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After saving himself a fortune in the High Court, Roman Abramovich must have been tempted to blow a few million before the transfer window closed here on Friday night.
If Chelsea’s owner was as interested as we think in Atletico Madrid’s Radamel Falcao, the Colombian demonstrated why with a brilliant performance that almost single-handedly conquered the Russian billionaire’s team to win the European Super Cup.
Party time: Atletico Madrid's players celebrate with the trophy at the end of the UEFA Super Cup
MATCH FACTS
Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole (Bertrand 89), Mikel, Lampard, Ramires (Oscar 46), Hazard, Mata (Sturridge 81), Torres.
Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Romeu, Moses, Meireles.
Booked: Ivanovic.
Goals: Cahill 74.
Atletico Madrid: Courtois, Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe Luis, Mario Suarez, Gabi, Adrian (Rodriguez 56), Koke (Raul Garcia 81), Turan, Falcao (Emre 87).
Subs Not Used: Sergio Asenjo, Silvio, Cata Diaz, Diego Costa.
Goals: Falcao 6,19,45,Miranda 60.
Att: 14,312
Ref: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).
Presumably Fernando Torres was nothing like as disappointed considering he has just seen off Didier Drogba. By the time Falcao had completed his first-half hat-trick, one imagines Torres was rather relieved to see his fellow striker wearing the same No 9 shirt he made his name in back in Spain.
Falcao tweeted: ‘AM made a great effort to keep me and tonight they got their reward.’
Falcao might just be the finest striker in the world right now. He is the scorer of 37 goals in 40 UEFA matches, the scorer of six goals this week — having struck three against Athletic Bilbao on Monday — and third only to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the goal charts in 2012.
He showed that he has everything. Great pace, awareness, skill and strength and a technique that makes him deadly.
In the absence of the suspended John Terry, the Chelsea defence had no answer to him as they looked to add a third cup to their collection this year.
Ashley Cole tweeted: ‘well that was a lesson. No fight, desire, passion and a big reality check.’
And Gary Cahill said: ‘It was difficult facing him [Falcao] and all of their team especially when we were way below par. We started sloppy and stayed that way. It was embarrassing at times.'
Feeling Blue: Chelsea duo Petr Cech (left) and Jon Obi Mikel chat on the pitch as Atletico Madrid celebrate victory (in the background)
Stunner: Falcao curls home his and Athletico Madrid's second goal against Chelsea
Chelsea might have started the Barclays Premier League season well, winning their opening three games, but the alertness they have displayed was missing here.
Manager Roberto Di Matteo added: ‘The first half we started sloppy and they punished us. The early goal helped them. They defended well and countered on us.’
Chelsea were swamped by the Spaniards and, in particular, Falcao. The 26-year-old had already seen one effort rebound off the bar when he opened the scoring in the sixth minute, accelerating on to a super ball from Gabi before chipping an advancing Petr Cech.
Chelsea had no response, with further chances coming for Adrian Lopez and Arda Turan, who directed a header narrowly wide.
When Falcao drifted wide in the 19th minute, he struck again with a brilliant left-foot shot that curled beyond Cech’s grasp.
Atletico then broke again with five forwards facing three Chelsea defenders, and it required Cech to make a fine save to deny Gabi.
Overun: Falcao scores again as Chelsea fall apart in the Super Cup in Monaco
Helpless: Chelsea players stand in disbelief as Atletico Madrid run riot in Monaco
But there was no stopping Falcao. One good pass from Turan and a burst of acceleration that took him past Ramires and the South American had struck again, completing his hat-trick shortly before the interval with a left-foot shot that slipped under Cech.
Ramires was replaced by Oscar at the start of the second half in the hope it might enable Chelsea to battle back. But the misery continued, the side that finished fifth in the Spanish league last season — but won the Europa League — adding a fourth in the 61st minute when Miranda beat Cech with another marvellous finish.
Chelsea did grab a second-half consolation but it didn’t come from Torres, Oscar or Eden Hazard who, despite working hard, failed to dominate the game in the manner he has so far in the Premier League. After a scramble, Cahill poked home but there was no comeback.
A relatively meaningless encounter this might be. Chelsea could perhaps be accused of not taking it seriously enough. But it remained a painful experience, and not just because they were so soundly beaten.
Hat-trick here: Falcao celebrates grabbing his third goal as Athletico Madrid stun Chelsea
Gloss: Miranda adds a fourth for the Spanish side as Chelsea fall apart again
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2196550/Chelsea-1-Atletico-Madrid-4.html#ixzz25Bkkonec
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