Real Madrid 2-0 Chelsea: Frank Lampard’s men facing quarter-final exit after first-leg defeat

Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly was approached by a news crew as he left his Madrid hotel ahead of his side’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid and asked if he had a message for the club’s fans . “Have a lot of confidence and we’re going to win 3-0 tonight,” he said.

If the Chelsea fans still had any confidence, it was not rewarded. Boehly has been as close to getting his prediction right as ever to getting anything right since taking over at Stamford Bridge last May and overseeing an unfolding football implosion. So that is, not very close at all.

To no one’s great surprise, Chelsea failed to win at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. If there was any surprise, it was that they only lost 2-0 to Carlo Ancelotti’s team. It should have been more. It would have been likely had Ben Chilwell not sacrificed himself and received a red card for pulling Rodrygo out after an hour when he was clean.

Madrid will be disappointed that they only had goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio to show their dominance, especially with Chelsea reduced to 10 men for so long. But it’s unbelievable that a team newly assembled by Frank Lampard, but still looking desperately short on goals, could score three in the return leg at Stamford Bridge next week.

Boehly could make another 3-0 prediction, but he’ll get even fewer believers next week than last night. This result left Chelsea’s season hanging over the edge of an abyss of nothingness. They felt like a supporting actor in this game, the pre-dinner drink for what is likely to be a delightful semi-final between Madrid and Manchester City.

Benzema was left with a tap after Kepa beat Vinicius Jr.’s initial effort. had declined

Substitute Marco Asensio gave Madrid breathing space when he scored a second goal

There was much talk before the game about the strange trick Chelsea have been perfecting over the last 25 years, sacking their manager mid-season and winning a European trophy at the end of that season.

Most famously, they did it in 2012 when Andre Villas-Boas was sacked midway through a Champions League game with Napoli. Roberto di Matteo took over, Chelsea won the second leg and, with Lampard in the squad, went on an unlikely run that ended with them winning their Champions League for the first time in their history against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. “I have to be careful about making that parallel,” Lampard wisely said this week.

Chelsea repeated the trick in 2021 when they sacked Lampard mid-season and installed Thomas Tuchel in his place. At the end of that season, Chelsea defeated Manchester City in the final in Porto. On a lesser stage, the club won the Europa League in 2013 under Rafael Benitez after taking over from Di Matteo.

And in 1998, the late and much loved Gianluca Vialli took over from Ruud Gullit in February of that year and led Chelsea to a famous victory in Stockholm in the Cup Winners’ Cup final against VfB Stuttgart thanks to a stunning goal from Gianfranco Zola .

If Lampard repeated the trick this season it would surpass many of them. Chelsea languishes in 11th place in the Premier League, 34 points behind league leaders Arsenal and even if it can be said that Madrid are 13 points behind Barcelona in La Liga, it’s a small matter that they are the reigning European champions to contend with. weigh in the equation.

In pursuit of that ambition, Lampard managed to select N’Golo Kante in the heart of his midfield as he continued his return from a long-term injury that saw him only return to the starting line-up for the Premier League match against Liverpool. earlier this month.

On paper, a central midfield of Kante, Enzo Fernandez and Mateo Kovacic should be a match for any opponent, even with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde up against it. But after spending £600 million on new players it’s never been an issue if they look good on paper. What happens on the field has been the problem.

Against that backdrop, Chelsea had a glorious chance to take the lead in the third minute as Madrid lost possession in their own half and the visitors broke at lightning speed. Kante played the ball through Madrid’s defense and Joao Felix hit the target.

Ben Chilwell was shown a straight red card just before the hour mark for pulling Rodrygo back

He couldn’t complain after sacrificing himself when Rodrygo was through on goal

However, he didn’t have the pace to get ahead of Eder Militao, and although he managed to get a shot on target, it was handsomely saved by Thibault Courtois.

For a short time, Chelsea seemed a different team from the one that has struggled through a dismal Premier League season. Kante robbed Modric in midfield and Chelsea broke again, taking over Madrid.

Raheem Sterling was free, but Kante couldn’t quite find him and the move failed at the edge of the area. It should have led to more. Sterling threw up his hands in frustration.

Madrid regrouped and gradually regained control. They monopolized the property and half way through the half they made it pay. Dani Carvajal curled a beautiful pass into the path of the Vinicius Jr, who sprinted for it and his left foot kicked it off, leading it into the corner of goal. Kepa Arrizabalaga went down brilliantly to push him away, but he rolled in the path of Benzema, who tagged him in.

The game came back to life now. Courtois made a smart save from Sterling at his near post and when Fernandez gave the ball away on the edge of the Chelsea box, Vinicius Jr hopped past Wesley Fofana and dinked the ball over Arrizabalaga, only for Thiago Silva to hook it from under the crossbar. .

Madrid now dominated. Both with the ball and without. Their pressure was so intense that Chelsea was left with no meaningful asset. The home team also started to weave magic patterns with the ball.

Benzema, Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr were like quicksilver in attack. Chelsea couldn’t contain them. Benzema’s turn was so sharp that both Kante and the referee sat on their butts. Chelsea were relieved when the half-time whistle blew.

Real extended their lead almost five minutes into the second half. Vinicius, who seems to delight in inflicting the most exquisite torture on England teams’ right-backs, had already hurt Fofana and now he was teasing Reece James until the ball found Benzema on the edge of the box. Benzema lost it to Modric and his shot curled centimeters wide of the post.

Ten minutes later, Chelsea suffered another blow. Valverde played a brilliant lofted pass through the visitors’ defence. Rodrygo lost Marc Cucurella, who had come on for Kalidou Koulibaly, and sprinted there.

He ran for goal when Chilwell pulled him back by the arm and Rodrgyo tumbled to the ground just outside the box. It was a clear red card and the referee duly waved it. Chelsea had to play the last half hour with 10 men.

Madrid duly got their second goal 15 minutes from time when the ball was worked from a close angle to Asensio on the edge of the penalty area. His first deflector shot cut through Fofana’s attempt to block it and dodged Arrizabalaga, who should have saved it.

It’s a long way back from here if Chelsea want to stage one of their mid-season transformations.