As brutal and harsh and coarse as it might seem after such a valiant effort from Chelsea that saw them on the cusp of a legendary Champions League comeback, certain truths after to be acknowledged. Perhaps not directly to a group of players left demoralised, exhausted and in disbelief on a pitch in the Spanish capital, but as an elite set-up striving for the best. The Blues may have scored three times, but it could have been more.
Scoring four goals at the Bernabeu is asking a lot for any team. The effort Chelsea made even to make the prospect of qualifying return must be applauded. It says a great deal about the quality and character of the squad. Particularly in how the Blues overwhelmed Los Blancos in all areas during the opening 45 minutes.
Across the facts and stats of 120 minutes of football, there remains an elephant in the room. While Tuchel noted how unlucky his side was, there was an element of Karim Benzema's and Rodrygo's goal having slightly deeper significance.
