The referee brings an end to proceedings here at the Vicente Calderon and it is a job well done for Chelsea as they hold Atletico Madrid to a goalless draw. That sets things up very nicely for next week's return leg at Stamford Bridge, and the Premier League side must now go into that match as favourites to progress to the final. However, 0-0 is by no means a terrible score for Atletico either, and an away goal at Stamford Bridge would now leave Chelsea needing two. This tie is very finely poised.

No, they can't Courtois claims the cross easily and Atletico break, but Luiz's scuffed clearance from the break is helped on by Ba, and that should be that.

YELLOW CARD! Ba gets a late yellow card for time wasting just second after coming on, and he then wins a corner for his side. Can they grab a dramatic late away goal?

CHELSEA SUB: A late change to wind down the clock for the visitors as Willian slowly trots off the field to be replaced by Demba Ba, the hero from the quarter-final second leg.

Turan looks to grab the headlines late on as he goes for goal from range, but his powerful effort is always rising over the bar. Costa goes for goal himself moments later, but his shot is even worse.

CHANCE! Late chance for the hosts as Cahill's initially clearing header only went as far as Gabi, who clipped another ball in towards Costa. For once, he has a free jump to help it on towards goal, but he can't get enough on his header to trouble Schwarzer, who makes the stop.

There will be a minimum of five added minutes at the end of this match. Plenty of time for some late drama!

SHOT! It is Luiz who takes the free kick on, but his effort flies over the bar having not dipped enough after clearing the wall. That was a bit of a waste from the Brazilian as it was a good position for Chelsea.

YELLOW CARD! Torres does really well to win his side a free kick in a really good position in the closing stages here. He was tripped by Miranda on the edge of the box, and the Atletico defender gets a caution for his troubles.

Another half chance for Atletico as Turan pings the ball towards the back post where Costa is waiting. He gets his head to it, but Cahill has done well to jump with him and the ball deflects off him as the visitors clear.

ATLETICO SUB: Finally we are going to see David Villa tonight - not a bad player to bring on when you need a goal. He replaces Raul Garcia.

SHOT! Another Atletico cross causes problems as Sosa hangs the ball into the area for Garcia at the back post. He waits for the ball to drop and loops a header towards goal, but it drops onto the roof of the net with Schwarzer underneath it.

Half a chance for Raul Garcia as the ball breaks to him inside the box, but he just can't react in time to turn the ball towards goal. The game is starting to get more open now.

Atletico's threat is really starting to grow here, but Chelsea only have eight more minutes to hold out. They have barely offered anything in an attacking sense today, but defensively they have been sound. The hosts are beginning to get more joy since the departure of Terry.

ATLETICO SUB: The hosts make their second change of the night as Jose Sosa replaces Suarez.

CHANCE! Another really good chance for Atletico, who are starting to get more joy with their crosses into the box. Juanfran again delivers it, and this time it is Turan who climbs above Azpilicueta to power a header just wide. He probably should have scored there.

CHANCE! Big chance for the hosts to take the lead! Juanfran plays a cross towards the back post from deep and Azpilicueta misjudges it, getting under the ball and completely missing it. Garcia almost seems surprised that it has reached him and consequently can't get over the ball as he nods it over the bar.

SAVE! Gabi goes for goal from the resulting free kick and his effort goes right through the wall, who jumped expecting it to go over the top. Schwarzer reacts well and gets down low to his right to push the shot away, however.

YELLOW CARDS! Lampard is penalised for a handball and the Atletico players surround the referee asking for a second yellow card. The Chelsea players get involved and a mini-melee ensues. In the end, both Gabi and Mikel are shown yellow cards, so both of them will miss the second leg. That Chelsea midfield takes another hit.

Luis cuts inside his man and races into the box before pulling the ball back for Costa, but he is quickly closed down in the area and couldn't get the shot away. That's a half chance gone for the hosts.

