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Real Madrid brushed Chelsea off to win 2-0 in the first leg of the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, April 12.
Real Madrid made a host of changes from the side that lost to Villarreal at the weekend. Carlo Ancelotti revamped the entire midfield, bringing in Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, and Fede Valverde. Former Chelsea player Antonio Rudiger dropped to the bench, with Eder Militao taking his place.
Chelsea, also coming off a loss, opted to play with a back three. Frank Lampard was boosted by Thiago Silva's return from injury. N'Golo Kante made a return to the side, while Kai Havertz was dropped.
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It was almost the perfect start for Chelsea as Kante sent Joao Felix through on goal. The Portugal attacker, however, could not open the scoring.
Real Madrid soon began to exert control over the game. Los Blancos created a host of chances, eventually taking the lead. Dani Carvajal lifted a ball through for Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian forced a save from Kepa Arrizabalaga but the Spaniard could only parry it into Karim Benzema's path, who made no mistake.
The Spanish giants continued to dominate as the likes of Vinicius, Valverde, and Rodrygo forced Kepa into a flurry of saves. It ended 1-0 at half-time but the Blues were lucky to be down by just one.
The second half continued to be more of the same, with Real Madrid on the offensive. Chelsea were dealt a massive blow when Kalidou Koulibaly was forced to leave the field with an injury and he was replaced by Marc Cucurella. It turned from bad to worse for the Blues as Ben Chilwell received a straight red card for a foul on Rodrygo.
Los Blancos looked to seize their advantage and put the tie to an end. Substitute Marco Asensio doubled their lead after a well-worked corner routine that saw him receive the ball at the edge of the box and slot it home past Kepa.
Real Madrid were dominant from start to finish as they completely outplayed Chelsea to win 2-0. Here are five talking points from the game.
#5. Chelsea continue to be ineffective in attack
Chelsea's poor season can mainly be attributed to the fact that their attack has been dismal. In 30 Premier League games, the Blues have scored just 29 times. The lack of a proper No 9, coupled with poor finishing in general by their attackers, means the London side are set to endure a torrid season.
#4. Ben Chilwell's red card killed any chances
Although the Blues did not look like scoring at any point in the game, the red card to Ben Chilwell did not help. It was a foul that the full-back could not avoid, as Rodrygo made a brilliant move.
The defender has been a rare bright spot for Chelsea this season and any shot they have at overturning the tie took a massive hit.
#3. Karim Benzema shows up in the big game yet again
Karim Benzema continues to be a prolific presence in the Champions League. While he has not repeated his previous season's Ballon d'Or winning antics, he has been a key player for Real Madrid.
He now has 26 goals this season and could play a vital role as Los Blancos chase yet another UCL title. He finished the game with five shots (three on target) and three key passes alongside his opener.
#2. This tie is all but over
The game today showed a clear gap between the two sides. Real Madrid looked a cut above Chelsea, dominating the west London side in all facets of the game. Carrying a 2-0 deficit to Stamford Bridge with no indication of an uptick in form, the Blues will need a miracle to win this tie.
#1. Real Madrid are always contenders in the UCL
Real Madrid might not be having the best of the domestic seasons. Los Blancos lie 13 points behind leaders Barcelona in La Liga and look out of the running for the title.
However, they continue to be a dominant force in the Champions League, showing why they are the most successful side in the competition. With a mouth-watering semi-final tie against Manchester City on the cards, it remains to be seen if Real Madrid can win their 15th UCL this season.
