FT: Real Madrid 2-0 Chelsea Live Champions League Coverage & Updates

Sitting 11th in the Premier League and 17 points adrift of the top four, they need to win the Champions League to return to Europe’s elite club competition next term and make three changes here as Ben Chilwell, N’Golo Kante and Thiago Silva come in.

But they face a huge challenge against a Real side hoping to lift their 15th European title and sixth in 10 seasons, with Carlo Ancelotti’s men well behind Barcelona in LaLiga after losing to Villarreal.

Chelsea lineup
Starting XI: Kepa, Fofana, Silva, Koulibaly, James, Kante, Kovacic, Enzo, Chilwell, Sterling, Joao Felix

Subs: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Cucurella, Chalobah, Gallagher, Loftus-Cheek, Zakaria, Mount, Mudryk, Ziyech, Pulisic, Havertz

Starting XI: Courtois, Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Camavinga, Valverde, Kroos, Modric, Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius

Subs: Lunin, Lopez, Vallejo, Nacho, Hazard, Asensio, Odriozola, Vazquez, Tchouameni, Ceballos, Rudiger, Mariano

KICK-OFF

We are underway on a huge Champions League night at the Bernabeu!

Can Chelsea defy the odds and light up an otherwise miserable season?

2 mins: Madrid are straight onto the front foot and probing in search of an early opening, with Kovacic sitting deep to do plenty of defensive work for Chelsea.

A dangerous cross from Camavinga is seen away by Silva inside the box.

3 mins: A huge early chance for Chelsea to take the lead is spurned!

The Blues break at speed and one ball sets Joao Felix free.

He races inside the box but it’s solid defending from Militao and a low shot is parried behind by Courtois.

That should have been 1-0 to the visitors.

5 mins: Chelsea have already caught out Madrid a couple of times in these early exchanges.

Modric is caught out by Kante and the Frenchman strides forward, with a low ball from Felix intended for Sterling at the back post eventually turned away inside the Madrid box by Alaba.

Promising signs for Lampard.

6 mins: But that’s a concern for Chelsea as Fofana brings down a speeding Vinicius Jr and receives a yellow card.

A long time now for the Frenchman to last on a yellow up against such a dangerous attacker in Vinicius.

8 mins: French referee François Letexier is not afraid to get the cards out early on here as another Chelsea break is cut short by a cynical foul from Camavinga on Sterling. Yellow.

Chilwell then flights a disappointing left-footed free-kick over the crossbar.

That was a real waste.

10 mins: Chelsea have made a decent start to this game, it must be said.

They piece together another nifty passing move before a ball to the back post sees Sterling rise with and ultimately foul Militao.

12 mins: Real Madrid suddenly up the tempo and Benzema’s initial strike is blocked by Silva.

Los Blancos come again and a great one-two between Benzema and Vinicius inside the box results in the former leaving Silva trailing in his wake before forcing Kepa into a solid save at his front post.

A good hold from the Chelsea ‘keeper.

14 mins: Madrid are sustaining their pressure now and force a corner that Chelsea scramble clear.

Some positive goalkeeping from Kepa follows to pluck the ball out of the air and take the sting out of the latest attack.

Silva then looks to release Felix quickly, but it’s overhit and the run was too early.

17 mins: Valverde slices high and wide after Fernandez had given the ball away for Chelsea in a dangerous area.

Moments before, Vinicius had gone down in the box after an arm across the midriff from Fofana.

Never a penalty and the referee isn’t interested.

18 mins: Chelsea are under the cosh a bit now with Kante doing well to track back and help the booked Fofana to deal with the considerable threat of Vinicius.

Madrid are absolutely dominating possession as you might expect, though they haven’t done too much with it so far, looking to release their skilful and fast Brazilian duo either side of Benzema.

Not much pressing from Chelsea, who are content to sit back and let their opponents monopolise the ball before trying to hit on the counter.

Mostly solid in defence so far from Lampard’s men.

