Real Madrid dominated 10-man Chelsea to take a 2-0 lead in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday, with Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio on the scoresheet.
The reigning champions and record 14-time winners put in a superb performance, with Chelsea struggling to match. Ben Chelwell’s red card in the second half, for pulling down Rodrigo Goes while scoring, made it even more difficult for Frank Lampard.
Benzema opened the scoring after 21 minutes, tapping in from close range as Capa Arrizabalaga parried Vinicius Junior’s effort into his path. Despite Madrid controlling play, they had to wait until the 74th minute for their second, Asensio drilling home from the edge of the box after a short corner routine.
Carlo Ancelotti relied on veteran midfielders Toni Kroos and Luka Modric to dictate the game, while Lampard threw Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante straight into the starting line-up following injury concerns. Kante shone against Madrid in the 2021 semi-final, and was one of the few positives for Lampard in that game, slipping Joao Felix early in the goal.
Benzema, who scored a hat-trick at Stamford Bridge last season and scored the goal that sent Madrid into the second leg against Chelsea, was a constant threat throughout. Madrid fans showed their support for Fede Valverde, who allegedly punched Villarreal’s Alex Baena on Saturday, and the midfielder almost rewarded them with a piledriver that went just wide.
Chelsea struggled to create chances after their early chances and found it difficult to attack. Modric came close to scoring early in the second half but his curling effort hit the roof of the net. Chelwell’s dismissal made it an uphill battle for the Blues, and Asensio’s goal made it even more difficult.
Madrid could have added to their tally late on, with Benzema heading the target in stoppage time. Antonio Rudiger made a good block to prevent Mason Mount from getting a consolation goal for Chelsea.
The two sides meet again next Tuesday, with the winner facing either Manchester City or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals.
