FILE PHOTO: Karim Benzima celebrates as Chelsea players watches in the UEFA Champions League. PICTURE: Getty Images
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0 LONDON: Real Madrid ended Chelsea’s European run after a clinical second-half display by the UEFA Champions League defenders in the quarterfinal second-leg match.
Real Madrid progressed to the semi-finals of the UEFA champions league after defeating the London-based club at Stamford Bridge, on 18 April 2023. A second-half brace by Rodrygo ensured Madrid won 2-0 on the night, the same scoreline Madrid beat Chelsea at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in the quarterfinal first leg a week ago.
The Spanish side advanced with a 4-0 aggregate score. Madrid will be appearing in the semis of the UEFA Champions League for the 11th time in 13 seasons when they face the winner between Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
Chelsea started the game the more lively team than their visitors creating more scoring opportunities, but they failed to capitalise and use their chances, and the teams went to halftime deadlocked at 0-0. Madrid made the home team rue the missed opportunities when Brazilian attacker Rodrygo opened the scoring in the 58th minute. Making it more difficult for Chelsea to stage a comeback, the home team continued searching for an equaliser but it was not forthcoming.
Rodrygo completed his brace in the 80th minute, putting the game well beyond Chelsea. The Brazilian is creating his own legacy in the UEFA champions league knockout stages. In last season’s edition, he scored another brace in the dying minutes of the semifinal clash against Manchester City, helping Madrid advance to the final.
History repeated itself as the Madrid side did what they did to Chelsea last season in the same stage of the UEFA Champions League, Madrid beat Chelsea 3-1 in London during the first leg, and while Chelsea won the second leg 3-2 in Spain, Los Blancos advanced with an aggregate of 5-4 to the semi-finals. Madrid are chasing a record 15th UEFA Champions League trophy.
Madrid added more misery to Chelsea’s disastrous season domestically and now continental, the Blues are sitting in 11th position in the English Premiership. Chelsea have not won a game in their last five matches across all competitions, drawing one and losing four successive games. Conceding seven goals and only managed to score a single goal in those five matches. The Blues now have no silverware to play for in what has been a disappointing season post Roman Abramovich’s ownership of the side.
It seems that Chelsea are set to miss out on European football next season, the UEFA champions league spot is 17 points away, and the Blues’ best chance at European football is playing in the Europa Conference League which they are 10 points away from that spot. Chelsea’s tumultuous season has resulted in the club having four coaches in a single season. The Londoners have lacked consistency and momentum throughout the season.
In the other quarterfinal matches, AC Milan progressed to the semis, for the first time since the 2006/2007 season of the champions league. Milan played a 1-1 draw away in Napoli, and advanced on a 2-1 aggregate score. AC Milan will meet the winners of the Inter Milan vs Benfica tie.
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