Chelsea 1-3 Real Madrid: Benzema hat-trick puts Spaniards in charge in Champions League last eight

Chelsea’s hold on the Champions League hangs precariously after Karim Benzema’s hat-trick put Real Madrid in a position of power following the quarter-final first leg at Stamford Bridge.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti made a winning return to the club where he won the Premier League and FA Cup double after veteran France striker Benzema delivered his latest masterclass.

Benzema, 34 and fresh from the treble that sunk Paris St-Germain in the last 16, punished holders Chelsea with two magnificent headers in the space of three minutes midway through the first half.

Kai Havertz’s header gave Chelsea hope before the break but keeper Edouard Mendy’s poor clearance seconds after the restart gifted Benzema his third to put Real in command of the tie before the second leg at the Bernabeu next Tuesday (12 April).

• Follow reaction from Real Madrid’s win over Chelsea

Chelsea punished heavily for errors

Chelsea battled to the end of this first leg but were always fighting an uphill task after they were hit by Benzema’s brilliant one-two and then saw their hopes of mounting a comeback wrecked by a self-inflicted wound.

Real had already delivered a warning about the danger they posed when Vinicius Junior hit the bar but that went unheeded as he provided the cross for Benzema’s flying headed opener.

And once Benzema had confirmed his aerial threat with a second, Chelsea were always vulnerable against a side who are the masters of these Champions League situations.

Havertz, the match-winner in last season’s Champions League final win against Manchester City, gave a subdued Stamford Bridge some hope but the entire destiny of the tie may have turned in the opening 40 seconds after the interval.

Mendy, normally so reliable, made an expensive misjudgement when he raced from goal only to send a weak pass in the direction of Antonio Rudiger.

The defender was unable to gain control and the predatory Benzema was in like a flash to roll the ball into the unguarded net with Mendy looking on in anguish.

It came just after Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel had introduced Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech at the start of the second half to build on Havertz’s goal, but the changes were undermined before they had any chance to take effect.

Tuchel later brought on Romelu Lukaku in a desperate attempt to retrieve the situation but his struggles were summed up when he sent a weak header wide with one of Chelsea’s best chances of the night.

Chelsea have demonstrated an ability to overcome adversity in the past but with Real holding a two-goal advantage going into the second leg at the Bernabeu, it would rank as one of their finest achievements if they were to reach the last four from this position.

Madrid the masters once more

Real Madrid may be runaway leaders in La Liga but Carlo Ancelotti’s side were regarded as rank outsiders as they chase a 14th triumph in this competition in its guises as the European Cup and Champions League.

Yet, after the dramatic comeback against the odds to knock out Paris St-Germain in the last 16, with this show of experience and class at Stamford Bridge they demonstrated once again that their credentials are dismissed at your peril.

And in Ancelotti, for all the speculation surrounding his long-term future at the Bernabeu, they have a leader who has demonstrated his expertise by winning this trophy three times with AC Milan and Real.

The coach and Real’s players showed they are old hands at this and how they punished Chelsea, with Benzema and the 36-year-old Croatia maestro Luka Modric at their heart, to take a giant stride towards the semi-final.

Benzema gets better with age, scoring two headers of the highest class before poaching a third goal, while Modric retains that priceless ability to control the tempo of games, retain possession and always make the right choice from the options available.

Ancelotti will take nothing for granted but the veteran Italian, who flew into London on the day of the game after recovering from Covid-19, cut a highly satisfied figure at the final whistle.

Player of the match

BenzemaKarim Benzema

with an average of 8.96

Chelsea

1. Squad number29Player nameHavertz

2. Squad number7Player nameKanté

3. Squad number19Player nameMount

4. Squad number24Player nameJames

5. Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta

6. Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva

7. Squad number8Player nameKovacic

8. Squad number2Player nameRüdiger

9. Squad number5Player nameJorginho

10. Squad number10Player namePulisic

11. Squad number22Player nameZiyech

12. Squad number4Player nameChristensen

13. Squad number12Player nameLoftus-Cheek

14. Squad number16Player nameMendy

15. Squad number9Player nameLukaku

Real Madrid

1. Squad number9Player nameBenzema

2. Squad number20Player nameVinícius Júnior

3. Squad number10Player nameModric

4. Squad number8Player nameKroos

5. Squad number14Player nameCasemiro

6. Squad number15Player nameValverde

7. Squad number1Player nameCourtois

8. Squad number18Player nameBale

9. Squad number23Player nameMendy

10. Squad number4Player nameAlaba

11. Squad number3Player nameEder Militão

12. Squad number2Player nameCarvajal

13. Squad number6Player nameNacho

14. Squad number25Player nameCamavinga

15. Squad number19Player nameDani Ceballos

Line-ups

Chelsea

Formation 3-4-2-1

16Mendy

4Christensen6Thiago Silva2Rüdiger

24James7Kanté5Jorginho28Azpilicueta

19Mount10Pulisic

29Havertz

• 16Mendy
• 4ChristensenSubstituted forKovacicat 45′minutes
• 6Thiago Silva
• 2RüdigerBooked at 19mins
• 24James
• 7KantéSubstituted forZiyechat 45′minutes
• 5JorginhoSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 64′minutes
• 28Azpilicueta
• 19Mount
• 10PulisicSubstituted forLukakuat 64′minutes
• 29Havertz

Substitutes

• 1Arrizabalaga
• 3Alonso
• 8Kovacic
• 9Lukaku
• 11Werner
• 12Loftus-Cheek
• 13Bettinelli
• 14Chalobah
• 17Saúl
• 22Ziyech
• 23Kenedy
• 31Sarr

Real Madrid

Formation 4-3-3

1Courtois

2Carvajal3Militão4Alaba23Mendy

10Modric14Casemiro8Kroos

15Valverde9Benzema20Vinícius Júnior

• 1Courtois
• 2Carvajal
• 3MilitãoBooked at 14minsSubstituted forNachoat 64′minutes
• 4Alaba
• 23Mendy
• 10Modric
• 14Casemiro
• 8KroosSubstituted forCamavingaat 74′minutes
• 15ValverdeSubstituted forCeballosat 86′minutes
• 9BenzemaSubstituted forBaleat 86′minutes
• 20Vinícius Júnior

Substitutes

• 5Vallejo
• 6Nacho
• 11Asensio
• 12Marcelo
• 13Lunin
• 17Vázquez
• 18Bale
• 19Ceballos
• 21Rodrygo
• 24Mariano
• 25Camavinga
• 40Fuidias

Referee:

Clément Turpin

Attendance:

38,689

Live Text

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

2. Second Half ends, Chelsea 1, Real Madrid 3.

3. Foul by Kai Havertz (Chelsea).

4. Nacho (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

5. Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea).

6. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

7. Attempt missed. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Romelu Lukaku.

8. Foul by Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea).

9. Nacho (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

10. Mason Mount (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.

11. Foul by Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid).

12. Substitution, Real Madrid. Dani Ceballos replaces Federico Valverde because of an injury.

13. Substitution, Real Madrid. Gareth Bale replaces Karim Benzema.

14. César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

15. Foul by Federico Valverde (Real Madrid).

16. Attempt saved. Reece James (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.

17. Attempt blocked. Mason Mount (Chelsea) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kai Havertz.

18. Attempt saved. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Mateo Kovacic.

19. Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea).

20. Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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Karim Benzema’s hat-trick was his second in successive Champions League games after a treble against Paris St-Germain in the last 16Chelsea’s hold on the Champions League hangs precariously after Karim Benzema’s hat-trick put Real Madrid in a position of power following the quarter-final first leg at Stamford Bridge. Real coach Carlo Ancelotti made a winning return to the club where he won the Premier League and FA Cup double after veteran France striker Benzema delivered his latest masterclass. Benzema, 34 and fresh from the treble that sunk Paris St-Germain in the last 16, punished holders Chelsea with two magnificent headers in the space of three minutes midway through the first half. Kai Havertz’s header gave Chelsea hope before the break but keeper Edouard Mendy’s poor clearance seconds after the restart gifted Benzema his third to put Real in command of the tie before the second leg at the Bernabeu next Tuesday (12 April).Follow reaction from Real Madrid’s win over ChelseaChelsea punished heavily for errorsChelsea battled to the end of this first leg but were always fighting an uphill task after they were hit by Benzema’s brilliant one-two and then saw their hopes of mounting a comeback wrecked by a self-inflicted wound. Real had already delivered a warning about the danger they posed when Vinicius Junior hit the bar but that went unheeded as he provided the cross for Benzema’s flying headed opener. And once Benzema had confirmed his aerial threat with a second, Chelsea were always vulnerable against a side who are the masters of these Champions League situations. Karim Benzema became the fourth player to score back-to-back Champions League hat-tricks after Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luiz AdrianoHavertz, the match-winner in last season’s Champions League final win against Manchester City, gave a subdued Stamford Bridge some hope but the entire destiny of the tie may have turned in the opening 40 seconds after the interval. Mendy, normally so reliable, made an expensive misjudgement when he raced from goal only to send a weak pass in the direction of Antonio Rudiger. The defender was unable to gain control and the predatory Benzema was in like a flash to roll the ball into the unguarded net with Mendy looking on in anguish. It came just after Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel had introduced Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech at the start of the second half to build on Havertz’s goal, but the changes were undermined before they had any chance to take effect. Tuchel later brought on Romelu Lukaku in a desperate attempt to retrieve the situation but his struggles were summed up when he sent a weak header wide with one of Chelsea’s best chances of the night. Chelsea have demonstrated an ability to overcome adversity in the past but with Real holding a two-goal advantage going into the second leg at the Bernabeu, it would rank as one of their finest achievements if they were to reach the last four from this position. Madrid the masters once moreReal Madrid may be runaway leaders in La Liga but Carlo Ancelotti’s side were regarded as rank outsiders as they chase a 14th triumph in this competition in its guises as the European Cup and Champions League. Yet, after the dramatic comeback against the odds to knock out Paris St-Germain in the last 16, with this show of experience and class at Stamford Bridge they demonstrated once again that their credentials are dismissed at your peril.And in Ancelotti, for all the speculation surrounding his long-term future at the Bernabeu, they have a leader who has demonstrated his expertise by winning this trophy three times with AC Milan and Real. The coach and Real’s players showed they are old hands at this and how they punished Chelsea, with Benzema and the 36-year-old Croatia maestro Luka Modric at their heart, to take a giant stride towards the semi-final. Benzema gets better with age, scoring two headers of the highest class before poaching a third goal, while Modric retains that priceless ability to control the tempo of games, retain possession and always make the right choice from the options available. Ancelotti will take nothing for granted but the veteran Italian, who flew into London on the day of the game after recovering from Covid-19, cut a highly satisfied figure at the final whistle. Player of the matchBenzemaKarim Benzemawith an average of 8.96ChelseaSquad number29Player nameHavertzSquad number7Player nameKantéSquad number19Player nameMountSquad number24Player nameJamesSquad number28Player nameAzpilicuetaSquad number6Player nameThiago SilvaSquad number8Player nameKovacicSquad number2Player nameRüdigerSquad number5Player nameJorginhoSquad number10Player namePulisicSquad number22Player nameZiyechSquad number4Player nameChristensenSquad number12Player nameLoftus-CheekSquad number16Player nameMendySquad number9Player nameLukakuReal MadridSquad number9Player nameBenzemaSquad number20Player nameVinícius JúniorSquad number10Player nameModricSquad number8Player nameKroosSquad number14Player nameCasemiroSquad number15Player nameValverdeSquad number1Player nameCourtoisSquad number18Player nameBaleSquad number23Player nameMendySquad number4Player nameAlabaSquad number3Player nameEder MilitãoSquad number2Player nameCarvajalSquad number6Player nameNachoSquad number25Player nameCamavingaSquad number19Player nameDani CeballosLine-upsChelseaFormation 3-4-2-116Mendy4Christensen6Thiago Silva2Rüdiger24James7Kanté5Jorginho28Azpilicueta19Mount10Pulisic29Havertz16Mendy4ChristensenSubstituted forKovacicat 45’minutes6Thiago Silva2RüdigerBooked at 19mins24James7KantéSubstituted forZiyechat 45’minutes5JorginhoSubstituted forLoftus-Cheekat 64’minutes28Azpilicueta19Mount10PulisicSubstituted forLukakuat 64’minutes29HavertzSubstitutes1Arrizabalaga3Alonso8Kovacic9Lukaku11Werner12Loftus-Cheek13Bettinelli14Chalobah17Saúl22Ziyech23Kenedy31SarrReal MadridFormation 4-3-31Courtois2Carvajal3Militão4Alaba23Mendy10Modric14Casemiro8Kroos15Valverde9Benzema20Vinícius Júnior1Courtois2Carvajal3MilitãoBooked at 14minsSubstituted forNachoat 64’minutes4Alaba23Mendy10Modric14Casemiro8KroosSubstituted forCamavingaat 74’minutes15ValverdeSubstituted forCeballosat 86’minutes9BenzemaSubstituted forBaleat 86’minutes20Vinícius JúniorSubstitutes5Vallejo6Nacho11Asensio12Marcelo13Lunin17Vázquez18Bale19Ceballos21Rodrygo24Mariano25Camavinga40FuidiasReferee:Clément TurpinAttendance:38,689Live TextMatch ends, Chelsea 1, Real Madrid 3.Second Half ends, Chelsea 1, Real Madrid 3.Foul by Kai Havertz (Chelsea).Nacho (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea).Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the attacking half.Attempt missed. Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) left footed shot from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Romelu Lukaku.Foul by Antonio Rüdiger (Chelsea).Nacho (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Mason Mount (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the left wing.Foul by Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid).Substitution, Real Madrid. Dani Ceballos replaces Federico Valverde because of an injury.Substitution, Real Madrid. Gareth Bale replaces Karim Benzema.César Azpilicueta (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Foul by Federico Valverde (Real Madrid).Attempt saved. Reece James (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Ruben Loftus-Cheek.Attempt blocked. Mason Mount (Chelsea) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kai Havertz.Attempt saved. Kai Havertz (Chelsea) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Mateo Kovacic.Foul by César Azpilicueta (Chelsea).Daniel Carvajal (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.Our coverage of Chelsea is bigger and better than ever before – here’s everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a momentEverything Chelsea – go straight to all the best content