Chelsea should come from two objectives down at Actual Madrid to salvage their Champions League protection after Karim Benzema’s hat-trick ensured a 3-1 win within the quarter-final first leg over the fault-ridden hosts at Stamford Bridge.
Benzema despatched two very good objectives in three minutes within the first half at rain-soaked Stamford Bridge as Actual Madrid got down to avenge final season’s semi-final defeat to European champion Thomas Tuchel in good trend.
Kai Havertz snatched Chelsea’s lifeline earlier than the break, however evaporated after 46 seconds into the primary half when Edward Mendy cleared his space and performed a weak go to Antonio Rudiger, which put Benzema’s hat-trick on one shot.
Substitute Romelu Lukaku rejected two possibilities to scale back the arrears after Chelsea’s return efforts failed in an evening of acute frustration that ended with the Blues’ protection suspended within the Champions League earlier than returning subsequent week on the Bernabeu.
Chelsea’s protection within the Champions League hangs within the steadiness
Chelsea’s try and beat Actual Madrid away with an eventual sturdy begin contributed to their early demise, with their eagerness to assault, leaving cracks in midfield and within the again for Actual to use, which they nearly did inside 10 minutes, when Vinicius Junior netted. crossbar.
The hosts’ worst fears got here true within the twenty first minute, when Vinicius’ third profitable match in opposition to Andreas Christensen ended with the Brazilian’s cross kicking into the realm, and Benzema’s highly effective shot into the online on the close to submit.
They rapidly grew to become one in all two, as Benzema despatched Luka Modric’s lavish go inside three minutes to stun Stamford Bridge and go away Chelsea’s Champions League protection dangerously hanging.
Karim Benzema grew to become the primary participant ever to attain a hat-trick in opposition to Chelsea in any European competitors.
Actual Madrid seized on different alternatives to deepen Chelsea’s plight, with Eder Militao’s head-turning straight kick at Mendy from a nook earlier than Dani Carvajal’s shot slammed into the Chelsea keeper’s command and despatched Christensen off the bottom.
However after Chelsea prevented additional injury, he returned to the sport 5 minutes earlier than the top of the primary half, when a cross from Jorginho discovered Havertz’s head, and his try was parried by goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Chelsea striker Kai Havertz has scored three objectives in his final six Champions League matches
Chelsea’s hope will proceed to linger lower than a minute after the break, as Benzema took benefit of Mendy’s second of frenzy to intercept a poor go to Rudiger and full a successful Champions League hat-trick with a quiet end within the unguarded web.
Karim Benzema (11) has now scored extra objectives than some other French participant in a single European Cup season
Captain Cesar Azpilicueta made a surprising save of Courtois together with his finger as Actual Madrid fended off more and more determined Chelsea makes an attempt to power their approach again to a draw. Lukaku’s introduction within the sixty fourth minute appeared to provide Chelsea the second lifeline they had been after, nevertheless it was a header with two large possibilities as Actual Madrid stored their wholesome lead going.
Tuchel: The tie is not alive
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Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel stated his workforce’s latest defensive efficiency in opposition to Actual Madrid and Brentford is worrying.
Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel: “Right now, this [tie] Alive with this efficiency? No, not this present day. We now have to seek out ourselves once more, I do not know the place we have been because the worldwide hiatus. Tonight was a repeat of the second half in opposition to Brentford within the quarter-final in opposition to Actual Madrid. 5 days, obtained seven objectives. It is worrying.
“With the whole lot the sport requires, you can’t count on a end result from this sort of efficiency. We had been removed from our degree, tactically, individually, in type, in challenges. We tried to play in a brand new formation and killed the match with an enormous mistake.
“It is by no means about anyone participant or one participant, it is right down to all of us, together with me. Individually we have misplaced type and sharpness. Because the worldwide break, clearly we’ve not regarded the identical and I do not actually have an evidence.”
It is exhausting to think about Chelsea coming again
sky Jack Wilkinson athlete:
Saturday’s humiliation by the hands of Brentford was speculated to be only a second, nevertheless it mixed with one other disastrous Chelsea outing in an evening of sharp frustration at Stamford Bridge.
A night that began with the European champions’ willpower to make a mark within the quarter-finals, and ended with a real-life Champions League clinic run by the 13-time winners.
Chelsea’s protection – and the season – cling within the steadiness. With the Premier League title lengthy gone, defending his European title was the final large prize provided to teach Thomas Tuchel’s aspect, however now, not even the German can defend his proper to return again.
The one workforce that got here from behind by two objectives or extra away from residence within the Champions League knockout match is Manchester United, who defied the chances to knock Paris Saint-Germain out of Tuchel within the final 16 of the 2018-2019 season.
Tuchel will not want a reminder of this defeat, which has been described as “painful and merciless”, particularly whereas his newest administration challenge slams into uncharted lows. However that may be a job now positioned in entrance of Chelsea to avoid wasting their season whereas they nonetheless have one.
Chelsea’s actual protection revealed – opta stats
- Actual Madrid have now defeated the Champions League holders in every of the final 4 encounters they’ve performed, and for the sixth time in complete, they’re now the largest workforce within the competitors’s historical past (Juventus 5).
- Chelsea suffered consecutive defeats at residence for under the second time beneath Thomas Tuchel, as occurred in April final 12 months. Nevertheless, the Blues have shipped 3+ objectives in consecutive video games at Stamford Bridge for the primary time since October 2012.
- Because the formation of the Champions League in 1992/93, solely one of many earlier 43 groups has overturned a primary leg delay of greater than two objectives within the second leg away, with Manchester United beating Paris Saint-Germain within the spherical of 16 in 2018./19.
What then?
Chelsea journey to Southampton within the Premier League on Saturday at 3pm, earlier than touring to Actual Madrid within the Champions League quarter-final second leg on Tuesday at 8pm.
