Real Madrid beats Chelsea 5-4 on aggreate to reach UEFA Champions League semis

Real Madrid saw off a stirring Chelsea fightback to book its place in the Champions League semi-finals following a 3-2 defeat after extra time in a scintillating second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday to go through 5-4 on aggregate.

Published : Apr 13, 2022 03:52 IST

Karim Benzema scored the decisive goal in extra time as Real Madrid knocked the defending champion Chesea out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals.
Karim Benzema scored the decisive goal in extra time as Real Madrid knocked the defending champion Chesea out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals.
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Karim Benzema scored the decisive goal in extra time as Real Madrid knocked the defending champion Chesea out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals.

Real Madrid saw off a stirring Chelsea fightback to book its place in the Champions League semi-finals following a 3-2 defeat after extra time in a scintillating second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday to go through 5-4 on aggregate.

Chelsea had looked on course to complete an astonishing comeback after taking a 3-0 lead in its quarter-final second leg with goals from Mason Mount, Antonio Rudiger and an excellent individual effort from Timo Werner.

AS IT HAPPENED |

Yet the host came roaring back, with Rodrygo finishing from a superb pass by Luka Modric to level the tie 4-4 on aggregate and force extra time when Karim Benzema headed home to decide a remarkable encounter.

Real Madrid will now face either Manchester City or local rival Atletico Madrid in the last four.

It was a Champions League night for the ages at a packed stadium as a brilliant Chelsea came within 10 minutes of completing a rescue act that their manager Thomas Tuchel had said was impossible to accomplish.

His team took the game to Real Madrid as it looked to turn around a two-goal deficit from the first leg and it took only 15 minutes for Mount to open the scoring from a through ball behind the defence.

 

Chelsea was even more aggressive after the break and scored its second goal in the 51st minute when Rudiger guided home a header from a Werner corner to level the tie 3-3 on aggregate.

With the visitor on top, it was only a matter of time until it scored its third which arrived in the 75th minute from a brilliant piece of individual skill from Timo Werner. Wener left two opponents on the ground before dispatching a precise shot past Courtois and inside the far post.

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Yet just when Real looked completely out of the game, Modric worked his magic, finding substitute Rodrygo at the far post with a delightful pass with the outside of his boot that the Brazilian volleyed past Edouard Mendy in the 80th to take the game to extra time.

That was the cue for Vinicius Jr and Benzema to show up and rescue Real Madrid from what would have been one of the biggest shocks they had ever suffered at home.

Vinicius worked his way inside from the left corner, and sent a lovely cross onto Benzema's head, and the Frenchman bulleted it past Mendy as the ecstatic home fans exploded with joy.

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