CHELSEA SUB: Indeed, on comes Schurrle as Terry bravely refuses the stretcher and limps away. Those look like two serious injuries for Cech and Terry today, which is not ideal for Chelsea considering they have Liverpool on Sunday before the second leg next weekend.

Terry twisted his ankle there and he is in real trouble. He goes down as soon as the ball goes out of play and there doesn't seem to be any way that he can continue here. Schurrle is being told to get ready on the bench, which would see Luiz slot in at the back and Ramires go into midfield.

Painful one for Terry as he goes down inside the box after a seemingly innocuous incident. Both Costa and Luiz were in close attendance, but there was nothing intentional involved. He is really struggling at the moment, though, and I would be surprised if he can continue for much longer.

Chelsea have coped very well with aerial balls into the box in this match, and there have been plenty of them to deal with. Costa and Garcia are significant threats in the air, but the likes of Schwarzer, Cahill, Terry and Mikel have made a number of important interceptions.

Courtois pings a delightful ball up to Koke, who controls it really well before slipping the ball through to Costa. He tries to cut back inside Azpilicueta, but Terry is there to half clear the danger. Atletico come again, however, and it takes a good defensive header from Mikel to deny the hosts.

YELLOW CARD! The first card of the night is a significant one as Lampard goes sliding in on Turan to pick up a yellow card. That means that he will miss the second leg, which is another blow to an already depleted Chelsea midfield.

The anticipation builds in the stadium, but the delivery is brilliantly cleared by Terry having been flicked on. The hosts win it back and pump another cross into the box, but Luiz does really well to just glance it beyond the reach of Costa at the back post.

ATletico have a free kick in a good crossing position here as Lampard stopped a cross with his arm on the right wing. Can the hosts make anything of this one?

ATLETICO SUB: The hosts make their first change of the match and it is Arda Turan who comes on for Diego. Turan is usually a starter for Atletico but has been injured in recent weeks.

SHOT! At the other end, Atletico have a sight of goal as the ball bounces up nicely for him to volley from 20 yards. Cahill is a little slow to close him down, but it doesn't prove to be a costly error as the ball flies a yard or so wide.

SAVE! Great play from Torres as he picks up the ball on the left after Cole had won it well. Torres skips past three or four challenges before cutting onto his right foot and curling an effort goalwards, but once again it is easy for Courtois at his near post.

It can't be long now before both managers start thinking about substitutions here. The onus is more on Simeone to change things, and he has the firepower to do so on the bench. I would not be surprised to see Villa and Turan sooner rather than later.

SAVE! The commentator's curse strikes again! Just after I praise Schwarzer for holding on to every ball into the box he punches one straight to an Atletico man, but recovers in time to make a comfortable save from the resulting shot.

Schwarzer has not had many shots to deal with, but there have been a few occasions where Atletico have hoisted the ball high into the box and he has come to claim them well. With the likes of Diego Costa and Raul Garcia never far away, the sub keeper has done well to hold on to each and every one so far.

Luiz is back with us now, but Simeone is not happy with how long it took to give him treatment on the field. He is remonstrating wildly on the touchlines, while Mourinho is sat down on the edge of the dugout and looks remarkably uninterested by proceedings.

A bit of a flare-up moment as Diego and Luiz collide. The replay shows that the Atletico man had a look at Luiz before going into him and connecting with his shoulder, but the referee opts to let him go without a caution. Luiz, meanwhile, stays down for longer than is really required, slowing the game down for the visitors.

At the other end, Mikel gets an important header in to prevent the ball from reaching Raul Garcia, and the ensuing scramble ends with the referee awarded a rather harsh free kick against the Atletico man.

SAVE! Chelsea have their first shot on target as a long throw is only cleared as far as Lampard who hits it first time on the volley. It is a decent effort on his weaker left foot, but is never really troubling Courtois, who makes a comfortable save.

