Chelsea vs Real Madrid LIVE: Champions League result, final score and reaction as Benzema scores hat-trick
Chelsea 1-3 Real Madrid: Re action from the first leg of the quarter-final clash at Stamford Bridge
Karim Benzema scored a scintillating hat-trick to put Real Madrid in control of their Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea, with a 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.
The Frenchman netted two sublime headers in the first half and, although Kai Havertz pulled one back for Chelsea with a header of his own before half-time, Benzema capitalised on a clanger from Edouard Mendy early in the second period to make it 3-1.
It was an incredibly entertaining, open game in west London but the Blues have it all to do in Madrid next week to take the defence of their Champions League trophy to the semi-final stage.
The contest is a rematch of one of last season’s semi-finals, where the Premier League side emerged as 3-1 aggregate winners, but this time they will have to produce an almighty European comeback to set up a last-four clash with either Manchester City or Atletico Madrid.
Follow all the reaction from Stamford Bridge below:
Chelsea 0 - 0 Real Madrid
6 mins: Chance! Kai Havertz gets his first sight at goal with a run into the right side of the box. David Alaba comes across the penalty area to cover him but doesn’t commit to the tackle. That allows Havertz to check inside onto his favoured left-foot and get a shot away. Alaba sticks out a leg at the last moment and manages to get a touch on the ball forcing the effort wide of the far post.
Chelsea 0 - 0 Real Madrid
3 mins: Karim Benzema drops a little deep to receive the ball off Toni Kroos and slip Vinicius Junior down the left wing. Vinicius Jr can’t find a way around Andreas Christensen and is forced to retreat. The ball comes across to Eder Militao who has pushed up from defence and his effort from range is wide of the target.
Kick off: Chelsea 0 - 0 Real Madrid
Kai Havertz gets the first leg of this Champions League quarter-final underway. The ball comes back to Antonio Rudiger who sends a diagonal pass over to Reece James.
Mason Mount makes a run down the left and receives the ball, he swings in an early cross that almost causes trouble for the Real Madrid defence but David Alaba has Christian Pulisic’s run covered and the ball skips safely through the penalty area.
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
This game should be a cracker. Chelsea are the reigning European champions going up against the 13x Champions League winners Real Madrid.
It could go either way but history is on Chelsea’s side. They have never been beaten by Madrid and Thomas Tuchel has never lost to a Spanish side as a manager. Is tonight the night they do so or can the Blues take and advantage to the Bernabeu for the second leg?
Lets find out. Here come the players.
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
A note on the team selection from Chelsea boss, Thomas Tuchel, who explained why he chose to go with Cesar Azpilicueta over Marcos Alonso.
He told BT Sport: “Azpilicueta will play on the left. Pulišić can cause problems for any team, he is back after huge travel demands during the international break and we hope that he has the impact we want him to have.”
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
David Alaba is making his 100th Champions League appearance tonight and is the first Austrian to reach that mark.
Of his first 99 matches in the competition, he has won 69, which is already the most wins any player has managed within his first 100 matches in the competition.
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
Since Thomas Tuchel’s first Champions League game in charge of Chelsea, the Blues have kept 10 clean sheets in 15 games; the most of any team.
They also have the lowest goals conceded per game ratio during this period (0.47), conceding just seven times.
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
There’s quite a lot of rain around Stamford Bridge as the players warm up on the pitch. Who will have a big role to play this evening?
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
Mason Mount makes his 150th appearance for Chelsea in all competitions tonight, with 25 of those games coming in the Champions League.
He’s been involved in 50 goals for the Blues (25 goals and 25 assists) with five coming in this competition (scored two and assisting three).
Chelsea vs Real Madrid
Chelsea have played 13 two-legged knockout ties against Spanish clubs - they’ve won six and lost seven of those games. The London club were unbeaten in their first five home knockout games against Spanish teams in Uefa competition (four wins, one draw) but have managed only three victories in the eight subsequent matches (three draws, two defeats).
Thomas Tuchel is also unbeaten as a head coach against Spanish clubs with four wins and five draws.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments