Advantage Chelsea at Madrid
The Blues grabbed a crucial away goal against 13-time European Champions, as Benzema helps Real Madrid stay in the game.
The Champions League semi-finals are underway, with fans putting aside the Super League drama that unfolded in Europe. Real Madrid played out an exciting 1–1 draw against Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie.
In the preceding weekend, Chelsea beat fellow London rivals, West Ham, convincingly, despite the 1–0 scoreline suggesting a close game. Real Madrid welcomed the Blues after a sluggish performance in a 0–0 draw against Real Betis at the Valdebebas.
Since Thomas Tuchel’s appointment in January, Chelsea has only lost twice in all competitions while keeping 16 clean sheets. During this period, they knocked out Real’s city rivals Atleti and Portuguese giants Porto to reach the penultimate round of the Champions League. They also beat fellow semi-finalists, Manchester City, to qualify for the finals of the FA Cup.
Real Madrid has been on 17 games unbeaten run since a defeat at home to Levante, also in January. The first two weeks of April saw Zinedine Zidane’s side beat English Champions, Liverpool, 3–1 in their visit to Madrid and followed it up with a victory against Barcelona in the Clasico. An unconvincing 0–0 draw at Merseyside was enough to put the Spanish champions through to the semis of Europe’s biggest competition.
FORMATIONS AND TEAM NEWS
Both teams chose to start with three at the back. Chelsea fielded the same team that beat West Ham at the Bridge with Tuchel continuing to play profligate striker Timo Wener flanked by Pulisic and Mount in the attack. Kante and Jorginho were responsible for taking care of the centre while Chilwell and Azpi started on the wings.
Whereas, Zizou made three changes from the side that drew against Betis. Toni Kroos returned to a midfield five after a short spell out while Asensio sat out to accommodate Marcelo as a wing-back, a tactic Zidane has used a few times this season. Star of the first quarter-final leg against Liverpool, Vinicius Jr, replaced Rodrygo to join Benzema up-front.
A FIRST HALF THAT DIDN’T DISAPPOINT
Chelsea came out guns blazing, pressing the Real defence at every chance, taking advantage of their youth and athleticism, whereas Madrid seemed a little tired and out of sorts in the first ten minutes. Timo Werner didn’t do himself any good as he failed to score a sitter, set up by Pulisic after Mount’s deflected effort fell on his head.
Courtois' quick reactions, fortunately, were enough to save the tame effort from the German. The Real midfield was slow to settle into the game and kept getting caught whenever they lost the ball in the opposition half, and quite often, Militao, Varane and Nacho were left alone to face Chelsea’s speedy counters.
In the 14th minute, Nacho got caught ball-watching as Pulisic shuffled through the defensive ranks to get ahold of a beautiful ball from Rudiger in defence. Pulisic maintained his composure and rounded Courtois as he tried to smother him. He then calmly placed the ball into the back of the net to score his first-ever Champions League semi-final goal.
The goal seemed to stir Real Madrid a little. Not too long after, Benzema’s left-footed thunder strike beat fellow Frenchman Mendy in the Chelsea goal but only to hit the outside of the post. 1–0 down, the Real team looked desperate to score and kept pushing men forward, with Casemiro bursting forward more often than usual, leaving the defence to fend for themselves.
N’golo Kante had a solid game. He recovered stray balls like always while darting into spaces left empty by Casemiro and Marcelo. Chelsea was bossing the game up until the equaliser.
Around the 30-minute mark, a short corner from Kroos gave Marcelo the space to whip in a ball towards the far post. Casemiro rose high to head the ball back across the goal as fellow Brazillian, Militao rose to nudge the ball once again into the centre of the box, onto the path of Benzema. The Frenchman delectably controlled the ball with his head and smashed it past a stationary Mendy.
The next fifteen minutes were a more measured affair, yet Chelsea continued to force turnovers in midfield. Luka Modric, simply put, had a bad first half and quite often came up second against the youthful exuberance of Mason Mount. The Chelsea defence put up an impressive showing despite the rain tumbling down in Madrid, especially in the first half.
