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2020-21 UEFA Champions League
Last 16, first leg
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Tuesday 23 February 2021, 22:00
Arena Nacionala, Bucharest
Atletico Madrid and Chelsea will renew their rivalry with a UEFA Champions League first-leg, Last 16 clash at Arena Nacionala in Bucharest on the evening of Tuesday 23 February 2021, kick-off at 22:00.
The match was originally scheduled to be played in Madrid, but Spanish travel restrictions on visitors from the United Kingdom has seen a change of venue to the national stadium in Romania.
Atletico earned their place in the knockout phase by finishing second behind all-conquering Bayern Munich in Group A. The Rojiblancos suffered a heavy 4-0 loss in Germany in their first group game but recovered well from there to finish well clear of third-placed Red Bull Salzburg.
Atletico will look to striker Luis Suarez to power them past Chelsea, with the Uruguayan proving this season that Barcelona were wrong to discard him at the end of the 2019-20 campaign: “A forward lives on scoring goals but what I try to do is to help the team,” said the veteran.
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“Despite being 34 years old, I am hungrier than ever. We are on a positive streak and the important thing is that we continue like this to be able to reach our objectives because the forward does not perform if he does not have a team that does a great job.”
Chelsea, meanwhile, topped Group E ahead of Sevilla, Krasnodar and Rennes with an unbeaten record. At the time they were flying high under manager Frank Lampard, but the club legend has since been replaced by Thomas Tuchel after the Blues’ form fell off a cliff in late 2020 and early 2021.
Tuchel notably took Paris Saint-Germain to a runners-up finish in last season’s Champions League and will be eager to repeat that kind of performance with Chelsea – even if it means ruffling a few feathers at Stamford Bridge.
“I don't do stuff to be loved by everyone in the dressing room, this is not possible,” he explained.
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In head-to-head terms, Atletico and Chelsea have met in seven previous UEFA club competition matches. Both the Rojiblancos and the Blues have claimed two wins, while three games have been drawn.
The teams last met in the group stage of the 2017-18 Champions League, with Chelsea winning 2-1 in Madrid in September 2017 before a 1-1 draw in London in December of the same year.
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea – Head-to-head
Matches played: 7
Atletico wins: 2
Chelsea wins: 2
Draws: 3
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