KICKOFF: Chelsea get us back underway at the Vicente Calderon ahead of a huge 45 minutes for both sides. A goalless draw isn't a terrible result for either side, but Atletico in particular will want to take a lead into the second leg.

The downside of that for the visitors, however, is that Torres is becoming increasingly isolated up front. Chelsea's defensive performance has been textbook so far, but they have not been able to threaten in an attacking sense. If they continue to allow Atletico so much possession and pressure then I would be surprised if the hosts didn't carve out at least one chance.

Schwarzer is yet to be really tested since coming on, however, with that Suarez strike the only time he has been stretched. Credit has to go to the players in front of him for that as they are doing a really good job of stopping Atletico from playing. They are putting in a disciplined defensive performance and doing so as a team rather than just leaving it to Terry and co at the back.

Perhaps the biggest talking point of the first half centered around Petr Cech, who was forced off injured in the 19th minute after falling awkwardly when tipping a corner over the crossbar. He immediately knew that he couldn't continue, and it looks to be an elbow problem as he went straight to clutch his right arm when the injury occurred. Raul Garcia did make contact with the keeper on his way down, but he was not culpable in any way as David Luiz appeared to push him into the challenge.

Chelsea's one and only half-chance came from Ramires as he broke free on the counter in what looked for a moment like being a carbon copy of his goal in the Camp Nou a couple of seasons ago. However, while he finished with aplomb on that occasion, this time he couldn't do anything with it. Other than that, Atletico have had a half-chance of their own as Raul Garcia beat Cole in the air but nodded his effort over the bar.

There has been virtually nothing to talk about in terms of chances, with Atletico coming closest to opening the scoring when he curled a powerful effort narrowly wide. It was a rare well-struck shot from the opening 45 minutes, but Schwarzer had it covered. The Aussie got a hand to it as it went past the post, but the referee didn't see it and awarded a goal kick.

Jonas Eriksson brings an end to the first half at the Vicente Calderon, and it hasn't exactly been a thriller so far. Both side's defensive solidity has come to the fore so far, and any major talking points from that opening 45 minutes have been scarce. It is so far so good for Chelsea, who have contained the threat of Atletico fairly comfortably so far. If they can do the same in the second half then they would take a promising goalless draw back to London for the second leg next week.

Torres wins a free kick in a good position for his side after being fouled by Godin, but it is a waste late in the half as Luiz hammers an effort straight into the wall. It would have had to have been a great strike from that angle to beat Courtois, and he may have been better served crossing it into the box.

SAVE! Schwarzer is forced into a save late in the half, but it is a comfortable one for the sub. It was Diego who went for goal, but it lacked power as it dribbling along the floor and into the arms of the keeper.

The fourth official indicates a minimum of four added minutes at the end of this first half due to the injury to Cech.

Torres is becoming more and more isolated in the closing stages of this first half. Willian and Ramires are focused on their defensive duties at the moment and, when the ball is played long up to Torres, he can't keep it for enough time to allow them to get up in support of him.

Half a penalty shout for the hosts as Juanfran delivers a ball into the box that is only cleared as far as Costa. He controls it on his chest before letting fly with a powerful volley that strike Azpilicueta. It does hit the full-back's arm, but there is no way he can be penalised for that as his arm was tucked in and he was very close to the shot.

Chelsea's midfield is playing very deep when Atletico have possession. They are dropping very close to the defence and, at times, it looks more like a back six or a back eight rather than a back four. So far, it has worked as the hosts have not been able to play their way through the visitors.

As I say that, the Aussie slips while taking a goal kick, but he still gets enough on it to ensure that no Atletico players can take advantage. Chelsea eventually win a corner at the other end, but Courtois claims the delivery comfortably.

Schwarzer is yet to be really tested in this match, which has given him time to settle into the game and the occasion. He is unlikely to get though the whole match with such ease, but the time he has had without being called into action will be helpful.

