Chelsea wing-back Reece James has sent a lengthy message to supporters after a lacklustre performance on Wednesday night led to a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid.
It has left Thomas Tuchel with a mountain to climb in the Bernabeu in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final next Tuesday. Karim Benzema stole the show with a brilliant hat-trick, with two excellent headers putting the visitors in control inside the first 30 minutes.
Kai Havertz offered the hosts a glimmer of hope with a header of his own but a howler from Edouard Mendy less than a minute into the second half gave the Frenchman the match ball. After full time, Tuchel was in downcast mood, claiming the tie was all but over.
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"We have to find our level back," the German told his post-match press conference. "I don't know where it is since the international break. The first half is a repetition of the second half against Brentford in a quarter-final against Real Madrid. So far off our level in absolutely everything the game demands, we can't expect a result from this kind of performance.
"We have to get things ready for Saturday. Not think about the Bernabeu today. Saturday we face Southampton and if we continue to play like this, we will not get a point."
Having lost 4-1 to Brentford on Saturday, there is clearly plenty of work to be done on the training ground. Chelsea have prided themselves on their excellent defence since Tuchel's arrival but that appears to have deserted them in recent weeks.
James has been one of Chelsea's standout performers this season but struggled to contain Vinicius Jr down Madrid's left-hand side throughout the clash at Stamford Bridge. On Thursday evening, however, he took to Instagram to deliver a slightly more positive message than the one offered by his manager.
"The toughest defeats are usually the biggest lessons," he wrote alongside a photograph of himself. "In life and football mistakes happen, it’s how you react that’s most important. Yesterday wasn’t our night. We left it all out there and sometimes it just isn’t enough. We’ll pick ourselves up and dig deeper than we have before. With belief, courage and hard work anything is possible. The fight isn’t over. See you in Madrid."
