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Champions League Match Report & Player Ratings | Real Madrid earn semi-finals birth after 2-0 Stamford Bridge win

A brace from Brazilian youngster Rodrygo was the difference on a night where Chelsea’s lack of a finished article once again reared its ugly head

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Pre-Match Social Media Commentary

Real Madrid’s unquestionably European pedigree received yet another boost tonight when the Spanish giants reached the semi-finals of the Champions League for a record 32nd time tonight after seeing off Premier League giants Chelsea in a 2-0 win in west London.

It is the eleventh time in the last thirteen seasons that Madrid has reached the last four of the competition on a night where Chelsea had to be just about perfect to reverse the 2-0 loss in the Spanish capital last week.

The Blues began the match with intent in front of raucous support at Stamford Bridge, with a high press that had put Real Madrid under pressure a number of times that nearly ended in a loss of possession in key areas.

But despite Chelsea’s questionable team sheet, the Premier League side was very much on the front foot in the opening 10+ minutes of action, with the first big chance of the night falling to N’Golo Kanté, though the influential French midfielder could only scuff his left-footed effort harmlessly wide.

By the thirtieth minute, Carlo Ancelotti’s troops had settled down and began to work themselves into the match more appropriately, but Chelsea still had the rub of the green over their illustrious opponents on the night and very much lucked favorites to break the 0-0 deadlock before the halftime whistle.

Chelsea had every chance to take the lead in the first minute of stoppage time through summer signing Marc Cucurella who controlled a low cross – intended for Kai Havertz – from a tight angle before unleashing a half-volley that was expertly closed down and saved by Thibaut Courtois.

Despite the change, the Blues continued to push for a vital opener but those efforts would be in vain in the 58th minute when Rodrygo finally broke the deadlock after bursting down the right flank and into space after dusting Trevoh Chalobah before playing a ball across goal that missed Karim Benzema’s lunging left foot, only to find compatriot Vinícius Júnior who played it back to Rodrygo who tucked it away to give Madrid a 3-0 aggregate lead.

Frank Lampard made a string of changes to try to ignite a spark in the sie but it would be to no avail when Rodrygo bagged his brace to double the club’s advantage courtesy of a free-flowing bit of football that eventually saw Madrid break Chelsea down and allow the Federico Valverde to break into the box before squaring to the Brazilian forward to tap into an open net.

It would be all the Spanish juggernaut would need to reach the next step of the competition, whereas for Chelsea, there is not a ton of negativity that can be extracted from a performance that certainly at least deserved a goal, but the reality remains that the club’s deficiencies in the final third squarely come down to not having a natural finisher. The pieces are there for the club to rebound, and that is something to take away from tonight.

Key Stats & Performers

Chelsea Player Ratings

  • GK: Kepa Arrizabalaga – 6.5
  • RCB: Trevoh Chalobah – 6
  • CB: Thiago Silva – 6.5
  • LCB: Wesley Fofana – 6
  • RWB: Reece James – 7
  • DM: Enzo Fernández – 7
  • LWB: Marc Cucurella – 6.5
  • RCM: N’Golo Kanté – 7
  • LCM: Mateo Kovačić – 6.5
  • CAM: Conor Gallagher – 6.5
  • CF: Kai Havertz – 7
  • Sub: Raheem Sterling – 6
  • Sub: Mykhailo Mudryk – 6
  • Sub: João Félix – 6
  • Sub: Mason Mount – 6

Real Madrid Player Ratings

  • GK: Thibaut Courtois – 7.5
  • RB: Dani Carvajal – 7
  • RCB: Éder Militão – 7
  • LCB: David Alaba – 6.5
  • LB: Eduardo Camavinga – 7.5
  • DM: Toni Kroos – 6.5
  • RCM: Federico Valverde – 8
  • LCM: Luka Modrić – 7
  • RW: Rodrygo – 9
  • LW: Vinícius Júnior – 7.5
  • CF: Karim Benzema – 7.5
  • Sub: Antonio Rüdiger – 6.5
  • Sub: Aurélien Tchouaméni – 6.5
  • Sub: Dani Ceballos – 6.5
  • Sub: Marco Asensio – 6
  • Sub: Nacho Fernandez – 6

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Andrew Thompson

US-based Football writer. German football guru with a wealth of experience in youth development and analysis. Data aficionado. Happily championing the notion that Americans have a knowledgeable voice in the beautiful game.

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