Former Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger makes CRUCIAL late block from Mason Mount
Former Chelsea star Antonio Rudiger makes CRUCIAL late block from Mason Mount to preserve Real Madrid’s 2-0 Champions League quarter-final lead as Blues fail to score in four straight games for first time in 30 YEARS
- Madrid beat Chelsea 2-0 in the first leg of the teams’ quarter-final on Wednesday
- Chelsea again struggled in front of goal and Mount’s miss summed up the battle
- More than five and a half hours have passed since Chelsea last scored
Former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger gave his former side a shocking record when he late put in a monster block to thwart Mason Mount.
The Real Madrid man was a second-half substitute in the Champions League quarter-final between Madrid and Chelsea, making over 200 appearances for the Blues.
With Madrid 2–0 up in the game, Chelsea attacked with Marc Cucurella’s deflected cross which found its way to Mount after Eder Militao slipped.
Mount looked destined to score but Rüdiger sprinted from his position to make what Joe Cole called BT Sport ‘as good as block as you will see in the Champions League’ and ensure his side kept his side’s clean sheet intact .
Chelsea’s latest blank point means the club have gone four games without a goal, most recently 30 years ago in 1993.
Antonio Rudiger (left) blocked Mason Mount’s late shot during Real Madrid’s win over Chelsea
Rüdiger was then harassed by his teammates as he helped keep his side’s clean sheet intact
The Blues have now failed to score in more than five and a half hours of football, the last being 30 years ago
Chelsea have now played more than five and a half hours of football since Kai Havertz scored a penalty against Everton in the Premier League on March 18, their last goal.
The Blues have scored 29 times in their 30 games in the Premier League – a number that only six teams can match.
They went to the Bernabeu with little expectation, but the manner of the defeat will frustrate new manager Frank Lampard.
Returning Blues manager Frank Lampard has so far failed to turn around the side’s fortunes
Lampard again changed line-ups for Chelsea in the game, opting for the full-back system favored by Graham Potter during his spell in charge, but the Blues received little change from the defending champions.
The result also means the Blues have not scored in either match since Lampard returned.
Full-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell have often been referred to as Chelsea’s key players, but Chilwell was sent off while James disappointed.
Rio Ferdinand insisted that Frank Lampard’s main priority is to score goals in the Chelsea team
Lampard started Joao Felix (left) and Raheem Sterling (right) together at the front in Madrid but was unsuccessful
Lampard opted for three central midfielders and two forwards – Raheem Sterling and Joao Felix – but both were hooked in the second half as the last attempt to find form in front of goal failed.
Rio Ferdinand, meanwhile, spoke about BT Sport’s coverage of the match and stressed that Lampard’s primary aim is to get goals into the Chelsea team.
“Frank has to find a way to get goals into the team, have to find a way to find the structure to get them in good areas,” he said.
“It didn’t quite work today except for the first 10 minutes. It doesn’t matter how you set up, if you don’t throw the ball into the back of the net, you won’t win games.’
