By RYAN TOLMICH
With Real Madrid already having booked their place in the Champions League final, Cristiano Ronaldo and co. will be joined by either a familiar foe from across town or a legendary former manager, as Atletico Madrid’s trip to Chelsea highlights this Soccer Wednesday.
Fresh off of a monumental 2-0 win over Liverpool, Chelsea will have to once again show off their defensive prowess against the leaders of La Liga. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho orchestrated a strategic, albeit boring, 0-0 draw in the first leg, giving the Blues a chance to host a game with a trip to the finals on the line.
However, the absence of starting goalkeeper Petr Cech will harm the Blues, while Atletico goalkeeper and Chelsea loanee Thibaut Courtois is set to make his Stamford Bridge debut. It will be a matchup of the competition’s two top defensive teams, as Chelsea’s praise-worthy backline is actually second in goals conceded in this year’s tournament to Atletico.
This afternoon’s Champions League clash isn’t the only tournament action on the schedule, as the Liga MX quarterfinals are also scheduled to get underway. In the day’s first Liguilla matchup, the league’s top attacking side, fourth seeded Santos Laguna, takes on one of Mexico’s more stout defenses, fifth seeded Club America. Joining them in Wednesday’s action will be top seeded Cruz Azul, who take on eight seed Club Leon, who made the field via a Chivas Guadalajara slip up.
If you will be watching today’s action, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action. (Today’s schedule is after the jump):
2:45pm – Chelsea vs. Atletico Madrid – Fox Sports 1
9:00pm – Gremio vs. San Lorenzo – Fox Deportes
9:00pm – Club America vs. Santos Laguna – Univision
11:00pm – Club Leon vs. Cruz Azul – Telemundo