Marc Cucurella, Trevoh Chalobah and Frank Lampard get a THREE out of 10 in brutal L’Equipe ratings following Chelsea’s exit from the Champions League… with one Real Madrid player sharing the lowest score despite their win
Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella and Trevoh Chalobah were hit hard by L’Equipe’s famously brutal ratings following the Blues’ Champions League exit to Real Madrid.
Frank Lampard’s side suffered a 2–0 defeat that night, crashing out to the reigning holders with a 4–0 aggregate defeat in the quarter-final.
Cucurella and Chalobah jointly received the lowest ratings of the night with a 3/10, along with manager Frank Lampard and even Los Blancos star Karim Benzema.
At the other end of the scale, two-goal hero Rodrygo and former Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois got top marks with an 8/10.
Across most of the board there were lower scores for Chelsea, with the highest ratings for N’Golo Kante and Reece James, both receiving 6/10.
It was a typically brutal affair in L’Equipe’s player ratings for Chelsea’s loss to Real Madrid
Marc Cucurella was given a 3/10 with his failure to score before the break a big factor
Trevoh Chalobah also got a 3/10 after missing a challenge on Rodrygo before the opener
Brazilian striker Rodrygo scored two goals in the second half to ensure they are likely to progress to Manchester City – unless Bayern Munich can clear a 3-0 deficit tonight.
The French publication however stressed that Chelsea could have given themselves a chance if Marc Cucurella scored what looked to be a golden opportunity to put the Blues 1-0 ahead on the night.
On the stroke of the break, the ball fell unmarked at the back post on the Spaniard. He may have taken too much time and his shot was saved by Courtois who spread to block it.
L’Equipe, commenting on their assessment, wrote that Cucurella “is likely to regret not scoring for a long time.”
They then blamed Chelsea defender Chalobah for Real Madrid’s opener in the 58th minute, as he dove in to challenge Rodrygo – only for the Brazilian to pass him in the run-up.
His tackle into the void on Rodrygo in the 58th minute is the turning point of the game, as the Brazilian went on to open the scoring in the extension of the action after a relay with Vinicius.
“And even when the Englishman made some good crosses and made a good comeback off Vinicius, he generally didn’t exude great serenity,” they wrote.
Wesley Fofana, ravaged by L’Equipe after the first leg with a score of 2/10, fared slightly better this time, but still only doubled his score to a four.
Frank Lampard suffered his fourth straight defeat since returning to Chelsea, and he was also awarded the lowest score by the famously ruthless French publication
Karim Benzema can thank his teammates for last night’s win as he also got a 3/10
He was joined on a 4/10 by Chelsea teammates Mateo Kovacic who ‘started the game very badly’, and Kepa Arrizabalaga, with four players given a 5/10.
Despite Madrid’s win, L’Equipe did not release Frenchman Benzema in their assessments, saying he had “achieved nothing” and was guilty of repeatedly giving the ball away, rarely found his teammates and that he was “too not in verve’ with his attempts on goal.
L’Equipe described Rodrygo as ‘Madrid’s best attacking element’ and said Courtois makes saves feel like goals.
About the Belgian keeper they wrote: ‘He doesn’t score goals, but avoids so many that it’s like (scoring).
Brazilian striker Rodrygo (right) shared the highest score with Thibaut Courtois
‘On the way there already decisive, on the way back it was again. The speed with which he stands up and jumps to fend off Marc Cucurella’s shot, alone at the far post, is phenomenal.
“This decisive stop allows Real to return to the dressing room without disadvantage. He also took shots from Conor Gallagher and Enzo Fernandez really well.
Elsewhere in the Madrid squad, Dani Carvajal was given a 7/10, four players were given a six, Luka Modric and Eder Militao both scored fives, while Eduardo Camavinga was given a low rating of four.