London/Madrid, 17 apr. A semifinalist in ten of the last twelve editions of the Champions League, Real Madrid faces the defense of a two-goal lead obtained at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium at Stamford Bridge, in one of the best moments of their season, exhibiting physicality and power against a Chelsea looking for the miracle that will turn their bad campaign around.
Real Madrid’s dominance in the most prestigious competition at club level is indisputable. A regular semifinalist, he is looking for the eleventh on a new path full of demands towards glory. Champion of five of the last nine editions. King of Europe with fourteen ‘orejonas’. Dominator of a competition in which he competes with authority and mastery of the scene that ends up making him a favourite. Despite the fact that the last two years did not start between them at the beginning.
In his present he buried the adjective ‘black beast’ of which a Chelsea boasted that they had never managed to win. He tore down that wall right at Stamford Bridge last season with a hat trick from Karim Benzema. After the unexpected suffering and the comeback, with extra time included, of the return of the last quarters, in the same round there was a reunion in which there was no color in the first leg. Real Madrid passed over a team in crisis of results and identity.
With that conviction and that blind faith in their possibilities, Real Madrid went to the Chelsea temple. With Vinícius, recovered from a slight overload that made him rest in Cádiz, as a differential factor. With Karim Benzema as a great reference, with an indisputable goalscoring leadership in the decisive matches.
Author of fourteen goals in the last eight knockout games of the Champions League. Key in the conquest of the last edition in the comebacks against PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City, they repeat again after a discreet group stage, marking Liverpool in the round of 16 and Chelsea in the first chapter of the quarterfinals.
With the only absence of Ferland Mendy due to injury, the decision to be made by Carlo Ancelotti conditions all the lines. The most offensive, with Rodrygo Goes in a trident that thrashed at Anfield and the Camp Nou in the Cup, which gave an advantage in the first leg; or the conservative, to increase the muscle with the presence of Fede Valverde among the top three and the greatest defensive help from him. The two goals of advantage invite us to think about the last option. It would cause Camavinga to move from the winger to the pivot and the entry of Nacho Fernández to complete the defense.
Miracle is the best word to define what Chelsea has before it this Tuesday. The three defeats in three games -Wolves, Real Madrid and Brighton- have totally tarnished the arrival of Frank Lampard on the bench at Stamford Bridge and inflamed the spirits of a fans who know that this Tuesday they will be playing for the little life they have left this season.
Against Brighton the streak of four games without scoring was finally broken -the worst since 1993-, but it fell again with a crash, bordering on ridicule, against an opponent who was much better and who aroused boos and insults in the stands. Nor did the fans like the intrusion of the owners and it is that Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and Hansjorg Wyss were seen entering the dressing room after the defeat against Brighton.
This, together with Boehly’s pretentious statements in the first leg: “We will win 3-0”, annoys a crowd that preferred when Roman Abramovich only put up the money, without interfering.
In sports, Chelsea can hold on to a few good minutes from Mykhailo Mudryk, who could displace Raheem Sterling from the eleven, invisible in recent games. Kai Havertz, who was not called up against Brighton, and Joao Félix will start in Lampard’s change of scheme, which will go from the 3-5-2 at the Bernabéu to a 4-3-3 more to his liking.
With Kalidou Koulibaly injured, Thiago Silva, who was also rested against Brighton, will resume his role at center back alongside Wesley Fofana. Marc Cucurella will replace the suspended Ben Chilwell and Reece James will be on the right. The double pivot will be formed by Mateo Kovacic and Enzo Fernández and Lampard here has two options; play with N’Golo Kanté or give ownership to Mason Mount, more offensive side. Unprecedented madness would be to do without Kanté and Mount and put Joao there, giving Lampard the option of playing up front with Havertz, Sterling and Mudryk.
It will be the third time Chelsea have tried to overcome a two-goal deficit at home; he failed in 2004 against Monaco and achieved it in 2012 against Napoli and in 2014 against Paris Saint Germain.
Real Madrid have not traced back a two-goal advantage achieved in their stadium since Monaco did it in 2004 with Fernando Morientes as the scorer. He faced 61 European qualifiers with an advantage on the scoreboard after winning at home and surpassed 48 of them.
With Ancelotti, the semifinals are guaranteed. He achieved them in the three editions that he led the white team and in two he ended up proclaiming himself champion.
. Possible lineups:
Chelsea: Kepa; James, Silva, Fofana, Cucurella; Enzo, Kovacic, Kante; Felix, Havertz and Mudryk.
Real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Nacho; Camavinga, Kroos, Modric; Fede Valverde, Vinicius and Benzema.
Referee: Daniele Orsaro (Italy)
Stadium: Stamford Bridge.
Time: 21:00 CET (19:00 GMT). EFE
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