Real Madrid produced a clinical display at Santiago Bernabeu as they beat 10-man Chelsea 2-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
The Spanish giants took an early lead through Karim Benzema’s first-half tap-in before Marco Asensio doubled their advantage with just over 15 minutes left to play.
The visitors’ misery was compounded by Ben Chilwell’s straight red card for tugging down Rodrygo in-between, which left Frank Lampard’s side with a mountain to climb for the return leg at Stamford Bridge.
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Thibaut Courtois denied Joao Felix on the break and Benzema forced a close-range stop from Kepa Arrizabalaga at the other end inside the first 15 minutes. However, Benzema was in the right place at the right time after 21 minutes, capitalizing on a parry by Kepa when Vinicius Junior’s shot came into his path.
Madrid had chances to extend their lead before the break, with David Alaba’s header almost sneaking in five minutes before half-time. Chelsea’s hopes of a comeback after the break felt slim even before Kalidou Koulibaly was forced to hobble off, and Chilwell’s dismissal only worsened matters.
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Asensio then sealed the victory for Madrid, scoring in the 74th minute after sweeping home a cut-back delivery to cap another fine European performance from the Spanish side.
While Real Madrid will be happy with the result, they will also be aware that the battle is far from over. Carlo Ancelotti, former Chelsea manager, and current Real Madrid coach, knows better than most the unpredictability of football, especially in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Nevertheless, the holders will head to London with a healthy advantage and the possibility of booking their place in the final four. Chelsea, on the other hand, will need to produce a miracle performance to overturn the deficit in front of their own fans.
The return leg at Stamford Bridge will be a fascinating encounter, with both sides fighting for a place in the semi-finals of Europe’s elite club competition.
