When Thomas Tuchel was given the job of reviving Chelsea at the end of January, he wanted to return them to next season’s Champions League via a top-four Premier League finish. The notion that he might actually win the thing for only the second time in the club’s history was ludicrous.
Up until the 85th minute, the fear had nagged away at Chelsea. It was not based on anything much that Real Madrid had shown on the field across the two legs of this Champions League semi-final – apart from perhaps the latent menace of Karim Benzema.
Hansi Flick’s biggest expression of frustration on Saturday afternoon was saved for five minutes from the end of normal time,
Man Utd thought they were heading for a first-leg win over AC Milan courtesy of Amad's excellent header but the Italians grabbed a much deserved stoppage time equaliser.
The crazy thing and the greatest tribute to how Manchester City reshaped this Champions League semi-final first-leg with a second-half performance that will live long in the memory was Paris Saint-Germain could be happy to lose by only one.
For Chelsea, it was difficult to imagine a more perfect evening.
Juventus crashed out of the Champions League at the last-16 stage as a defiant, 10-man Porto side beat them on away goals after extra-time to book their place in the quarter-finals.
Chelsea took a step towards the third Champions League final in their history but they could have been halfway to Istanbul by now.
They have lived on edge this season, but when it came to it Real Madrid were able to ease their way back into the quarter-finals of the Champions League after two years away, returning to a place that is much more familiar for the club.
One team wanted to spoil; the other wanted to play. While Atlético Madrid were determined to make the contest as dull as possible, Thomas Tuchel gave Chelsea freedom to express themselves.
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