Real Madrid 2-3 Chelsea (Agg: 5-4 aet): Blues suffer agonising Champions League exit

Chelsea’s reign as European champions came to an agonising end despite beating Real Madrid on a night of high drama at the Bernabeu Stadium.

In a Champions League epic, Mason Mount’s wonderful finish and Antonio Rudiger’s powerful header wiped out Real’s 3-1 first-leg advantage and brought the quarter-final tie level in Spain’s capital.

Thomas Tuchel’s side were outstanding throughout and Timo Werner’s clever finish from an angle put them ahead for the first time on aggregate and within sight of a place in the semi-finals.

But substitute Rodrygo – after a stunning pass by Luka Modric – forced extra time with a volleyed finish before Karim Benzema, a hat-trick hero in the first leg at Stamford Bridge six days earlier, headed the decisive goal in the 96th minute to send Real through 5-4 on aggregate.

Benzema, who had earlier headed against the bar on a rollercoaster night, was unmarked when he scored to break Chelsea’s hearts after Rudiger slipped inside the box.

Even after what turned out to be the clincher, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz and Jorginho went close to forcing a penalty shootout.

In the end Chelsea, who played superbly, were made to pay for their first-leg performance as Tuchel’s side fell just short of producing one of the great comebacks in the competition.

• ‘Nothing to regret’ – Chelsea boss Tuchel
• Reaction from the Bernabeu after incredible Champions League tie
• All the best Chelsea content here

Chelsea just fall short in classic

Many of Chelsea’s players slumped to the ground at the end of 120 gripping minutes after pushing record 13-time winners Real – who will face Manchester City or Atletico Madrid in the last four – all the way.

Tuchel had said on the eve of this game that Chelsea’s progression into the semi-finals would be akin to the best Hollywood script.

His players came close to producing a blockbuster in their first game at the Bernabeu in European competition as they showed incredible fight and belief – ingredients which were missing from their poor performance in the first leg.

This breathless game had everything and more, including a Marcos Alonso goal at 2-0 ruled out by the video assistant referee for handball.

While Tuchel will be delighted with the way his players responded, there will be concern at how much the energy-sapping 120 minutes has taken out of them.

Chelsea do not have long to recover from going out of Europe as they prepare to make a second visit of the season to Wembley.

They face Crystal Palace in an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday (16:30 BST) – a competition that offers them their last chance of landing a major domestic trophy.

Despite enjoying success in the Fifa Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup, they lost a penalty shootout to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final and are 12 points behind leaders Manchester City in the Premier League with just eight matches left.

Player of the match

MountMason Mount

with an average of 7.87

Real Madrid

1. Squad number9Player nameBenzema

2. Squad number10Player nameModric

3. Squad number21Player nameRodrygo

4. Squad number20Player nameVinícius Júnior

5. Squad number25Player nameCamavinga

6. Squad number1Player nameCourtois

7. Squad number12Player nameMarcelo

8. Squad number15Player nameValverde

9. Squad number2Player nameCarvajal

10. Squad number14Player nameCasemiro

11. Squad number8Player nameKroos

12. Squad number17Player nameLucas Vázquez

13. Squad number4Player nameAlaba

14. Squad number19Player nameDani Ceballos

15. Squad number6Player nameNacho

16. Squad number23Player nameMendy

Chelsea

1. Squad number19Player nameMount

2. Squad number2Player nameRüdiger

3. Squad number11Player nameWerner

4. Squad number24Player nameJames

5. Squad number29Player nameHavertz

6. Squad number3Player nameAlonso

7. Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva

8. Squad number8Player nameKovacic

9. Squad number7Player nameKanté

10. Squad number12Player nameLoftus-Cheek

11. Squad number16Player nameMendy

12. Squad number22Player nameZiyech

13. Squad number5Player nameJorginho

14. Squad number10Player namePulisic

15. Squad number17Player nameSaúl

Line-ups

Real Madrid

Formation 4-3-3

1Courtois

2Carvajal6Nacho4Alaba23Mendy

10Modric14Casemiro8Kroos

15Valverde9Benzema20Vinícius Júnior

• 1Courtois
• 2CarvajalBooked at 118mins
• 6NachoSubstituted forVázquezat 88′minutes
• 4Alaba
• 23MendySubstituted forMarceloat 78′minutes
• 10Modric
• 14CasemiroSubstituted forRodrygoat 78′minutes
• 8KroosSubstituted forCamavingaat 73′minutesBooked at 90mins
• 15ValverdeBooked at 68mins
• 9BenzemaBooked at 37mins
• 20Vinícius JúniorSubstituted forCeballosat 115′minutes

