Chelsea vs Real Madrid Preview
Watch Chelsea vs Real Madrid preview as both clubs are having a meeting in a second leg of the quarter finals in the champions league on the Tuesday fixtures.
The teams renew hostilities at Stamford Bridge with Los Blancos boasting a 2-0 advantage from their Santiago Bernabeu showdown, and Frank Lampard’s homecoming has done little to end the Blues’ blues.
There is no shame in losing to the European champions in their own backyard, and Frank Lampard could have taken a few positives from his side’s valiant efforts in the Spanish capital, where strikes from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio led to a predictable victory for those in white.
However, the under-performing Blues were played off the park by Brighton & Hove Albion in Saturday’s Premier League clash – at one stage conceding 70% possession to the soaring Seagulls – as Conor Gallagher’s deflected strike was cancelled out by Danny Welbeck’s header and Julio Enciso’s rocket.
A 2-1 scoreline flattered Chelsea, according to Lampard, as the interim Blues boss admitted that his side were fortunate not to lose by more, and the 44-year-old now boasts an unsightly record of three defeats from three games in charge; Todd Boehly cut a dejected figure as he was given an earful from the Stamford Bridge faithful, as Lampard’s dream return turns into a nightmare.
Now winless in six successive matches since a 3-1 triumph over Leicester City under Graham Potter, Gallagher’s fortunate strike against Brighton at least managed to end a four-game streak without a goal for Chelsea, who did reverse a first-leg deficit against Borussia Dortmund at Stamford Bridge to progress to the last eight.
The West London giants have now advanced from five of their last seven Champions League ties in which they have lost the first leg away from home, but they have failed to win any of their last four Stamford Bridge games since seeing off BVB, and historical omens will count for nought unless Lampard’s side can suddenly find their best shooting boots.
Team News and Injury
Chelsea were forced to navigate the final half-hour of the first leg with 10 men after Ben Chilwell was given a straight red card for a last-man foul on Rodrygo, and the left-back will serve his suspension on Tuesday, surely signalling a recall for Marc Cucurella at left-back.
Kalidou Koulibaly is out for a “matter of weeks” with the hamstring problem he picked up at the Bernabeu – joining Armando Broja (knee) on the sidelines – while Kai Havertz (knee), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (back) and Carney Chukwuemeka (knock) will all need assessing over the next 48 hours, but the trio have trained ahead of this game.
Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante were left out of the squad to face Brighton with the second leg in mind, while recalls for Reece James, Joao Felix and Mateo Kovacic should also be in order. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Benoit Badiashile, David Datro Fofana and Noni Madueke are all ineligible.
Real Madrid boss Ancelotti was also without a couple of integral cogs for the weekend due to bumps and bruises, with Vinicius Junior and Toni Kroos both missing out with muscular overload alongside calf victim Ferland Mendy.
Mendy’s comeback will not come this week, but Kroos and Vinicius should be good to go after their precautionary absences, so Asensio’s reward for his recent goalscoring exploits should be a demotion to the bench.
In contrast, Fernandez’s goal at the weekend could give Ancelotti food for thought, but as was the case in last week’s victory, the fresh legs of Eduardo Camavinga could be utilised at left-back.
Chelsea vs Real Madrid head to head stats
Chelsea have lost two of their last three matches against Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League, with both defeats coming in the quarterfinals of the competition.
Real Madrid won their previous game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge – no team has ever secured two away victories against the Blues in the UEFA Champions League.
Real Madrid have progressed from 18 of their last 19 UEFA Champions league ties while winning the first leg by two or more goals, with their previous such failure coming against AS Monaco in the 2003-04 season.
Chelsea overcame a first-leg deficit in the Round of 16 against Borussia Dortmund – only two teams in the history of the UEFA Champions League have overcome such deficits in both the Round of 16 and the quarterfinals.
Chelsea vs Real Madrid Prediction
Real Madrid are in impressive form at the moment and seem to have turned their season around. The Spanish giants are a formidable force on the European front and will be intent on maintaining their dominance in the competition this season.
Chelsea are in the midst of a difficult transition at the moment and are in desperate need of a positive result. Real Madrid are the better team on paper, however, and should be able to win this game.
