LONDON -- Thomas Tuchel last week described a squad Frank Lampard often lamented for being too big as of "perfect size," and here Chelsea proved why his opinion carries more weight. The Blues are through to their first Champions League quarterfinal since 2014 with a 2-0 win (3-0 on aggregate) over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, the product of a second leg that matched the first for blending expert man-management with tactical nous.
Tuchel will ultimately be judged on the silverware he delivers at Stamford Bridge and so it is too early to declare his appointment an unmitigated success, but dispatching a European heavyweight with such conviction so early in his reign is arguably more than they could have hoped for.