CLOSE! Atletico have the best shot of the match so far as Suarez bends a well-struck shot towards the corner. However, it flies narrowly past the post and Schwarzer had it covered anyway. Indeed, it should be a corner, but the ref didn't see Schwarzer's touch and awards a goal kick.

There is an underlying threat to Atletico's attack at the moment as they continue to patiently probe for a way through. Chelsea have dealt with the pressure fairly comfortably so far, but the likes of Raul Garcia have looked capable of making the most of any opportunity Chelsea give away.

CHANCE! Half a chance for the hosts as the ball is played in towards Raul Garcia at the back post. He has the height advantage on Ashley Cole and uses it to get above the full-back and head an effort goalwards, but he gets under the ball and sends it well over.

CHANCE! Decent chance for Chelsea as they hit Atletico on the break after Juanfran slipped in midfield. Willian immediately pounced on the ball and slid it through for Ramires, but he couldn't make the most of it and ended up sending his shot well wide. He should have driven on and tried to take it past Miranda there.

David Luiz does well to use his body to ease Diego away from the ball before hacking it clear. Diego went down rather dramatically on the edge of the box, but the ref did well not to award the free kick as it was clever defending from the Brazilian.

Again the linesman's flag is up, this time to penalise Raul Garcia, who had made a clever run in behind the defence. He went just a fraction too early, however, and the linesman made a good decision.

Still nothing to report in terms of chances for either side, but it is Atletico who are asking more of the questions in an attacking sense. Raul Garcia does well to nip in and poke the ball away from Luiz inside the Chelsea box, but the ball falls to Costa in an offside position.

Shaky moment for Courtois as he tries to claim a corner but doesn't get near it. Cahill gets there first and nods his effort just wide, but the referee blows for a foul on the keeper. It is a good decision as Mikel was blocking Courtois's path to the ball.

Strange decision from the hosts as they decide to play the subsequent corner short instead of testing Schwarzer with a similar delivery to the one that troubled Cech. It comes to nothing and Chelsea have some breathing space.

CHELSEA SUB: On comes Schwarzer in the place of Cech, and what a big test this is for the veteran. He played in the Premier League match against Sunderland on Saturday but has not had much football this season. He was also at fault for Sunderland's first goal in that game.

Cech is back on his feet, but he is certainly not moving freely at the moment. He seemed to damage his ribs there as Garcia stumbled into him, and it doesn't look like he will be able to continue. Huge blow for Chelsea.

Big worry for Chelsea as Cech deals with an awkward corner, tipping the ball over the bar and landing heavily. Raul Garcia was in close attendance and may have made contact with the keeper, who immediately seemed to signal that he needs to be subbed.

Chelsea have their best spell of possession so far, knocking the ball about patiently as the fans try to pressure them into giving it away. However, they don't get too far beyond the halfway line before being forced back, while Azpilicueta eventually gives the ball away without the visitors having really gone anywhere.

Good spell of possession from Atletico as they move the ball from side to side, all the while edging up the field. However, they eventually lose possession as Raul Garcia mis-controls it on the edge of the box with his back to goal.

Risky play from Cole as he takes too long to clear the ball on the edge of his own box, allowing Raul Garcia to close him down. He goes crunching into the challenge and wins the ball, but also gets plenty of the man. Even so, Cole is a little fortunate to get away with the free kick.

Koke sends a cross into the box that falls into the arms of Cech following Costa's run towards the near post. Willian immediately gets on his bike down the left, but Cech's kick was poor and gifted possession straight back to the hosts.

Costa and Terry have a few words for each other, prompting referee Jonas Eriksson to step in and separate them. That could be something to keep an eye on here, as Costa does have something of a short fuse.

Chelsea in particular are struggling to keep hold of the ball at the moment. They have been forced onto the back foot early on here and are being limited to long balls forward that aren't necessarily aimed at Torres.

