Bucharest (AFP)

With a brilliant acrobatic return, the returning Olivier Giroud tamed Atlético Madrid Tuesday in the round of 16 first leg of the Champions League, and allowed Chelsea to return to London with the advantage of the goal scored on the outside.

What an acrobat!

Regularly replacing since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel, Giroud took advantage of this gala meeting to be decisive and kill the match, with an acrobatic return from the left validated after long minutes with the help of video refereeing ( 71st).

A magnificent goal that allowed him to win the arm wrestling at a distance between him and another experienced serial scorer of the continent: the Uruguayan 'gunslinger' Luis Suarez remained silent Tuesday evening in the silence of the Arena Nationala in Bucharest , like all Atlético, timid despite the ultra-offensive scheme drawn by Diego Simeone.

In seven matches since the arrival of the German technician at the head of the Blues, the French international had remained on the bench on four occasions.

He had already thanked his coach with a goal against Newcastle a week ago when Tuchel had offered him 20 minutes at the end of the match and still marked the spirits on Tuesday.

Giroud knows how to take advantage of the European scene: on December 2, in the group stage of the Champions League against another Spanish team, Sevilla, the former Arsenal had struck a blow by scoring a masterful quadruplet (4-0).

- Tuchel comforted, Simeone disowned -

For Tuchel, who led Paris SG to the final of the last edition of the Champions League last August in Lisbon (one of the main reasons why Chelsea recruited him), this new nice coup in C1 confirms him in his work at the Blues baton.

For Diego Simeone, this is a terrible disavowal: the Argentinian technician had a mission, to ensure the defensive seal of Atlético, the big black spot of the Colchoneros for nearly ten matches.

It missed.

The Madrilenians had however "good memories" in Bucharest (Romania), in the same stadium where they had won the first great coronation in their history, in the final of the Europa League 2011-2012 against Athletic Bilbao (3-0) .

But this time, the tactical choices of the "Cholo" did not pay off.

Not only the "rojiblancos" conceded a goal "at home", but the great defensive efforts required of Thomas Lemar and Angel Correa on the wings deprived the Madrilenians of offensive percussions ... and we hardly had any saw Luis Suarez or Joao Felix in front.

Tuchel and Chelsea therefore returned to London with the victory and the advantage of the goal scored on the outside, but with two caveats.

Mason Mount, warned from the first minute, just like Jorginho, sanctioned with a yellow card for a foul on Joao Felix in the 64th, will be suspended for the second round at Stamford Bridge.

© 2021 AFP