Two hours of nail-biting action ended with Karim Benzema putting the final nail in the coffin and ensuring Madrid reach the semi-finals. Here are the key takeaways from the second leg.
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If the first leg turned out to be a rather comfortable outing for Real Madrid, the second leg was anything but comfortable for Madrid. Chelsea provided a stern and tough test for the 13-time champions and will believe they were unlucky not to qualify. Two hours of nail-biting action ended with Karim Benzema putting the final nail in the coffin and ensuring Madrid reach their 10th semi-final in the last 12 years.
Mount opened the scoring after the first quarter of an hour had passed and just after the second half began, Rudiger equalised the tie-on aggregate. Werner then thought he had completed the comeback for Chelsea with a composed finish. However, some individual magic from Luka Modric helped Rodrygo take the game into extra time. Benzema scored his fourth goal of the tie in extra time and ensured that Chelsea just fell short of the mark.
Read More: Real Madrid vs Chelsea: Veterans Luka Modric and Karim Benzema getting better with age
Los Blancos will now face the winner of Manchester City and Atletico Madrid in the semis. Chelsea on the other hand will look to focus now completely on the sole chance of any silverware they have, the FA Cup.
“We deserved to go through” were the post-match words of Thomas Tuchel. After conceding that his side was far from their best in the first leg, Tuchel did his best and set out a team to make one of the greatest comebacks in the Champions League history.
Real Madrid couldn’t get a hold of the game until the 70 mins. Chelsea pressed Madrid continuously and bore fruit for their hard work scoring three goals in the Santiago Bernabeu something most teams find impossible to do.
Tuchel’s decision of starting Werner and Ruben Loftus Cheek raised eyebrows but both the players justified their manager’s decision and played a key role in Chelsea’s game plan for the second leg.
Real Madrid looked all set to exit the Champions League after Chelsea had dismantled them until the 80th minute when Luka Modric produced a moment of magic.
The Croatian took advantage of a loss in possession by Chelsea and used the outside of his right foot to deliver an absolute treat of a ball for Rodrygo which paved the way for Madridistas to believe again. With the introduction of Camavinga, Luka Modric was able to operate more freely and operate the play from the centre of the pitch.
The 36-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down in recent years and has been instrumental in Madrid’s Champions League run this season. The Croatian captain is making a strong case to earn a new contract at Real Madrid. His form will be crucial if Madrid are to lift their 14th title.
The most successful team ever in Europe looked dead and hopeless after Timo Werner had beaten two defenders and scored Chelsea’s fourth goal of the tie. Real Madrid were nearing a historic embarrassment having carried an advantage from Stamford Bridge. It was like a flashback for the Madrid players after their second leg against Paris Saint-Germain where they were outplayed for most of the game. However, like that match, they never stopped believing and working. Los Blancos showed lots of character and desire and even in unfavourable circumstances, they managed to turn the situation in their favour.
The famous white shirt demands the players to give an extra effort all the time and they did just that. Helped by timely substitutions from Carlo Ancelotti in Rodrygo and Camavinga, the Real Madrid players got ignited by the crazy atmosphere inside the Santiago Bernabeu. Real Madrid have always found an extra edge in the Champions League which makes it even harder for the opposition. The never give up attitude of the Madrid players has and continues to define the greatest club ever.
