Chelsea saw their Champions League hopes take a significant hit on Wednesday evening as they lost 2-0 in their first leg quarter-final against Real Madrid. Goals in each half from Karim Benzema and Marcos Asensio at Santiago Bernabeu have handed the dominant European champions a healthy lead to take back to Stamford Bridge for the second leg next week.
The Blues will also be without Ben Chilwell for the return fixture after he was shown a straight red card for denying a goal scoring opportunity. The dismissal of Chilwell was one of many problems for Frank Lampard's team who struggled to live up to the occasion and match Madrid's relentless pressing.
Joao Felix, Raheem Sterling and Mason Mount all had chances for the visitors but Los Blancos held firm and had they been more clinical, the tie could've easily been settled in the first 90 minutes. Another game without a goal now means Chelsea have not scored in their last 374 minutes of football which presents Lampard with the clear issue he must solve going into the second leg.
READ MORE: Real Madrid respond to Todd Boehly prediction as Chelsea fans react to Champions League loss
Here is how the national media reacted to Chelsea's defeat in Madrid.
The Guardian
Todd Boehly’s belief didn’t last long. Stopped outside the restaurant where both clubs’ directors had lunch before this Champions League quarter-final first leg, Chelsea’s owner had told fans: “Have faith, we’re going to win 3-0 tonight.” A prisoner of his words as well as his deeds, within 20 minutes he had already been proven wrong, Karim Benzema’s goal giving Real Madrid the lead; by the time the clock reached 90, it wasn’t just the game that had escaped them, it might have been the tie, Marco Asensio’s second a step towards the semi-final.
Ultimately, that was not a surprise. In fact, although Chelsea had a big chance three minutes into injury time, Antonio Rüdiger diving in to deny Mason Mount, they might still be relieved that the deficit is only two – something, however small, to grasp going into the second leg, some tiny glimmer of hope not really born out by what was seen here. Madrid had racked up 18 shots, Benzema heading the last of them over an open goal, and the current European champions were ultimately too good.
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Mirror
Chelsea will need overturn a two-goal deficit at Stamford Bridge in six days' time after being humbled by Real Madrid on Wednesday night.
The holders won the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final 2-0 at the Bernabeu. Frank Lampard's side were completely outplayed during the first half - with Karim Benzema scoring - and they were lucky to go into the break just one-goal down. Things didn't get much better for Chelsea during the second half, as Marco Asensio came off the bench to find the net.
Only six teams have scored fewer goals than Chelsea in the Premier League this season. Felix's wasted opportunity in the second minute personified that damning statistic... and so did Raheem Sterling's missed effort shortly after Benzema's opener.
The England international was denied by Courtois from point-blank range. In fairness to Courtois, it was a superb save - yet Sterling should've scored from that distance. Gianfranco Zola, at 56, has more chance of scoring than Chelsea's current crop of flops.
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Metro
Chelsea will need to pull off a famous Champions League comeback in the second leg of their quarter-final showdown with Real Madrid after suffering a 2-0 defeat at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.
The contest was more evenly poised in the second period but a red card for Ben Chilwell saw the momentum swing back towards Real, with Marco Asensio doubling the hosts’ advantage 15 minutes later, and they now take a healthy lead to Stamford Bridge next week.
Chelsea were given plenty of room to counter-attack into early on at the Bernabeu and Joao Felix was played clean through inside the first few minutes, though fluffed his lines. The failure to capitalise on the space afforded to them would quickly come back to haunt the visitors.
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