Three things to look for in Chelsea vs Real Madrid UCL semifinal

2. Chelsea’s approach

There is a lot of talk about parking the bus for this game. The Blues are clinging on to an aggregate advantage on away goals, but a Real Madrid score at any point in the second leg erases the edge. Therefore, having Tuchel channel his inner Jose Mourinho may not be the most impactful strategy against one of the world’s most mature, talented and experienced sides. Nevertheless, the focus in the build-up is all on how Tuchel chooses to approach this match.

In the second leg of the previous two rounds, Chelsea has faced teams that were seemingly unaware they need to score in order to progress. Atletico Madrid and Porto both looked more interested in putting on a theatre performance than netting a goal or two. Despite similar approaches from the opposition, Tuchel handled each team differently. This may have had more to do with the advantage in each respective tie, but it’s still important to understand that the German seldom sits back.

Against Atletico Madrid (where the Blues held a slim 1-0 aggregate lead), Chelsea happily controlled possession and allowed Diego Simeone’s men to defend with all 11 men behind the ball. Playing their normal style of football, the Blues quickly got on the scoresheet and effectively killed any hope Los Rojiblancos had of a comeback. This stretched Atletico out and allowed the home side to take a 3-0 lead via Emerson late in the match. In the second leg against Porto (where Chelsea held a massive 2-0 advantage, both away goals), the Blues allowed the Portuguese club to control possession and tried to hit it on the counter. The Dragoes went on to hand Tuchel one of his two defeats as Chelsea manager. Suffice it to say, that method did not work as well.

These past experiences are crucial in understanding how the Blues will approach the second leg of the semifinal. There are seemingly two options: sit back and allow Los Blancos to bring the game to them or play Tuchel’s usual style of possession-heavy, gegenpressing football. The latter is more likely for a handful of reasons.

First and foremost, it worked in the first leg. Real Madrid looked flustered at times trying to deal with the energetic Blues. A more clinical finisher leading the line and the away side would’ve wrapped up the tie in the first half. Another reason for controlling possession is the personnel on the pitch. Spoiler alert: Jorginho and N’Golo Kante will start in the middle of the park. The former is better suited to direct a game where his side controls possession. It goes without saying that Jorginho isn’t limited to playing the regista, but his adeptness in that role is the reason why the Blues dished out the big bucks for him a few seasons ago.

When Chelsea plays to control possession in contests, it consequently keeps the ball away from its opponents. This may seem like a simple concept, but it’s often overlooked. Real Madrid is one of the most technically gifted sides in the world, which is exactly why this is the avenue to take. Lastly, the risk associated with parking the bus is simply too great. The Blues could not give up a goal at any stage—unless they were 2-0 up in the game—or they would be put on the back foot.

I cannot stress enough how slim the advantage is at the moment, it’s not enough to change tactics over. Chelsea needs to continue to play the style of football that’s gotten it here if Tuchel’s men want any chance at progressing to the final.