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Chelsea 2-2 Real Madrid: 3 takeaways from contentious draw

By Caden Charpentier

MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 15: Jessie Fleming of Chelsea FC reacts during the UEFA Women's Champions League group stage match between Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC Women at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on November 15, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
MADRID, SPAIN - NOVEMBER 15: Jessie Fleming of Chelsea FC reacts during the UEFA Women's Champions League group stage match between Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC Women at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on November 15, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) /
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MADRID, SPAIN – NOVEMBER 15: Jessie Fleming of Chelsea FC reacts during the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage match between Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC Women at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on November 15, 2023 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) /

As much as we can try to focus on the performance by Chelsea Women on Wednesday, it’s almost impossible to. Refereeing is no doubt an incredibly tough job, but my goodness.

This was not how it was supposed to start. On the road, you are never expected to get a friendly whistle, but what happened Wednesday night left many stunned. There is robbery, then there was that. Credit to the Spanish side for taking advantage of a tired team, but it is about time that all of women’s football gets VAR. This is a premier example. One goal chalked off. One undeserved penalty given.

Sure, we all hate that it slows down the men’s game, but these basic missed calls will be a thing of the past. On the biggest stage in Europe, the talk of arguably the biggest UEFA Women’s Champions League match of the week was not how much quality was shown on the pitch. It was the officiating.

Put an asterisk next to this point earned. You could blame the lack of substitutions from Emma Hayes, but that does not excuse the two pitiful decisions late in the game.

Hayes was straight up honest post-game, stating, “I can’t remember the last time we were in a game like that when two humongous decisions like that have gone against us. That is a lot tonight.”

Following an unlucky goal that deflected off of Millie Bright and past Ann-Katrin Berger, the west London outfit completely dominated. The home side managed just four total shots compared to the Blues’ 20 through the 90 minutes. Sam Kerr was constantly causing the backline of Real problems, receiving quality service from Fran Kirby and Jess Carter in the first and second half respectively. Misa Rodríguez between the sticks for Madrid was massive, coming up with critical save after critical save.

The referees without question defined this game, but that should not take away from a quality performance by the west London side. It’s a tough pill to swallow, but it’s been one the club has been forced to take before.

Here are three things we took away from the game that should in the Blues taking all three points back to west London.

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