Substitutes

• 11Asensio
• 12Marcelo
• 13Lunin
• 16Jovic
• 17Vázquez
• 18Bale
• 19Ceballos
• 21Rodrygo
• 24Mariano
• 25Camavinga
• 40Fuidias
• 41Marín Zamora

Chelsea

Formation 3-4-1-2

16Mendy

24James6Thiago Silva2Rüdiger

12Loftus-Cheek7Kanté8Kovacic3Alonso

19Mount

29Havertz11Werner

• 16Mendy
• 24JamesBooked at 10mins
• 6Thiago Silva
• 2Rüdiger
• 12Loftus-CheekSubstituted forSaúlat 105′minutes
• 7KantéSubstituted forZiyechat 100′minutesBooked at 102mins
• 8KovacicSubstituted forJorginhoat 105′minutes
• 3Alonso
• 19Mount
• 29HavertzBooked at 109mins
• 11WernerSubstituted forPulisicat 83′minutes

Substitutes

• 1Arrizabalaga
• 4Christensen
• 5Jorginho
• 10Pulisic
• 13Bettinelli
• 14Chalobah
• 17Saúl
• 22Ziyech
• 28Azpilicueta
• 31Sarr
• 68Vale

Referee:

Szymon Marciniak

Attendance:

59,839

Live Text

1. Match ends, Real Madrid 2, Chelsea 3.

2. Second Half Extra Time ends, Real Madrid 2, Chelsea 3.

3. Attempt blocked. Reece James (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

4. Foul by Christian Pulisic (Chelsea).

5. Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

6. Attempt missed. Jorginho (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech following a corner.

7. Attempt missed. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.

8. Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by David Alaba.

9. Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

10. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

11. Foul by Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid).

12. Attempt missed. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Reece James with a cross.

13. Attempt blocked. Jorginho (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

14. Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Lucas Vázquez.