A SILENT SECOND HALF
The second half saw more of the same as the last fifteen minutes of the first half. Real Madrid decided to sit back and hold form, with Casemiro staying in position and breaking up play like usual. Real Madrid looked more secure in possession while the Chelsea attack seemed rather tired.
Tuchel must have noticed the tiredness in his team as he brought on Havertz and Ziyech for goal-scorer Pulisic and Werner. Reece James replaced a cramped-up Azpillicueta while Eden Hazard came on for the second consecutive game after another injury hiatus.
Werner had a shot blocked by Militao after being put through by an exquisite ball from Kante. The only notable attack in an otherwise subdued second-half performance from the Blues. Madrid was also unable to break down the Chelsea defence as both teams seemed satisfied to head to the second leg without conceding another goal. Ziyech was lively after coming on, but Havertz failed to impress.
Hazard tried to dazzle against his former team, and Zizou soon replaced Marcelo and Dani Carvajal with Asensio and Odriozola to add further energy. But, both of them were inconsequential in the game. Asensio did not have enough time to grow into the game, and the Chelsea defence kept their shape when Hazard delicately played a through ball for Odriazola during the latter stages of the half.
POST-GAME REACTIONS
After the game, Tuchel played down the Werner miss. He said, “That does not help, but it does not help to cry about it or regret it.” The support will help Werner, but one cannot be sure if Chelsea will regret it at the end of the second leg. Mason Mount played a crucial role, pretty much shutting down Luka Modric while also galloping past him repeatedly in the first half.
As Chelsea players rue the missed chances, Raphael Varane, after the match, was quick to praise Benzema’s goal and Courtois' save early in the game. The Spanish media reiterated Varane’s thoughts, with high praise for Benzema, while Eder Militao has become the new poster child for the former. And, deservedly so.
WHO WAS THE MAN OF THE MATCH?
Despite the Chelsea team putting in an excellent performance, Karim Benzema stole the show. He oozed class with almost every touch. Had his left-footed strike struck the inside of the post, we’d have been witness to another incredible Champions League goal.
Eder Militao and Pulisic both had performances that influenced the game. Before being substituted, Pulisic constantly troubled Nacho and often dropped into the midfield spaces left empty by Casemiro and Marcelo.
Militao yet again showed why Real paid a hefty sum to sign him from Porto. His tackle on Ziyech as the Moroccon tried to cut into his favoured left foot into free space in the box at the least protected Courtois from making another save.
But it is hard to look past Benzema’s performance as he almost single-handedly rose to the occasion to score an important goal for the team. It is not easy to replace the goal-scoring machine that Cristiano, but Benzema has repeatedly stepped up for this team sorely lacking goal-scoring threats.
Yesterday’s goal equalled Blancos legend Raul’s tally of 71 goals in Europe’s premier competition. He also joined the ranks of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, and Thomas Mueller as the only players to have scored at least 20 goals in the knockout stages of the tournament.
WHAT TO EXPECT AT THE BRIDGE?
The Blues will go back home content, having scored the crucial goal in Madrid, and their record of keeping opponent strikers at bay under Tuchel indeed makes them favourites to qualify. But Real Madrid has seen a few more Champions League knockout games than this young Chelsea side, and it would be imprudent to assume that the task ahead is an easy one.
While Zidane hopes talismanic captain Sergio Ramos will be available for the second leg, Ferland Mendy, Fede Valverde, and Lucas Vasquez might return for the tie at Stamford Bridge. These returns significantly boost the squad strength and the odds to make it to a fourth Champions League final under the Frenchman.
Tuchel will hope Kovacic is available, as he may be a more energetic option against this older Madrid midfield and would expect the same eagerness from his team at home. Both teams have crucial league fixtures, as Chelsea look to secure a Champions League spot and Real try to keep up with the defence of their league title before facing off on May 5 at 20:00 GMT.
