Thirteen-time champions Real Madrid are through to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals as they beat last year’s winners Chelsea FC 5-4 on aggregate after a 3-2 second-leg victory.
The away team was on their way to making a great comeback after leading 3-0 with just 10 minutes left to play. However, an 80th-minute Rodrygo strike made the score level on aggregate and pushed the tie into extra time where in-form Karim Benzema scored the winner to take Los Blancos to the semi-finals in front of the Santiago Bernabeu crowd.
Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel had expressed his views after the 3-1 defeat last week saying that his team had very little to no chance of coming back from a two-goal deficit in the second leg. However, his team provided an energetic display to get to a winning position in their away game yesterday.
The London side took just thirteen minutes to open the scoring when Mason Mount latched onto Timo Werner’s pass and curled one past former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. The goal brought the game back to life and started Chelsea’s comeback.
After continued pressure on the Real defense, the defending champions managed to level the tie four minutes into the second half as Rudiger headed Mount’s cross into the back of the net to make it 2-0 at the night.
Marcos Alonso had later scored what seemed to be the match winner but was later dismissed by VAR for hand ball after the check. Benzema had a shot blocked in front of the goal by Reece James keeping the score as it was.
Timo Werner finally managed to put Chelsea in front on aggregate in the 75th minute when he dribbled past Casemiro and David Alaba to slot the ball in the bottom corner.
The German forward’s strike made it 4-3 to Chelsea on aggregate. However, it wasn’t that way for a long time as Rodrygo frustrated the visitors with a composed finish after a brilliant cross from Luka Modric landed accurately on his feet.
After just six minutes into the first half of extra time, Real Madrid winger Vinicus Junior managed to link up with Benzema who headed home the goal which sent his side into the Champions League last four.
The last 15 minutes saw the away team battling it out to find an equalizer. Real Madrid however, kept their composure while defending and managed to hold out their victory in the end.
(with inputs from IANS)