Chelsea vs Real Madrid: 4 Key Takeaways

2. Chelsea midfield missed Fabregas

For a stretch in the match, whenever Chelsea regained position the midfield lost the ball immediately, which led to successive Real attacks. The midfield duo of Nemanja Matic and Oscar was miserable to say the least.

Oscar had a terrible day in the office. If he is to take Cesc Fabregas’ position then he needs to play the passes and get things moving in front of him. The forward four are depending on him for penetrating balls. Unfortunately he was not able to dictate play at all. He lost the ball while seeming confused about his connection with his midfield partner.

On one hand he wasn’t able to contribute anything offensively. On the other, he doesn’t have the physicality to hold the midfield and protect the back four. He is a complete liability in the area.

The Real midfield was swift and aggressive and took advantage of their slow Chelsea counterparts. The Blues took a lot of time in moving the ball from the back to the front and the Spaniards capitalised on this.

Chelsea clearly missed Fabregas on the pitch. Few in world football can replicate his control of the ball and his short passes with his partner. He can open up midfield formations like few others. Fabregas’ absence from the team demonstrated how indispensable he is to Chelsea’s ambitions this season.

Next: 3. Loftus Cheek not a forward