Chelsea are just 90 minutes away from the Champions League final.
A 0-0 draw in the hotbed that is the Vicente Calderon stadium tonight means that a victory next Wednesday at Stamford Bridge in the return leg will propel the west Londoners into the final, next month in Lisbon,, Portugal.
Defeat was not an option for Jose Mourinho and he got his tactics and selection spot on, but the Blues lost in the process Petr Cech to a suspected dislocated shoulder and skipper John Terry to a possible metatarsal injury.
When you add the loss through suspension of Frank Lampard and Mikel then Chelsea will be seriously depleted in the defensive stakes.
But as they say that's for another day and the Blues fans, still cheering on their side 15 minutes after the final whistle won't worry too much as they make their way back to London.
Madrid sit top of the Spanish top division but were made to look less intimidating as the minutes progressed and will worry about visiting Stamford Bridge next Wednesday.
Two minutes in and the first albeit weak effort went to the home side when Miranda's left-foot tickle from the edge of the Chelsea penalty area went wide of Petr Cech's right post.
Cech did well to intercept a Juanfran left wing cross, before Diego Costa got his head to it. The early pressure is all from Atletico.
The Blues finally got their foot on the ball in the 13th minute. They strung a good dozen passes together much to the chagrin of the home fans, but they need not have worried as the possession only went across the pitch and failed to break the half-way line.
Cech took a blow when from a corner, on 16 minutes. Tipping Felipe Luis's corner over the bar, Cech, held onto the cross bar then fell on Raul Garcia who had been shoved by David Luiz . The Czech stopper suffered an apparent dislocated shoulder and was unable to continue, he was taken off to be replaced by Mark Schwarzer on the 18th minute.
The Australian goalkeeper is 41. In the other goal, is a Chelsea contracted player Thibaut Courtois, on loan to the Spanish side - he is just 21 years old.
When the Blues finally got the chance to counter-attack on 26 minutes, thanks to Willian's swift feet, Ramires failed to capitalise. The Brazil midfielder was sent free but elected to shoot or pass, it was neither one thing or the other and Courtois easily collected the wayward ball.
For all their pressure, Madrid have had very little to tempt either of Chelsea's goalkeepers. Mario Suarez saw a fine 25-yard effort on 33 minutes inch past Schwarzer's left post.
A timely block by Gary Cahill thwarted Costa with five minutes left on the clock.
With four minutes added time shown by the fourth official, Schwarzer was called into action and deftly got his creaking body down to a fine drive by Koka.
Luiz had a great chance from a free-kick, to tease Courtois, but instead the Brazil midfielder shot straight into the Atletico wall.
There were not changes in personnel at half-time by either player but it was the away side who had the first effort of the half, a half-hearted, left footer by Frank Lampard which Courtois treated with due contempt.
Luiz fell under a heavy challenge from Diego and stayed on the ground for a couple of minutes, thus giving the home fans again the chance to air their lungs with howls of derision.
Schwarzer made a howler of his own on 57 minutes, punching limply to the edge of his penalty area, but made amends when the second shot, on target, was snuffed out successfully.
Torres, flashed into life two minutes later, but his darting, jinxing run into his former side's penalty area, resulted in a good shot, on target, well saved.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone made his first change, bringing on Arda Turan for Diego on 60 minutes.
Frank Lampard was handed a yellow card by Swedish referee Jonas Eriksson for a needless foul and misses the return leg next Wednesday.
With Chelsea players falling over like nine pins and thus eking out precious time, it was a bit surprising to see a Chelsea outfield player actually injured with John Terry limping off with 17 minutes to go. On came that wonderful centre-back Andre Schurrle. In reality Luiz resumed the centre-back berth.
Schwarzer produced a fine saving save to his right to turn a Costa shot for a corner but not before Mikel received a yellow card for another foul which also rules him out of the second leg.
Someone's last throw of the attacking die was to introduce ex-Barcelona winger David villa for Garcia with five minutes left on the clock.
With Madrid having more half-chances, it was agin a shame that Luiz's shooting boots were not set for accuracy.
With three minutes left he had another great chance from a free-kick just outside the Madrid penalty area, again, he failed to hit the target, this time shooting over the crossbar.
Mourinho made his first substitution, by choice, as 90 minutes ticked over, bringing on Demba Ba for Willian.
That was the last serious action of the night.
Teams: Chelsea, Cech; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Terry (c), Cole; David Luiz, Mikel, Lampard; Ramires, Torres, Willian.
Subs Schwarzer, Ake, Kalas, Oscar, Van Ginkel, Schurrle, Ba
Club Atletico de Madrid, Courtois, Godin, Luis, Suarez, Koke, Raul Garcia, Gabi, Diego Costa, Juanfran, Miranda, Diego,
Subs, Aranzubia, Tiago, Villa, Turan,Rodriguez, Alderweireld, Sosa
Referee: Jonas Eriksson, Sweden