Atletico have seen most of the ball in these opening exchanges, but neither side have been able to keep possession for particularly long. Both teams are looking to close their opponents down quickly, and that is resulting in some hurried and inaccurate passes.

The first shot of the match comes from the hosts, who have made a bright start. Costa shows a flash of his brilliance to keep the ball from two defenders before laying it off to Diego, who rather scuffs an effort well wide.

KICKOFF: Atletico get us underway amidst a cacophony of noise inside the stadium. There is a great atmosphere here, as you would expect, and the fans could well be treated to a classic tonight.

A reminder just before we start that the winner of this tie will take on either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the Champions League final in Lisbon next month. The first leg of that tie takes place tomorrow night before the second legs next week will determine our final two.

There is nothing quite like a Champions League night, and the closer we get to the final the more special these matches become. This one is sure to be a cracker, and it is one that will be heart-breaking for either side to lose. It is often said that losing in the semi-finals is the worst feeling of all, so both sets of players will be doing everything in their power to ensure that that fate does not befall them over this tie.

Discipline will be key for both sides today as they will want to be at full strength for the second leg. Here are the players currently one booking away from a suspension:

Chelsea are the more experienced team at this stage of the competition having reached the last four seven times since 2003-04, a record on Barcelona can match. The Blues have also lost just one of their last 10 Champions League knockout games, with that defeat coming in the quarter-final first leg against PSG this season. Atletico, meanwhile, are making their first semi-final appearance since 1974, when they went on to lose to Bayern Munich in the final.

Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 15 matches against Spanish opposition in the Champions League, a run that stretches all the way back to 2006 when they lost to eventual winners Barcelona at Stamford Bridge. They have drawn nine of those matches, and another draw tonight would go down as a good result, particularly if they get an away goal. Against Atletico, the record stands at won one, drawn one and lost one, although the solitary loss came in the Super Cup in 2012 when Falcao scored a hat-trick.

PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes from kickoff in the Spanish capital, so it is about time I made my prediction! This is one of the most intriguing encounters I can remember for some time, and I really can't wait to see how it pans out. I think Atletico hold the upper hand in the first leg for sure, but they will be keen to kill the tie off here having seen what happened to PSG in the last round. Atletico's formidable home record coupled with Chelsea's iffy away record points to a home win for me. I'll go for 3-1 to the hosts, with Chelsea getting an away goal that could prove vital.

Fernando Torres is the man given the nod for Chelsea in Eto'o's absence, and you can expect a rousing reception for 'El Nino'. He was worshipped at this club during his time here, captaining them with success before his move to Liverpool in 2007. He is something of a derisory figure amongst many football fans now, but to those at Atletico he remains an icon. There has been talk of him returning to the Vicente Calderon in the summer, perhaps as part of a deal to take Costa to Stamford Bridge.

The midfield could prove to be the pivotal battleground this evening, and it is fair to say that Mourinho would have preferred a few more options than he has. In their strongest XI, it is fair to say that Mikel and Lampard would no longer feature, while Ramires certainly wouldn't be cast out onto the wing. The Brazilian may drift inside to clog the middle of the park when Atletico have the ball, but for all his dynamism and athleticism he is not a like-for-like replacement for Hazard.

Perhaps the most notable absentee from the Chelsea squad is Eden Hazard, who travelled with the squad but has not even made the bench due to a calf injury. Samuel Eto'o, meanwhile, did not travel having picked up a minor knee injury, while Nemanja Matic and Mohamed Salah are cup-tied. There is a place on the bench for quarter-final hero Demba Ba, who curiously has the best goals to minute ratio out of players who have scored more than one goal in this season's Champions League.

Chelsea certainly face a formidable test, then, and it does not help them that are are far from full strength tonight. Cech's return after missing Saturday's defeat through illness is a bonus, but the back four we have become accustomed to seeing this season has had a bit of a switch around. Ivanovic is suspended for tonight's match, meaning that Azpilicueta moves to right-back and Ashley Cole gets a rare start. The England international has bags of experience, but his lack of football this season could play a part tonight.

