Atletico end Blues’ hopes of European glory

By James Milton 10:16PM 30 APR 2014

ATLETICO MADRID are 11-8 to win the Champions League after ending Chelsea’s European run at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.

Diego Simeone’s men set up a final against rivals Real Madrid thanks to a 3-1 aggregate win over Jose Mourinho’s Blues.

The second leg had started promisingly for Chelsea as former Atletico striker Fernando Torres – a 15-2 chance to score first – put them 1-0 up in the 36th minute.

However, Adrian Lopez’s equaliser just before half-time swung the tie in Atletico’s favour and shortly after the break the Spaniards took the lead through Diego Costa’s penalty. Turan then sealed victory for Atletico, who had been 5-2 to win the match in 90 minutes.

After a goalless first leg, few had expected a high-scoring affair last night – both teams to score had been 23-20 and over 3.5 goals was a 4-1 shot before kick-off. The 3-1 Atletico win was available at 40-1 with Coral.

Real are 8-13 favourites to lift the trophy in Lisbon on May 24 and 11-10 to win in 90 minutes.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side thrashed their neighbours 5-0 on aggregate in this season’s Copa del Rey but Atletico won 1-0 at the Bernabeu in La Liga and the reverse fixture ended in a 2-2 draw.

Bet365 make Chelsea 14-1 to win the Champions League next season and 8-11 to win a major trophy in 2014-15.

Coral offer 2-1 about Atletico winning both La Liga and the Champions League while Real are 6-1 for the double.

Hills reacted to the news of Andros Townsend being ruled out of England's World Cup plans with an ankle injury by cutting the prices on Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner being named in Roy Hodgson's squad on May 12 to prohibitive odds. Sterling and Lallana are now 1-12 shots, Oxlade-Chamberlain is 1-8 and Milner is 1-5.