Real Madrid 2-0 Chelsea as Benzema and Asensio punish 10-man Blues
Real Madrid defeated 10-man Chelsea 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu, moving closer to successfully defending their Champions League title.
Karim Benzema scored from close range in the 21st minute after Kepa Arrizabalaga stopped Vinicius Junior’s initial shot. Karim Benzema scored four goals during the course of the previous season’s encounter with Chelsea at the same level.
Chelsea, languishing 11th in the Premier League, carried a frequent threat on the break. Joao Felix passed up a second-minute opportunity and Thibaut Courtois made a superb reaction stop to deny Raheem Sterling shortly after Benzema’s opener.
But shortly before the hour, Ben Chilwell pushed back Rodrygo as the Brazilian winger was through on goal, making the task much more difficult for Frank Lampard’s team. Prior to next week’s rematch in London, the 14-time European champions will be in a dominating position thanks to a goal from substitute Marco Asensio in the 74th minute.
Real Madrid 2-0 Chelsea as Benzema and Asensio punish 10-man Blues
Real Madrid vs. Chelsea final score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| RMA | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| CHE | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Goals:
RMA — Karim Benzema — 22nd minute.
RMA — Marco Asensio (Vinicius Junior) — 74th minute.
On-loan Joao Felix of Atletico Madrid received a few early opportunities as a result of the hosts’ carelessness with the ball on halfway. He was unable to exploit the situation, and Benzema quickly taught him a lesson in being clinical.
Vinicius beat Wesley Fofana to an exquisite ball that Dani Carvajal sent over the top of the Chelsea defense, prodding the ball goalward. Benzema’s 26th and simplest goal of the season was left for him to touch into an empty net.
Chelsea nearly responded soon away as Sterling benefited from a combination of N’Golo Kante and Reece James down the right. Even though he didn’t make a clean contact, Courtois still had to put forth a lot of effort to turn around.
Five minutes had passed since Marc Cucurella replaced the injured Kalidou Koulibaly on the field as Rodrygo sprinted up from behind. Chilwell was compelled to accept a last-ditch challenge that put an end to his evening.
Only shipping one more goal represented a success of sorts for Lampard’s men, although they were too passive as Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Vinicius worked a short corner for Rodrygo’s replacement Asensio to drill past an unsighted Kepa.
On a night of familiar faces and reunions, former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger made a brilliant last-ditch challenge in stoppage time as fellow substitute Mason Mount eyed a reduced deficit.
