The Champions League semi-final matchup between Chelsea and Atletico Madrid is about to get underway. The first leg in Madrid finished 0-0 as Chelsea set up defensively to counter the threat of Atletico away in Spain, gambling that they could finish the job today at home.
The winner will move on to play Real Madrid in the final, who made a statement by smashing last year's winners Bayern Munich 4-0 away in Germany. To build excitement for the tie and put EA's match engine to the test, I've simulated the results of the game using today's official lineups.
The final score was 1-0 to Chelsea, with the winner scored by Willian in the 55th minute. It was an efficient move by the Brazilian, collecting a short cross from Eden Hazard and tucking his shot in at the near post. There were no goals in the first half, something that definitely wouldn't be unexpected in real life. The AI was set to World Class difficulty, which may have resulted in the stalemate present in much of the game as it failed to outsmart itself. Chelsea held on for the rest of the game, frustrating Atletico as they tried to find an equalizer.
We'll soon see how accurate EA's engine is. I certainly expect a defensive performance from both teams--it would be surprising to see this one become a high-scoring game as both sides prefer to counter attack rather than bring the game to their opponent. Chelsea have one of the best defenses in Europe and Atletico are an extremely well-drilled side with a solid midfield, so we could definitely see a 1-0 win from either team.