Atletico are far from a one-man team, however. Their defence has been solid throughout the season and is the basis for their good form, while the midfield are capable of helping out both defensively and in the attacking third. Koke scored the only goal of the game against Barcelona in the quarter-final second leg and is enjoying an ever-growing reputation in European football. They also have options from the bench, with the likes of Arda Turan and David Villa waiting in the wings.

The main dangerman for Atletico tonight will be Diego Costa, who has been heavily linked with a summer move to Stamford Bridge. The Brazilian-turned-Spanish striker has been in blistering form all season and is arguably the driving force behind the club's incredible form. He has netted 35 times in the current campaign and Chelsea's defence will not have come up against many more testing opponents than him. Reports have suggested that £50m would be enough to bring him to England, but he could add a few more million onto that with a good performance in these two legs.

So, what can we make of those two teams? Well, the big news is that Courtois does start for the hosts, which is a massive boost for them. He was initially a doubt due to a clause in his contract which stated that Atletico would have to pay a sizeable fee if he was to play against his parent club, but UEFA soon intervened and stressed that it was against the competition rules for Chelsea to have an influence over another team's selection. There has been a lot of speculation linking Courtois with a return to Stamford Bridge in the summer, so it will be interesting to see how he compares to Cech tonight.

CHELSEA SUBS: Schwarzer, Ake, Kalas, Oscar, Van Ginkel, Schurrle, Ba

CHELSEA STARTING XI: Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry, Cole; Mikel, Luiz, Lampard; Ramires, Torres, Willian

ATLETICO SUBS: Aranzubia, Alderweireld, Tiago, Arda Turan, Cristian Rodriguez, Sosa, Villa

ATLETICO STARTING XI: Courtois; Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Luis; Suarez, Gabi; Koke, Garcia, Diego; Costa

TEAM NEWS: There was plenty of speculation about the teams ahead of this match, and the biggest news is that Thibaut Courtois does start against his parent club. Diego Costa leads the line for the hosts as expected, but Arda Turan is only fit enough for the bench having struggled with a groin injury. For Chelsea, former Atletico icon Torres starts up front, while Ashley Cole comes in at left-back as Azpilicueta fills in for Ivanovic. Full team news for both sides on the way...

The Mourinho factor is often mentioned in the build-up to Chelsea matches, but Diego Simeone will know exactly what to expect having shared the city of Madrid with him last year. In their four meetings while Mourinho was manager of Real, the Portuguese boss won three of them but lost arguably the most important of them all when Atletico beat their city rivals in the 2012-13 Copa del Rey final. Mourinho has reached this stage of the competition twice with Chelsea, losing to Liverpool both times, but he also have two winners' medals in the Champions League having won the competition with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010.

What they will be hoping for, however, is the spirit of the second leg to shine through. Not for the first time, Chelsea were forced to come from two goals down at Stamford Bridge, eventually sealing their passage to the last four courtesy of a last-gaps Demba Ba strike that sent them through on away goals. That certainly will have given them belief and momentum for this tournament, but that may have disappeared along with their title hopes in Saturday's defeat to Sunderland.

Another concern for Mourinho will be his side's away record. They only have two victories on the road in their last seven away matches and have lost three of their last four. In the Champions League, they have not won any of their last three away games, including a 3-1 defeat to PSG in the first leg of the quarter-final at the Parc des Princes. Chelsea can ill afford a repeat of that performance here tonight.

His usual air of confidence must have been shaken by the mini-collapse his team have suffered in recent weeks. They have lost three of their last six games and have been beaten by Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Paris Saint-Germain in a little over a month. They have managed to keep three cleans sheets in their last four matches and six in their last 10, but at the business end of the season it becomes all about results, and Chelsea have struggled in that respect recently.

