Global Courant 2023-04-13 02:08:38
Madrid Spain.
He Real Madrid approached the Champions League semifinals this Wednesday by beating 2-0 Chelseato which the good performance of their goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga avoided a greater defeat in this first leg of the continental tournament.
Goals from Karim Benzema (21) and Marco Asensio (74) have put the team ahead Real Madrid for the return next week at Stamford Bridge, where the Blues, who finished with ten due to the expulsion of Ben Chilwell (59), will have to go out and come back.
One year later, day by day, from the party that gave the pass to the Real Madrid In the semifinals of the Champions League against Chelsea last season, the white team dominated the English team, whose objective from the beginning was to try to get out of the Bernabéu alive.
With a defense of five men and the counterattack as their main weapon, the team of Frank Lampard He was the first, however, to scare the local fans in a great run by Joao Félix, whose shot was saved by Thibaut Courtois (2).
It was practically the only occasion in which the Portuguese was seen, on loan from Atlético de Madridwho gradually disappeared from the game until he was replaced by Trevoh Chaolobah (65), amid the whistles from the Bernabéu.
He Chelsea started intense, helped by the good performance of Kante in the center of the field. The French midfielder, who had put the ball in for Joao Félix’s career, gave another scare just two minutes later (4).
– Benzema leads the way –
The Chelsea disconcerted of entry to a Real Madridwho little by little settled down and became the owner of the ball until he ended up putting Chelsea in his field.
Karim Benzema warned with a shot almost without an angle stopped by Kepa (12), before reappearing to push a ball that his teammate Vinicius (21) had left dead on the line, after finishing off a cross from Dani Carvajal.
Chelsea responded with a cross from Reece James finished off by Raheem Sterling that Courtois (23) took out after a new counterattack by the Blues, who were struggling to get out of their field.
He Real Madrid He turned all his danger back to the left wing where Vinicius ran, who was able to extend the score with a shot from almost no angle that Thiago Silva (26) took on the goal line.
The Brazilian striker was a nightmare for the opposing defenders, whom he beat in practically every one-on-one.
In full white dominance, on the brink of halftime, Fede Valverde stole a ball, started running and took a shot that Courtois (44) cut off.
The Uruguayan had been received at the start of the match with a standing ovation by the Meringue fans, after the incident last weekend with the Villarreal player Baena.
– Numerical superiority –
After the break, the Real Madrid they strengthened their dominance based on their numerical superiority after the expulsion of Chilwell by knocking down Rodrygo when he reached the rival area (59).
Chelsea, with one less, closed behind and left only Kai Havertz in front, who had come on for Sterling (65), to try to take advantage of a counterattack.
He Real Madrid He was able to increase his tally with a beautiful shot from Modric with a thread that brushed past Kepa’s squad (51), but he had to wait until minute 74 for the second to arrive.
Asensiowho had entered for Rodrygo (71), received a pass from Vinicius on the edge of the area to unleash a shot that slipped into the goal tight to the post.
The second goal was the final blow for Chelsea, who spent the last few minutes more concerned with avoiding a third white goal than with trying to close the gap on the scoreboard.
LINEUPS
real Madrid: Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Camavinga; Kroos, Modric, Fede Valverde; Rodrygo, Vinicius and Benzema.
Chelsea: Kepa; James, Fofana, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly, Chilwell; Enzo, Kante, Kovacic, Sterling and Joao Felix.
