Chelsea 1-3 Atletico Madrid (1-3 agg)
Chelsea's bid for a third European final in as many years vanished in a blur of red and white stripes as Atletico Madrid found the cutting edge that had eluded them in a goalless first leg.
There is to be no reunion with Carlo Ancelotti in a dream final against Real Madrid. No sentimental return to Lisbon for Jose Mourinho.
And playing a significant role in the heartbreak - wasn't this inevitable - was Thibaut Courtois, who made several key saves to deny his parent club a path to glory.
The Chelsea boss must be getting sick of the script fate has been handing him in recent seasons.
It was his fourth semi-final defeat in a row in this competition and his hopes of a third crown with a third different club must wait.
So assured have Chelsea been defensively in recent matches – in Madrid last week and at Liverpool on Sunday – that it was a shock to see them concede three.
But they were up against the La Liga leaders, who are unbeaten in this year's Champions League as they head to a first final since 1974.
It all seemed to be going to plan for Mourinho as the interval approached.
In spite of their understandable caution, Chelsea had eked out a priceless advantage with a goal from Fernando Torres against his old club after 36 minutes.
Still considered a hero at Atletico, Torres did not celebrate wildly when he slid in a low cross from Cesar Azpilicueta at the near post, but inside his heart must have been thumping.
Willian can be credited for having chased down a lost cause to win possession and feed Azpilicueta.
But any thoughts that the Blues could quietly reel in Atletico disappeared a minute before the turnaround.
Tiago's chip to the far post was knocked back across the face of the six yard box by Juanfran on the byline and Adrian Lopez scuffed a shot into the turf and up into the net.
The game was back on a knife-edge, with the Blues at the sharp end now because of the away goals disadvantage.
Mark Schwarzer tipped a close range effort from Arda Turan over the bar in a heart-stopping moment at the start of the second half, and the Blues knew this was all getting too close for comfort.
John Terry almost beat Courtois with a well-directed header from a Willian free-kick. Then Samuel Eto'o came on for Ashley Cole to give the Blues two strikers – Azpilicueta reverting to right back from the unusual midfield position he was given at the start.
But rather than provide the prelude to a rousing assault, it was Chelsea who were soon in trouble when Eto'o miscalculated a dropping high ball to upend Diego Costa.
It took an age for the kick to be taken – the Atletico striker booked for taking too long in treading down a bit of turf, but when he was ready, he made no mistake.
It was go-for-broke time and very soon Demba Ba was joining the action in place of Torres, but by then there was a grim sense of foreboding for Mourinho's men because Courtois had somehow kept out a point-black header from David Luiz.
That miraculous touch onto the post sank many hearts and should earn him instant respect back at Chelsea's Cobham training ground if his loan spell in Spain ever ends.
Late on, his legs kept out Eden Hazard in a one v one. He is a class act, for sure.
On 72 minutes it was all over, as Turan thumped a header against the bar but reacted quickest to tuck home the rebound.
There was never going to be any way back from that, however gifted a tactician Mourinho might be.
Line up: Schwarzer; Ivanovic, Terry, Cahill, Cole (Eto'o 54); Azpilcueta, Ramires, David Luiz; Willian (Schurrle 77), Torres (Ba 67), Hazard. Subs not used: Hilario, Oscar, Van Ginkel, Kalas.
