N’Golo Kante was purely world class. 
It was one of those nights where you found it impossible to choose a man of match, because every player was absolutely class. 
No team will want to face Chelsea in the next round, and that says it all! 

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ATALANTA’S players were left fuming on Tuesday night after the ref blew for half-time EARLY as their striker Luis Muriel was through on goal against Real Madrid.The Serie A side were 1-0 down on the night and trailing 2-0 on aggregate when they thought they had the chance to pull a vital away goal back.
Atalanta’s players were furious when the ref blew for half-time with their striker Luis Muriel through on goal
There was only 44:59 on the clock when Muriel was about to shootCredit: Reuters
With 44 minutes and 59 seconds on the clock, a perfectly weighted through-ball found Muriel beyond the Real defence with just Thibaut Coutois to beat.
But to their dismay, Dutch referee Danny Makkelie decided to blow his whistle and call time on the half before 45 full minutes had been played.
Virtually every member of staff on Atalanta’s bench was up on their feet berating the referee for his scandalous decision.
And fans on Twitter were equally flabbergasted.
One posted: “UEFA’s fraudulence is happening right in front of our eyes. Atalanta had a free shot at goal and the referee blows for half-time.”
Another added: “The referee has completely mugged off Atalanta there.
“How can a ref see a 2 v 1 goal scoring opportunity that’s 25 yards from goal and blow for half-time?!?!”
A fan of Real’s bitter rivals Barcelona added: “VARdrid back at it.”
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UEFA’s fraudulence is happening right in front of our eyesAtalanta had a free shot at goal and the referee blows for halftime— sharp (@TheSharpPicks) March 16, 2021

The referee has completely mugged off Atalanta there. How can a ref see a 2 v 1 goal scoring opportunity thats 25 yards from goal and blow for halftime?!?!#RMAATA— Tom O’Donoghue (@TNODonoghue) March 16, 2021

Karim Benzema had already put Real one up after 34 minutes.
Sergio Ramos virtually wrapped up the tie to make it 3-0 on aggregate with a penalty on the hour mark.
Muriel did manage to pull one back with seven minutes of normal time to go.
But it was too little too late and Marco Asensio’s goal just a minute later was the final nail in the coffin to send Real through to the quarter-finals 4-1 on aggregate.
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