Real Madrid dominated 10-man Chelsea on Wednesday and took a 2-0 first-leg lead in the Champions League quarterfinals thanks to goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio.
The current champions and record winners easily defeated Frank Lampard’s team despite having Ben Chilwell sent in the second half for bringing down Rodrygo Goes as he was advancing on goal.
After 21 minutes, Benzema scored from close range after Kepa Arrizabalaga deflected a Vinicius Junior shot in his direction.
Madrid was in complete control of the game, but it took until the 74th minute for them to score their second, which came from Asensio hammering home from the outside of the box following a quick corner routine.
Madrid put on a strong performance in a matchup of the previous two Champions League champions, while Chelsea showed why they are suffering in 11th place in the Premier League.
Carlo Ancelotti, coach of Real Madrid, stated, “We are delighted with the result and for the performance, but it’s not over yet, we have to battle, to sacrifice for another 90 minutes at Stamford Bridge.
“We are content only for tonight; the event is still ongoing. Next week, Chelsea will undoubtedly give everything, as we all know.
Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, two seasoned midfielders, were Ancelotti’s go-to players. Ancelotti managed Lampard at Chelsea from 2009 to 2011.
After concerns about injuries, Lampard, who took over as manager last week after Graham Potter retired, immediately started Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante.
For Lampard, Kante’s performance against Madrid in the 2021 semifinal, which Chelsea won to win the cup for the second time, was encouraging.
Joao Felix, an Atletico striker on loan, was first let in by the French midfielder, but he shot straight at former Chelsea goalie Thibaut Courtois.
Fede Valverde received backing from Madrid supporters before to the game after he was accused of punching Alex Baena of Villarreal on Saturday, and he almost gave them back with a piledriver that just missed the mark.
Ancelotti stated, “For me, he was the greatest player on the field. He put in a lot of energy.
He had perfect ball recovery technique.
The first goal against Chelsea was scored by Benzema, who scored a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge last year and scored the goal that advanced Madrid over the Blues in the second leg.
Dani Carvajal lofted a seductive pass over the top, and even though Vinicius’ attempt was stopped by Kepa’s fingers, Benzema was left with a straightforward tap-in.
Raheem Sterling almost immediately equalized for Chelsea, but Courtois made an incredible save to stop him.
Vinicius, Rodrygo, and David Alaba came near for Madrid as they played with their opponents and kept them confined to their box for extended periods of time.
BLUES BLOWS
This season, Chelsea has had a dreadful time scoring goals, and despite their early chances, they have found it challenging to develop their offense.
For the first time since 1993, the Blues have failed to score in their past four games across all competitions, and their lone pure striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, is not authorized to compete in the Champions League.
Confidence might be the last element, according to Lampard. “If you work hard and persevere, something may happen.
No player is unwilling to score a goal, but occasionally they want encouragement, assurance, and a push in the right direction.
Before the hour mark, Chilwell pulled back Rodrygo as he was running through on goal and was given a straight red card, making Chelsea’s already difficult situation much more difficult.
Asensio’s attempt between Fofana’s knees and into the bottom corner to increase the hosts’ advantage made an already tough evening much worse.
In extra time, Benzema might have added another goal, but after Kepa shoved a cross in his direction, he headed off-target.
Mason Mount was successfully stopped by Antonio Rudiger late in the game, ensuring that his previous team could not carry any momentum into the second leg.
We are currently behind Real Madrid 2-0; that is finished, according to Lampard.
“(But) we’re in a different place now, we’re in a place to prove things wrong, change the tone, and change the story.”
The victors will play either Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the semifinals. Chelsea will host Madrid on Tuesday.