As with Atletico, Chelsea have built their title challenge on a solid defence this season, also boasting the best record at the back in their domestic league. They have conceded just 26 goals in their 35 Premier League matches, yet have proven that they are capable of turning on the style up front with victories such as the 6-0 drubbing of Arsenal. However, they have struggled to break teams down at times this season and, with Atletico preferring to hit opponents on the break themselves, Mourinho may not be able to employ the same tactics tonight as he did against the Gunners.

With both Liverpool and Manchester City better placed than Chelsea now, it would take both of them to slip up for the Blues's to stand any chance of winning the title. A decisive meeting with leaders Liverpool takes place on Sunday, but if Mourinho is considering prioritising either then he is likely to lean towards the Champions League. While Atletico are certainly a formidable opponent, the common consensus is that it was the kindest draw available to the Blues, with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid competing in the second semi tomorrow night.

Mourinho's Chelsea are experts at spoiling the party, however, and the Portuguese boss will be more desperate than ever to finally reach the Champions League final with his beloved Chelsea. The Blues' Premier League title hopes took what could prove to be a terminal blow when Sunderland became the first team to beat Chelsea in the league at Stamford Bridge under Mourinho - an incredible record that stretched back 10 years and 77 matches.

They have also never lost to an English club in front of their own fans, winning five and drawing four of their nine encounters at the Vicente Calderon. Atletico are arguably in better shape now than at any other point in their history, so they will be confident of continuing that record tonight.

The impressive statistics continue to pile up for Atletico, but arguably the most relevant of all tonight is their formidable home form. They have not lost a single game in the league or in Europe at the Vicente Calderon all season, with their solitary home defeat in the current campaign coming at the hands of Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey. Indeed, only Real, Barcelona and Sevilla have avoided defeat at the Vicente Calderon this season, where Atletico are unbeaten in their last eight games.

They have not conceded a single goal since Neymar struck for Barcelona in the 71st minute of their quarter-final first leg at the Camp Nou. Since then, Atletico have kept four clean sheets in a row, while their extended record of clean sheets stands at eight in their last 11 matches. At home, they have kept five clean sheets in a row and conceded just 14 times in 28 matches at the Vicente Calderon this season. The last time that they let in a goal in front of their own fans was way back on March 11, when AC Milan netted a consolation goal in the last 16 of this competition.

Simeone has built a side that relies on defensive solidity with a blistering and devastating counter-attack, not too dissimilar to that of Chelsea. They have conceded the fewest goals in La Liga this season, being breached just 22 times in their 34 matches, while their five goals conceded in 10 Champions League games is also the best in this competition.

In all competitions, their unbeaten run stretches back 12 matches and includes 10 victories, with only Barcelona and Real Madrid avoiding defeat against them in that time. They are unbeaten in their 10 Champions League games in the current campaign, with eight victories and two draws, and have not lost in this competition since December 2009.

Los Rojiblancos are now four points clear at the top of La Liga with just four matches left to play and, although Real Madrid could cut that gap to three once they have played their game in hand, the fate of the title is very much in the hands of Atletico. They have not won the league since 1996 but are in scintillating form going into the final furlongs, with eight league wins in a row and no defeats since February.

What a remarkable season Atletico Madrid are having. Not only have they seemingly broken the duopoly of Spanish football, leading the Primera Division ahead of Barcelona and Real Madrid, but they also find themselves in the last four of the Champions League with a very real chance of going all the way. Manager Diego Simeone has worked wonders with the team and the battle between him and Jose Mourinho on the touchlines this evening is an intriguing as the battle between the players on the pitch.

Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's huge Champions League semi-final first leg between Atletico Madrid and Chelsea. It has already been some day in terms of football news with David Moyes being sacked as manager of Manchester United, but now the attention turns to one of the most intriguing encounters in recent memory. Let's start with a look at the hosts ahead of what should be a cracking match...