15. Substitution, Real Madrid. Dani Ceballos replaces Vinícius Júnior.

16. Attempt saved. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mason Mount.

17. César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card.

18. Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

19. Foul by Rodrygo (Real Madrid).

20. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

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Real Madrid last won the Champions League in 2018Chelsea’s reign as European champions came to an agonising end despite beating Real Madrid on a night of high drama at the Bernabeu Stadium.In a Champions League epic, Mason Mount’s wonderful finish and Antonio Rudiger’s powerful header wiped out Real’s 3-1 first-leg advantage and brought the quarter-final tie level in Spain’s capital.Thomas Tuchel’s side were outstanding throughout and Timo Werner’s clever finish from an angle put them ahead for the first time on aggregate and within sight of a place in the semi-finals.But substitute Rodrygo – after a stunning pass by Luka Modric – forced extra time with a volleyed finish before Karim Benzema, a hat-trick hero in the first leg at Stamford Bridge six days earlier, headed the decisive goal in the 96th minute to send Real through 5-4 on aggregate.Benzema, who had earlier headed against the bar on a rollercoaster night, was unmarked when he scored to break Chelsea’s hearts after Rudiger slipped inside the box.Even after what turned out to be the clincher, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz and Jorginho went close to forcing a penalty shootout.In the end Chelsea, who played superbly, were made to pay for their first-leg performance as Tuchel’s side fell just short of producing one of the great comebacks in the competition.’Nothing to regret’ – Chelsea boss TuchelReaction from the Bernabeu after incredible Champions League tieAll the best Chelsea content hereChelsea became just the second English team to score three goals away against Real Madrid in European competition, after Manchester United did so in a 3-3 draw in the European Cup in May 1968Chelsea just fall short in classicMany of Chelsea’s players slumped to the ground at the end of 120 gripping minutes after pushing record 13-time winners Real – who will face Manchester City or Atletico Madrid in the last four – all the way.Tuchel had said on the eve of this game that Chelsea’s progression into the semi-finals would be akin to the best Hollywood script.His players came close to producing a blockbuster in their first game at the Bernabeu in European competition as they showed incredible fight and belief – ingredients which were missing from their poor performance in the first leg.This breathless game had everything and more, including a Marcos Alonso goal at 2-0 ruled out by the video assistant referee for handball.While Tuchel will be delighted with the way his players responded, there will be concern at how much the energy-sapping 120 minutes has taken out of them.Chelsea do not have long to recover from going out of Europe as they prepare to make a second visit of the season to Wembley.They face Crystal Palace in an FA Cup semi-final on Sunday (16:30 BST) – a competition that offers them their last chance of landing a major domestic trophy. Despite enjoying success in the Fifa Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup, they lost a penalty shootout to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final and are 12 points behind leaders Manchester City in the Premier League with just eight matches left.Player of the matchMountMason Mountwith an average of 7.87Real MadridSquad number9Player nameBenzemaSquad number10Player nameModricSquad number21Player nameRodrygoSquad number20Player nameVinícius JúniorSquad number25Player nameCamavingaSquad number1Player nameCourtoisSquad number12Player nameMarceloSquad number15Player nameValverdeSquad number2Player nameCarvajalSquad number14Player nameCasemiroSquad number8Player nameKroosSquad number17Player nameLucas VázquezSquad number4Player nameAlabaSquad number19Player nameDani CeballosSquad number6Player nameNachoSquad number23Player nameMendyChelseaSquad number19Player nameMountSquad number2Player nameRüdigerSquad number11Player nameWernerSquad number24Player nameJamesSquad number29Player nameHavertzSquad number3Player nameAlonsoSquad number6Player nameThiago SilvaSquad number8Player nameKovacicSquad number7Player nameKantéSquad number12Player nameLoftus-CheekSquad number16Player nameMendySquad number22Player nameZiyechSquad number5Player nameJorginhoSquad number10Player namePulisicSquad number17Player nameSaúlLine-upsReal MadridFormation 4-3-31Courtois2Carvajal6Nacho4Alaba23Mendy10Modric14Casemiro8Kroos15Valverde9Benzema20Vinícius Júnior1Courtois2CarvajalBooked at 118mins6NachoSubstituted forVázquezat 88’minutes4Alaba23MendySubstituted forMarceloat 78’minutes10Modric14CasemiroSubstituted forRodrygoat 78’minutes8KroosSubstituted forCamavingaat 73’minutesBooked at 90mins15ValverdeBooked at 68mins9BenzemaBooked at 37mins20Vinícius JúniorSubstituted forCeballosat 115’minutesSubstitutes11Asensio12Marcelo13Lunin16Jovic17Vázquez18Bale19Ceballos21Rodrygo24Mariano25Camavinga40Fuidias41Marín ZamoraChelseaFormation 3-4-1-216Mendy24James6Thiago Silva2Rüdiger12Loftus-Cheek7Kanté8Kovacic3Alonso19Mount29Havertz11Werner16Mendy24JamesBooked at 10mins6Thiago Silva2Rüdiger12Loftus-CheekSubstituted forSaúlat 105’minutes7KantéSubstituted forZiyechat 100’minutesBooked at 102mins8KovacicSubstituted forJorginhoat 105’minutes3Alonso19Mount29HavertzBooked at 109mins11WernerSubstituted forPulisicat 83’minutesSubstitutes1Arrizabalaga4Christensen5Jorginho10Pulisic13Bettinelli14Chalobah17Saúl22Ziyech28Azpilicueta31Sarr68ValeReferee:Szymon MarciniakAttendance:59,839Live TextMatch ends, Real Madrid 2, Chelsea 3.Second Half Extra Time ends, Real Madrid 2, Chelsea 3.Attempt blocked. Reece James (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.Foul by Christian Pulisic (Chelsea).Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Attempt missed. Jorginho (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech following a corner.Attempt missed. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a corner.Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by David Alaba.Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Foul by Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid).Attempt missed. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top right corner. Assisted by Reece James with a cross.Attempt blocked. Jorginho (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.Corner, Chelsea. Conceded by Lucas Vázquez.Substitution, Real Madrid. Dani Ceballos replaces Vinícius Júnior.Attempt saved. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Mason Mount.César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card.Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Rodrygo (Real Madrid).Kai Havertz (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.Surviving the cost of living crisis: How are people coping with having to make do with less?Can they face their fears? Celebrities take on challenges in sub-zero temperatures with Wim Hof