Chelsea 0-2 Real Madrid: Rodrygo scores double as defending champions ease into semi-finals

Rodrygo was at the double as Real Madrid booked their spot in the Champions League semi finals with a smash and grab 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Carlo Ancelotti’s holders were far from their best but made the hosts pay for their failure to take a raft of good opportunities when Rodrygo fired in from close-range just shy of the hour and then again 10 minutes from time as the visitors claimed a 4-0 success on aggregate.

Chelsea played with a real intensity in a first-half performance that belied their Premier League woes and they should have taken an early lead when N’Golo Kante skewed a gilt-edged chance wide on 11 minutes.

Real relied on occasional counter attacks with Rodrygo hitting the outside of the post from a narrow angle and Vinicius Jr horribly miscuing a volley from Luka Modric’s inviting, low cross.

Marc Cucurella then blew the biggest opportunity in first-half stoppage time when he was left completely free at the far post but fired too close to Thibaut Courtois, who made a brilliant reaction save.

Kante went close again after the restart but Real finally showed the home team how to finish as Rodrygo lashed in Vinicius Jr’s composed pass.

Chelsea and their supporters were clearly deflated following the sucker punch and Rodrygo made sure of the holders’ progress when he tapped in following wonderful work by Federico Valverde.

Los Blancos will now face Manchester City or Bayern Munich in a blockbuster semi-final in May.

Chelsea are next in action a week on Wednesday at home to Brentford in the Premier League. Real host Celta Vigo in La Liga on Saturday.

Talking point

A microcosm of Chelsea’s season. A quick glance at caretaker boss Frank Lampard’s Chelsea team selection would have initially raised a few eyebrows. The Blues needed two goals to overturn a first-leg deficit and yet they were starting with just the one obvious attacker in Kai Havertz. However, on closer inspection the set up in midfield allowed for an intense pressing game high up the pitch that penned Real back and made for an uncomfortable night at times for the 14-time champions.

Sadly for Lampard and Co, the profligacy in front of goal that has blighted their whole campaign was once again their Achilles heel and there was a sense of inevitability about Real punishing them on the break.

The holders march on and look set to meet Manchester City in the last four, assuming Bayern Munich don’t produce a stunning turnaround in their quarter final on Wednesday night.

Player of the match

Rodrygo (Real Madrid). The 22-year-old Brazilian is less of a headline-maker when compared to the other two members of Real’s front three, but he was the most threatening on the night and after hitting the post in the first period, he was in the right place at the right time to gobble up a brace and send Chelsea packing.

Player Ratings

CHELSEA: Kepa 6, James 7, Cucurella 6, Fofana 7, Thiago Silva 7, Chalobah 7, Kante 6, Kovacic 6, Gallagher 7, Fernandez 7, Havertz 7. Subs: Sterling 6, Mudryk 6, Felix 6, Mount 5.

REAL MADRID: Courtois 8, Carvajal 7, Camavinga 7, Militao 7, Alaba 7, Valverde 8, Kroos 7, Modric 7, Rodrygo 8, Benzema 6, Vinicius Jr 7. Subs: Rudiger 7, Tchouameni 6, Ceballos 6, Nacho n/a, Asensio n/a.

Match Highlights

11’ – CHELSEA CHANCE! Kante snatches at a first-time shot from 10 yards out after James’s low cross deflected into his path.

20’ – REAL MADRID CHANCE! Rodrygo collects a pass from the right inside the area but his shot from a narrow angle crashes back off the outside of the post.

41’ – REAL MADRID CHANCE! Vinicius Jr shins a volley wide after a wonderful move involving Benzema and Modric ended with the Croatian sizzling a dangerous low ball to the far post.

45+1’ – CHELSEA CHANCE! Cucurella has all day to take a touch and find a finish but Courtois makes a brilliant save after James had found his fellow full back with a devilish, low cross from the right.

52’ – CHELSEA CHANCE! Kante’s goal-bound shot from close-in hits Militao and flies wide after Gallagher had nodded a poor clearance back into the danger zone.

58’ – GOAL! – Chelsea 0-1 Real Madrid – (Real lead 3-0 on aggregate) Rodrygo darts down the right and cuts it back from the byline. Benzema misses the tap-in but Vinicius Jr keeps his cool to pull it back for Rodrygo to make it count from close range.

80’ – GOAL! – Chelsea 0-2 Real Madrid – (Real lead 4-0 on aggregate) Rodrygo has the simple task of almost walking the ball into an empty net after Valverde had danced into the area and taken out Kepa with an unselfish cut back.

Key Stats

Vinicius Jr has been involved in 21 goals in his last 21 UCL appearances for Real Madrid, scoring 10 goals and assisting 11 goals in this time. Since the start of last season, he is the only one to reach double figures for both goals and assists in the competition.

Karim Benzema became the fifth player to reach 150 appearances in the Champions League.