GOAL! Real Madrid 1-0 Chelsea | Karim Benzema 21′

Vinicius beats Fofana to Carvajal’s clipped cross, with Kepa making an initial save.

But the ball falls right into the path of Benzema, who taps home from close range into an empty net.

His 90th Champions League goal and 26th of the season across all competitions.

Trouble for Chelsea now.

23 mins: What a save from Courtois!

Almost an instant reply from Chelsea, with Fernandez’s dangerous low cross in towards Sterling inadvertently turned goalwards by the backside of Militao.

But the former Blues ‘keeper is there to keep it out. Superb stop.

25 mins: Fofana – who is getting very little help from his team-mates now, it must be said – is really struggling for Chelsea and is beaten all ends up by Vinicius, whose attempted finish is cleared at a vital moment inside the six-yard box by Silva.

28 mins: A really open feel to this game at the moment as Madrid are suddenly forced onto the defensive with two key interventions to deny Chelsea passage into the box.

One was from Alaba to stop a ball through to Sterling.

30 mins: Plenty of space out there for both teams at the moment, which will be far more of a concern to Lampard.

Chelsea continue to give the ball away cheaply and a teasing cross from Camavinga is turned away.

Madrid then try to release goalscorer Benzema inside the box, but Kepa comes out bravely to claim at his feet.

33 mins: Rodrygo forces another low save from Kepa and then rather gives up on the rebound, which he could have squared inside the box to a waiting Benzema.

But another warning shot for Chelsea.

35 mins: Madrid have long since taken complete control of this game and they are playing some lovely football, passing it around stylishly with pace and purpose.

Benzema pulls the trigger from long range but it’s comfortable for Kepa.

36 mins: Signs of life from Chelsea on the break as they engineer a three on three and James’ low cross from the byline is cut out by Courtois.

37 mins: Chelsea are cut apart by the delightful combination of Rodrygo and Vinicius, who could have a tap-in after a squared pass from the byline.

It’s cut out I think by Silva, but the offside flag is up anyway.

39 mins: Chelsea are still clinging on at 1-0 down as an accurate cross for Alaba rather flicks off his back rather than the head and Kepa gets down to make another comfortable stop.

Chelsea are just surviving at this stage and need the half-time whistle. They cannot afford to concede another before the break.

40 mins: Chelsea are torn open far, far too easily again, but they get away with it this time as a rare error from Vinicius brings Madrid’s latest attack to a halt.

44 mins: Sloppy from Chelsea again as they are caught in possession by Valverde.

The Uruguayan steams forward and unleashes a low drive that is held by Kepa.

Half-time

Real Madrid 1-0 Chelsea

20 – Karim Benzema has scored 20 goals against English opponents in the UEFA Champions League, with only Lionel Messi scoring more (27). Standard. pic.twitter.com/OicteA3Eut

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) April 12, 2023

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Second half Underway

Back underway at the Bernabeu!

Can Chelsea stay in this game and maybe nick themselves a valuable goal?

Or will Madrid continue their dominance and put the tie to bed early?

Let’s find out! No changes from either manager at the interval.

48 mins: Carvajal is caught in possession for Madrid and Chelsea work it nicely around the box, with Felix bending a shot that is easily saved by Courtois.

49 mins: Route one from Madrid, who blast the ball up towards Rodrygo – who is in a foot race with Koulibaly.

Kouliably just about stays in front and knocks back to Kepa under serious pressure, but I think he’s tweaked his hamstring in the process.

Fernandez then fails to test Courtois with a long-range effort.

50 mins: Close to a second Madrid goal as the superb Vinicius leaves James for dead before then going past Fofana and laying back to Benzema.

The Frenchman ends up teeing up Modric, whose curling shot skims the top of the net on its way over.

52 mins: More danger inside the Chelsea box but Silva does enough to thwart Benzema and Kepa gratefully gathers.

Koulibaly has been feeling his hamstring since that Rodrygo race and won’t be able to continue, sinking to the turf in pain.

