LONDON (AP) – Atletico Madrid overpowered Chelsea 3-1 today on goals by Adrian Lopez, Diego Costa and Arda Turan, advancing to the Champions League final against rival Real Madrid.
Real and Atletico will meet at Lisbon on May 24 in the first Champions League final that is a city derby.
Real are seeking a record tenth title in Europe’s top club competition. Atletico lost a replay to Bayern in 1974, their only previous appearance in the European final.
Also seeking their first La Liga (Spanish League) title since 1996, Atletico have a four-point lead over second-place Barcelona with three games left and are six points ahead of Real, which have four matches remaining.
In La Liga this season, Atletico won 1-0 at Real Madrid in September and tied 1-1 at home in March. Real swept their Copa del Rey matches in February 3-0 and 2-0.
Following a 0-0 tie in Spain last week, Fernando Torres put Chelsea in front in the 36th minute, shooting off a cut-back pass from Cesar Azpilicueta and beating goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a shot that deflected off Mario Suarez.
Torres, who has just ten goals this season, didn’t celebrate after scoring against his former team.
Adrian Lopez tied the score in the 44th, giving Atletico a critical away goal. He was unmarked when Juanfran cut the ball back from the end line, past John Terry and Ashley Cole.
Costa converted a penalty kick in the 60th after second-half substitute Samuel Eto’o brought down Costa, and Turan scored in the 70th after Turan’s header rebounded off a post. Atletico coach Diego Simeone launched himself on a Jose Mourinho-style dash down the touchline.
It was the fourth successive semi-final loss for Mourinho, who left Real Madrid after last season for a second term as Chelsea manager and might wind up without any trophies in his return season at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had two goalkeepers on the field. Courtois made his Stamford Bridge debut – but for Atletico, where he has been on loan since joining Chelsea from Genk in 2011.
