Chelsea put on a performance for the ages on Tuesday night as the players walked off the pitch at the Santiago Bernabeu winners on the evening. It takes a truly special group to pull this off on any given occasion, much less a European night. Unfortunately, the 3-2 victory wasn’t enough to swing the tie in the reigning Champions League winners’ favor, so their title defense ends in the quarterfinal stage of the competition. The Blues gave Real Madrid everything it could handle and then some over two legs as two of the world’s best teams went toe-to-toe in the continent’s premier competition. It was football at its finest, regardless of the overall result.
The Chelsea players are hopefully all able to hold their heads up high following one of the single most impressive performances ever put on by a team in the Champions League. After being soundly beaten in the first leg at home, the Blues strolled into the Spanish capital on a mission. They made fans proud on the night, going above and beyond with their efforts to claw back into the tie, despite facing an improbable uphill battle. The relentlessness of every individual made the second leg one of the most memorable Champions League contests in recent memory. There is a lot to dissect from the match, so let’s not waste anymore time on the emotional aspect.
Here are three of the biggest talking points from the instant classic in the Spanish capital:
1. Spirit
I know, I know, I just wrote “let’s not waste anymore time on the emotional aspect,” only to kick off the lessons learnt in this match with what’s sure to be more heartfelt paragraphs. I won’t go into too much detail on how the fans feel as I plan to publish a piece later on specifically focused on that aspect of the second leg (stay up to date with The Pride of London to ensure you don’t miss that article), but I’d be remiss if I didn’t commend the team for its efforts.
Many managers have tried and failed to motivate this Chelsea team during periods of poor form. Tuchel took a different approach following the first leg against Real Madrid, which marked a second consecutive—and hefty—loss due to careless mistakes. He went on an unfiltered, genuine rant about how he needs more from his players. In the presser, he claimed that the Blues had no chance of getting back into the tie following the way they played in the 3-1 home defeat. This clearly resonated with the dressing room, invoking a response better than anything Tuchel could’ve ever hoped for. His side went out and thrashed Southampton 6-0 at St. Mary’s before departing for the Spanish capital.
Tuesday’s match represented a considerably tougher task. Yet, Chelsea came out with the same hunger that it displayed on England’s south coast just days earlier. Few truly expected the Blues to turn the tie on its head at the Bernabeu, all supporters asked is that the players showed that they gave a [redacted]. Each and every individual that put on a Chelsea shirt in the second leg exceeded those expectations. A lot can be said about the play of the team, but there was no question at full-time about each player leaving it all out on the pitch. The Blues wore their hearts on their sleeves and truly gave it everything they had for the badge. Even though they were eventually bounced from the competition, there wasn’t a Chelsea fan on the planet that wasn’t proud of the effort their side put in on Tuesday night.
2. Costly errors
They say it’s the hope that kills you, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth in this tie. The hope is what kept the dream alive for 120 minutes in one of the most exhilarating cup ties in recent memory. There were many people that claimed the Blues were the better side through two legs after the conclusion of Tuesday’s thriller. While that may be true, Chelsea was better for a majority of the time, Real Madrid was able to capitalize when it mattered most. Los Blancos’ ability to make the Blues pay for every little mistake eventually earned them the victory in the tie. Simply put, Chelsea made too many errors to claim it was deserving of a victory.
Tuchel’s time in west London has seen the Blues blossom into one of the world’s best defensive teams. It was the superb performances from the back line that saw them lift the Champions League trophy for a second time in their history. Yet, when it came time to take on one of the most experienced and stubborn opponents in this year’s competition, Chelsea’s defense folded with little resistance. It was hit for three goals at Stamford Bridge in the first leg, which is almost unheard of under the German’s guidance. The attack was nothing to write home about either.
The second leg was much better defensively, but this time, there were missed opportunities at the other end. The Blues registered 29 shots on the evening, an impressive tally for any match, let alone a game against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. Only seven of those 29 shots found the target though as the team wasted chance after chance. This didn’t seem to be a huge issue once Chelsea took a 3-0 lead, but Los Blancos came clawing back in extra time and that was all she wrote. The Blues were gassed after putting on a relentless press and going all out in attack for 100+ minutes. They were left to rue the opportunities that they failed to put away earlier in the match.
The forwards weren’t solely to blame though. Both Real Madrid goals started as careless giveaways in the middle of the park. Sure, there was some brilliance from Luka Modric and Vinicius Jr. sprinkled in there, but Chelsea gave the ball away carelessly on two instances. The experienced players in the home squad made the Blues pay for their mistakes. In the end, it’s pointless to harp on this team for its errors in the tie. These aren’t commonplace under Tuchel, they were just a series of unfortunate errors that came against the Ballon d’Or elect and his band of world class teammates. It’s not a stretch to claim the Blues were the better of the two teams across two legs, it just must be said that Real Madrid was more clinical and disciplined.
3. Until next year
Chelsea’s 3-2 victory in Madrid officially marked the end of its Champions League defense. The Blues bowed out of this year’s tournament with a prideful performance that more than justified their position as one of the continent’s best teams. Even amidst all of the uncertainty at the club right now, there is no doubt this side will be back next year. Chelsea will be hungrier than ever and motivated to recapture its throne that resides over European football.
The conclusion of the exciting two-legged tie with Real Madrid also sees the two sides pull level at one round per piece in the last two seasons. The Blues advanced in last year’s semifinals with a win over Los Blancos and Real Madrid bettered its English foe this time around. This is setting the stage for a modern rivalry in European competitions, built on a mutual respect and a plethora of class players. I think I speak for every Chelsea fan and player when I say that I would personally love to square off against the Spanish giants again in next season’s Champions League. This series needs a conclusion—if it’s set to be a best out of three—or an extension. The foundation has been laid for an all-time great modern rivalry between two of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Both Chelsea and Real Madrid are currently trending in the right direction, which only elevates the stakes. It’s the worst kept secret in football that Kylian Mbappe will likely be joining Los Blancos this summer on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain. The Blues will undoubtedly continue to back Tuchel in the transfer market once the ownership situation is sorted out, as well. They will continue to strengthen their ranks. This is an exciting prospect to both sets of supporters as there is nothing better than squaring off against a rival with each team putting out a full-strength XI.
The seeds have been planted and the roots are now beginning to grow in the early stages of this rivalry between some of football’s most recognizable brands. Round two went to Real Madrid, but I can guarantee this will only motivate Chelsea to come back even stronger in the UCL next year. Football fans would surely be in for a treat if the Blues squared off with Los Blancos again in the knockout stages next season.
What are some of the things you took away from the second leg thriller? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!