Trevoh Chalobah has been warming up, but it’s Marc Cucurella coming on.

Red card – Ben Chilwell (Chelsea)

58 mins: Disaster for Chelsea!

Chilwell tugs back Rodrygo just outside the box after the Brazilian had run off substitute Cucurella way too easily to collect Valverde’s simple lofted pass.

It’s a deserved straight red and Chelsea face the last 30 minutes or so at the Bernabeu with 10 men.

59 mins: Kepa watches Alaba’s low free-kick all the way and makes a comfortable save.

How will Lampard react to that red card?

Still so much time left inside the Bernabeu…

60 mins: Chelsea are setting up in a 4-4-1 system after Chilwell’s dismissal, with Sterling – their main attacking threat – moving into midfield.

Purely damage limitation for Lampard’s side now.

Kai Havertz and Trevoh Chalobah will be on soon.

63 mins: Vinicius Jr takes advantage of an unfortunate James slip and races to the byline with Benzema in the middle.

The Brazilian cuts his way inside and eventually back-heels nicely for Camavinga, whose wild strike is well off target.

65 mins: Now for that double change from Lampard.

Chalobah and Havertz replace Sterling and Felix.

5-3-1 from Chelsea? They will shut up shop and try to go back to Stamford Bridge for the second leg only trailing 1-0.

68 mins: The onus and expectation is really on Madrid now to force the issue, exploit that numerical advantage and take a healthy lead to west London next week.

Solid defending from substitute Chalobah inside the box to thwart Rodrygo.

71 mins: Signs of life up front from 10-man Chelsea as they force a corner that is well cleared.

Ancelotti goes to his bench now in search of that critical second goal, with Marco Asensio and former Blues defender Antonio Rudiger on.

Off go Rodrygo and Camavinga.

GOAL! Real Madrid 2-0 Chelsea | Marco Asensio 74′

74 mins: That paid off quickly!

Asensio has only been on the pitch for about three minutes, but sweeps through the legs of Fofana and underneath an unsighted Kepa from the edge of the box.

Simple stuff from Madrid from a corner after Cucurella had initially made a vital intervention to deny Asensio, with Kroos finding Vinicius and the Brazilian putting across a simple pass.

A real hammer blow for Chelsea – that goal could well kill the tie.

75 mins: Another double change from Lampard as Mount and Gallagher replace Silva and Kante.

Chelsea revert to a four-man defence again.

They cannot concede a third goal here under any circumstances if they are to have any hope of pulling off a second-leg comeback to reach the semi-finals.

78 mins: Asensio has been very lively indeed since coming on and drags another low shot just wide of the near post.

That’s a naughty challenge from Mount on Carvajal, who is hurt.

80 mins: Ancelotti takes off Modric now, sending on Dani Ceballos in his place for the final 10 minutes or so.

A standing ovation from an adoring Bernabeu for their evergreen Croatian maestro.

82 mins: Mount nudges Cucurella free and the Spaniard is taken out by Militao, who receives a caution for his troubles.

Another midfield change from Ancelotti as Kroos makes way for Aurelien Tchouameni.

84 mins: An utter waste from Fernandez, who can’t beat the first man from a Chelsea set-piece.

Some poor decision-making then stops another Madrid attack in its tracks.

They will want that third goal to kill off this tie in the first leg.

86 mins: Carvajal is frustrated after a little nibble at his heels from Cucurella and ends up tossing his fellow Spaniard to the turf in a rage.

Yellow card.

90 mins: Into five minutes of added time at the Bernabeu.

Madrid are labouring now in search of that third goal that would surely book their place in the Champions League semi-finals for another year.

92 mins: Gallagher is caught out for Chelsea and Alaba gets to the byline, with his cross parried away by Kepa into the path of Benzema.

94 mins: A supreme block from Rudiger, who is mobbed by his team-mates after denying former Chelsea colleague Mount what would have been a huge last-gasp goal.

Agonizing for the Blues.

Full-time

Real Madrid 2-0 Chelsea