As Frank Lampard stood forlorn on the Bernabeu touchline, the realisation might have set in that the nostalgia of his return to supporters will do little to rectify a nightmarish season that was very likely condemned to even more misery thanks to a 2-0 humbling by Real Madrid.
The 2-0 result and a red card to Ben Chilwell felt like mercy for a Blues side who looked 12 years, not 12 months removed from the near perfection of the second leg against Los Blancos under Thomas Tuchel in 2022.
Since that tie, the club has not only seen a change in ownership, but it has also seen three head coaches oversee one campaign. Even without going into the minute details, the mess that has unravelled since cannot be that stunning.
