By Henry Vinter | 12 April 2056
It was a night that encapsulated the brutality of football. on the scoreboard, Chelsea were delivering a masterclass, completing a staggering 10-2 aggregate demolition of Atletico Madrid to storm into the Champions League Semi-Finals. But in the dressing room, the mood was somber.
The victory has come at a terrible cost. First-choice goalkeeper Elias Jimenez has suffered a broken hand and is now facing a desperate race against time to play again this season.
The Jimenez Blow
The incident occurred in the 20th minute of the 4-2 win at the Estadio Metropolitano. Jimenez, who has been a rock for the Blues, was forced off after being struck by the ball making a save.
The medical report makes for grim reading: a broken hand that will sideline him for 4 to 5 weeks. With the Semi-Finals looming later this month, Calin Dimario will likely have to turn to veteran Hasitha Mohamed Risvi or perhaps recall the retiring legend Joby Holwell (if he were registered, but he is at United) – no, the pressure now falls on the backup keepers to step into the void of a world-class shot-stopper.
Civzelis: The Playmaking Center-Back
While Jimenez suffered, McKauley Civzelis soared. The 31-year-old legendary defender produced one of the greatest individual performances of his career, earning a 9.3 Match Rating and the Player of the Match award.
He didn’t just defend; he dominated the attack. Civzelis scored a header in the 27th minute to equalize on the night and provided 2 assists. To see a center-back orchestrating a Champions League rout is rare; to see him doing it while his team wins 10-2 on aggregate is legendary.
A Comedy of Errors for Atletico
Atletico Madrid actually took the lead on the night through Torain Dowe after an error by Chelsea’s Götz Pauls. But their hope was short-lived.
The Spanish side imploded with a series of defensive calamities. Errors from Niso Shtelong and Hüseyin Göktepe gifted goals to Pele and Júnior respectively. Rogério José added a fourth with a close-range header, ensuring that Eduardo Angione’s late penalty for Atletico was nothing more than a statistic.
The Ultimate Showdown: Real Madrid Awaits
As if the night wasn’t dramatic enough, the Semi-Final draw has thrown up the biggest fixture in world football.
Chelsea will face Real Madrid.
The first leg will be played at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Tuesday, 25th April 2056. This is a clash of titans who have met in six previous finals. It also means a reunion with Chelsea legend Paul Malcolm, the current World Player of the Year, who will surely be eyeing his old club with intent.
Chelsea are through, but without their goalkeeper, the path to the “Quintuple” just got significantly steeper.