Chelsea make history in the Bernabeu
The task that faced Chelsea ahead of last night's game was astronomical. Only one English team had ever scored three goals against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in European competition – that was Manchester United, and it happened all the way back in 1968 in the European Cup.
So history was against Chelsea, as was the expectation and perceived wisdom. Still, Thomas Tuchel and his coaching staff devised a plan to pull off the near-impossible. His players came close to executing it perfectly. An early goal was required as the Blues attempted to overhaul a 3-1 first-leg deficit, and it arrived when Mason Mount swept a shot into the far corner in the 14th minute. Thibaut Courtois had no chance.
READ MORE: Every word Thomas Tuchel said on Chelsea vs Real Madrid, referee anger, Rudiger, Modric, Benzema
Chelsea dominated the majority of the opening period with sporadic counters from Real being snuffed out by the backline of Reece James – more on him later – Thiago Silva, and Antonio Rudiger. Yet they were unable to add to their lead prior to the interval. No matter, the match was going to plan.
Tuchel's side moved through the gears in the second half. They levelled the tie when Rudiger found the corner from a perfectly-flighted corner from Mount. Then came the third goal for Chelsea as Marcos Alonso lashed home from close range. The turnaround was complete, at least until VAR intervened and ruled the ball had struck the Spaniard's hand in the build-up and that the goal should be ruled out.
Momentum temporarily swung in Madrid's favour, and Karim Benzema struck the crossbar. Yet Chelsea composed themselves and fashioned another opportunity. This one was for Timo Werner, and the German showed remarkable composure – not something he has done often in a blue shirt in truth – to round to defenders and find the far corner via the arm of Courtois.
Chelsea led the tie and almost added a fourth as Kai Havertz headed another Mount corner towards the corner. Yet Courtois saved, and it proved a huge moment as seconds later, Luka Modric clipped an outrageous pass with the outside of his foot to Rodrygo and the Brazilian planted his finish past Edouard Mendy.
Extra time was forced. Madrid took advantage of another mistake. Benzema scored a header. And despite fashioning further chances to restore parity, Chelsea could not pull the tie back from the brink once more. At full time, several members of the Blues side collapsed to the ground out of sheer exhaustion and disappointment.
Chelsea exited the Champions League, the quarter-finals their endpoint this term. But it shouldn't be forgotten that the Blues did win last night's game at the Bernabeu and matched that Manchester United team of 1968. They also made club history, becoming the first Chelsea side to win eight away matches across all competitions. No easy feat.
That will, of course, be of little comfort to those Chelsea players and supporters this morning. However, Tuchel wants heads to be held high. "We were unlucky, but there are no regrets," the German said in his pre-match press conference. "These are the kind of defeats you can take with pride and accept as a sportsman."
Frustration boils over
Even those who've only watched Chelsea once or twice this season will know Tuchel is not a relaxed head coach on the touchline. And when the pressure is ramped up, when the stakes are at their highest, the German is a ball of nervous yet focused energy in the dugout.
That was the case against Madrid last night. Tuchel was constantly on the edge of his technical area, dishing out instructions to players, trying to push his defensive line higher, and offering encouragement as his side began to take control of the quarter-final second leg in the Bernabeu.
He wasn't alone, though. A little further down the touchline was Cesar Azpilicueta, who spent much of the 90 minutes and extra time going through a warm-up that never resulted in him actually getting onto the pitch. But it did mean he could support the Chelsea head coach.
The Spaniard wasn't afraid to give his teammates instructions when play wasn't live. He also received a talking to the fourth official in the second half when he vociferously protested a decision made by referee Szymon Marciniak. And Azpilicueta would end up being booked in extra time alongside Tuchel when another call went against the Blues.
Tuchel has rarely criticised referees strongly during his time as Chelsea head coach, but he did make a point of questioning Marciniak's courage in his post-match press conference, something which he accepted may get him in trouble. "Maybe I get myself into a problem," he said, "but if you play Real Madrid, you cannot expect that everyone has the courage [to make decisions].
"I also felt the little decisions in the first leg and the second leg today. I did not see the disallowed goal back, but I told him that I was super disappointed that he does not come out and check it on his own.
"In a match like this where you have a certain line to whistle, you should stay the boss and not give decisions like this to somebody in a chair who is isolated from the atmosphere and from the way how a referee – he has a certain style and certain things that he allows and does not allow, and he follows a certain line – so I think he should stay in charge and check it on his own then he could also explain it better.
"It is just my opinion. I thought we deserved more minutes in the end because it felt like we had no minutes to play in the second half of the extra time. Maybe it is too much to ask for in matches like this against this opponent."
James produces again on the big stage
Given the difficulties Andreas Christensen endured against Vinicius Junior in the first leg between the two sides, it was no surprise that the Dane didn't start at the Bernabeu. In his place on the right of the back three came Reece James. It was a big call from Tuchel but one that hugely paid off.
James was harshly booked early on for a foul on Vinicius, but it didn't impact his performance. He kept the rapid Brazilian in check for much of the contest and won 11 of the 13 ground duels he attempted across the 120 minutes. There was also one last-ditch clearance to deny a good shooting opportunity for Benzema.
The academy graduate also fashioned Chelsea's best chance in extra time with a whipped cross that Havertz met. Unfortunately for Chelsea, the silky German couldn't find the back of the net with his header.
James was on the winning side of last night's game but on the losing side of the tie. Something he and many of his teammates did not deserve, given their efforts at the Bernabeu. "We deserved to go through after this performance and match today," said Tuchel. "But it was not meant to be."
At full time, James was one of the players to collapse to the ground. When he eventually made it back onto his feet, he shared an embrace with Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti and applauded the travelling Chelsea supporters. He was then approached by Benzema, who wanted to swap shirts with the England international. Clearly, one world-class star recognises the talents of another. And even at 22 years old, that is exactly what James is.
