R Madrid 2-0 Chelsea

Real Madrid won their Champions League quarter-final first leg against Chelsea 2-0 after Ben Chilwell was sent off.

Karim Benzema’s first-half goal put Real in complete control against a timid Chelsea side led by Frank Lampard and the task was made even more so when Chilwell saw red for tripping Rodrigo outside the box on goal.

The game became an exercise in damage limitation for Lampard’s side to stay level in the second leg in London, but Marco Asensio doubled the lead for the Champions League hosts with a low strike that Kepa failed to keep out of Arrizabala.

It would be a frustrating night for owner Todd Bohli, who was in Madrid to watch the game and when interviewed confidently predicted his team would win 3-0. Sky Sports News journalist Gary Cotterill before the game.

Chelsea, who denied a late goal from Mason Mount with a superb strike from former team-mate Antonio Rudiger, will be desperate for next Tuesday’s second leg but need at least two goals to keep their season alive. made four appearances in the last 22 matches.

Lampard said: “Special things can happen at Stamford Bridge – we have to believe in it. I have attended such nights.’

The winners will face either Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the last four.

How did Chelsea’s season end?

The sides met at one stage of the competition last season, with Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid winning 5-4 on aggregate after a superb second leg.

This clash never produced the same excitement as Chelsea lacked the confidence of a frontcourt that had failed to score in their previous three games.

Joao Felix could have turned the tide of the match two minutes later, but he couldn’t beat Thibaut Courtois when he scored. Rodrigo and Vinicius Junior won the battle behind the scenes and Real completed their move.

Wesley sneaked past Fofana before testing Vinicius Kepa with a low finish and was instrumental in the first goal. The Chelsea goalkeeper managed to deny Benzema, who has scored 13 goals in his last nine Champions League games.

It was one of eight shots on target for Chelsea in the opening 45 minutes for Madrid as Lampard’s side played well with Kepa showing sharp reflexes to deny Federico Valverde. break.

The Londoners’ chances of getting back into the game suffered a major setback in the 59th minute when Rodrigo was sent off for a tackle on the Brazilian’s shirt when he scored against Chilwell.

Chelsea played a low block to keep the score one and while Real never threw the kitchen sink at the Blues, they played with the confidence that a second goal was on the way.

Asensio was on the pitch for just three minutes when he was fed by Vinicius on the edge of the box and the Spain international drilled a low shot past the legs of Chelsea defender Fofana and after Kepa’s dive.

Madrid looked content with a two-goal lead in the closing stages as it was Chelsea who came close to scoring a great goal when Mount broke into the box, but his powerful effort headed home was blocked by Rudiger.

Lampard: We want to change history

Lampard: “We’re real, we lost 2-0 against Real Madrid, but it’s over now. I’ve been involved in game-changing games. We are now in a different place where we want to prove some things wrong. , change the background, change the story. We went with 10 men against Real Madrid and it was a frustrating night for the lads but I saw them give their all.

“Next week it will be different, we were not favorites yesterday and we are not favorites today. This is football. If we get them, the chances are ours.”

Ancelotti: It’s not over yet

Ancelotti, meanwhile, said he was happy with the two-goal difference and rejected suggestions that they should have had the draw settled.

“Don’t forget Chelsea have a good team and good players,” he said. BT Sports from his old side. “We won 2-0 and we enjoyed the game.

“It’s not done yet. We have to fight and make sacrifices at Stamford Bridge. This is completely normal. This is the quarter final of the Champions League.

“We are happy with the game. It was a good game and now we are focused on the next game.

“When they play 10 men, they block low and it was not easy to find a solution.

“We put a lot of effort into the game and in the end we didn’t try to find solutions. I think both the results and the performance were good.

“My players understand that there are still 90 minutes left in the game. It’s going to be tough and we have to be ready.”

Opta: Lampard’s losing streak

• Lampard has lost 13 of his last 16 games in all competitions for Everton and Chelsea this season (W1 D2).
• It was Ancelotti’s 35th UEFA Champions League win in charge of Real Madrid, overtaking Vicente del Bosque (34). They have won 30 of their 31 Champions League games (D1).
• Chelsea had 10 shots on target in the match, their most UEFA Champions League record since November 2012 against Juventus (13). It was the first time they had more than 10 shots on target against Liverpool since August 2019 – Lampard’s second in his first game as manager, and tonight was his second in his second.
• Benzema scored his 30th UEFA Champions League goal under Ancelotti (30 in total at Real Madrid), the only Italian manager to manage two different players, with Filippo Inzaghi scoring 33 goals in 55 games for Juventus and AC Milan.
• Since the start of last season, Vinicius Junior has provided 10 assists in the UEFA Champions League, three times more than any other player. He has been involved in at least one goal in 13 of his last 14 games in the competition (8 goals, 7 assists).

And after?

Next up for Chelsea is Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday; starts at 15.00

Saturday April 15 at 5:00 p.m

Starts at 17:30

Meanwhile, Real Madrid travel to Cadiz in La Liga on Saturday; starts at 8 pm