Real Madrid vs Chelsea. UEFA Champions League Quarter Final.
Santiago BernabeuAttendance63,142.
Match report as Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio put Real Madrid in a strong position of making Champions League semi-finals; Frank Lampard's Chelsea saw Ben Chilwell sent off for a professional foul in the second half
Thursday 13 April 2023 07:43, UK
Real Madrid took control of their Champions League quarter-final with Chelsea by winning the first leg 2-0 as Ben Chilwell was sent off.
Karim Benzema's first-half goal had put Real fully in control against a timid Chelsea side led by Frank Lampard and the task become even greater when Chilwell saw red for cynically pulling Rodrygo back just outside the area when through on goal.
The match became a damage limitation exercise for Lampard's side in order to stay in the tie for the return leg in London but Marco Asensio doubled the Champions League holders' lead with a low strike that Kepa Arrizabalaga could not keep out.
It would have been a disappointing evening for owner Todd Boehly, who was in Madrid watching the game and confidently predicted a 3-0 win for his side when interviewed by Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill ahead of the match.
Chelsea, who were denied a late Mason Mount goal by a brilliant block by former team-mate Antonio Rudiger, remain with an outside hope for next Tuesday's second leg but will need to score at least twice to keep their season alive - something they have only done four times in their last 22 fixtures.
Lampard said: "Special things can happen at Stamford Bridge - we have to believe. I've been involved in nights like that."
The winners will play Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the last four.
The sides met at the same stage of last season's competition, with Carlo Ancelotti's Madrid winning 5-4 on aggregate after a spellbinding second leg.
This clash never sparked into the same levels of excitement with Chelsea clearly lacking confidence in forward areas having failed to score in their previous three games.
Joao Felix could have changed the momentum of this tie after just two minutes but he failed to find a way past Thibaut Courtois when through on goal. Real eventually settled into their stride with Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior winning their battles down the wings.
Vinicius made the telling contribution for the opening goal, sneaking behind Wesley Fofana before testing Kepa with a low finish. The Chelsea goalkeeper could only parry the chance away to Benzema, who has now scored 13 goals in his last nine Champions League knockout phase matches.
That was one of eight shots on target Madrid peppered Chelsea's goal with in the first 45 minutes as Lampard's side did well to stay in the game with Kepa showing sharp reflexes to deny Federico Valverde just before the break.
The Londoners' chances of getting back into the game suffered a major setback in the 59th minute when Chilwell was shown a straight red card for bringing down Rodrygo with a tug of the Brazilian's shirt when he was bearing down on goal.
Chelsea played in a low block in order to keep the score just one and although Real did not ever throw the kitchen sink at the Blues, they played with a confidence that a second goal was coming.
Asensio had been on the field for just three minutes when he was fed by Vinicius on the edge of the box and the Spain international drilled in a low shot that went through the legs of Chelsea defender Fofana and beyond Kepa's dive.
Madrid seemed happy with their two-goal advantage in the closing stages as it was Chelsea that almost nicked a dramatic late goal when Mount sneaked into the box but his powerful effort that was heading home was blocked away by Rudiger.
Lampard said: "We're realistic, we're 2-0 down against Real Madrid but that's done now. I've been involved with games that change. We're in a different place now where we want to prove some things wrong, to change the tone, to change the story. We went with 10 men against Real Madrid and it was a disappointing night for the lads but I also saw they gave everything.
"It will be different next week, we weren't favourites yesterday, we aren't favourites today. That's football. The possibilities are ours if we take them."
Ancelotti, meanwhile, insisted he was happy with the two-goal margin of victory and shrugged off suggestions that they should have killed the tie.
"Don't forget that Chelsea has a good team and good players," he told BT Sport of his former side. "We won 2-0 and we took advantage of this game.
"It's not done yet. We have to fight and sacrifice at Stamford Bridge. This is absolutely normal. It's the quarter-final of the Champions League.
"We are satisfied with the game. It was a good game and now we focus on the next one.
"When they played with 10 men, they put a low block and it was not easy to find a solution.
"We spent a lot of energy in the game to try to press high, so at the end we were not so fresh to try to be able to find solutions. I think the result was good and also the performance.
"My players understand there is another 90 minutes to play. It will be difficult and we have to be ready."
Up next for Chelsea is Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday; kick-off 3pm.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid travel to Cadiz in LaLiga, also on Saturday; kick-off 8pm.
