World-class Simeone brings Mourinho’s Bridge crashing down

After a week of great big debates about the rise and fall of opposing football philosophies, this semi-final was ultimately settled by the smallest and most elementary of details: a defender switching off, one clumsy challenge, a player losing his man.

Just like with Real Madrid at Bayern Munich the previous night, that was the real difference: Atletico Madrid went about their basic jobs with much more intensity than Chelsea. It meant they were better in virtually every area of the pitch.

It wasn’t a failure of attacking or defensive football, but a failure of application. That will trouble Jose Mourinho most of all.