‘Anything is possible’: Tuchel and Kovacic on Chelsea’s UCL quarter-final
Follow live updates as Real Madrid host Chelsea in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-finals tonight. Karim Benzema’s hat-trick at Stamford Bridge last week means the European champions are on the verge of elimination and Thomas Tuchel’s side need to overcome a 3-1 deficit at the Bernabeau to keep their title defense alive.
Tuchel had claimed the tie was almost over following the first leg loss to the La Liga leaders, but his mood will have lifted with Chelsea’s 6-0 win over Southampton on Saturday. The Chelsea coach has asked his team to leave everything on the pitch, but he will know that he must be impeccable defensively against Benzema, who is having the best season of his career and inspired the Spanish team to victory in London.
“It’s one of the biggest challenges to play as an away team at the Bernabéu,” Tuchel said before the game. “And it’s even more difficult if you have to get a certain result, if you need to win with a minimum of two goals, or even with a difference of three goals.” Follow the live updates of Real Madrid vs Chelsea below:
Real Madrid-Chelsea
Real Madrid have qualified for the knockout phase of the Champions League a record 26 times, 25 of them in a row. They have played more knockout games (108) than any other team.
They are in the European Cup quarter-finals for the 37th time, more than any other team, and have only failed six times.
miguel jones12 April 2022 19:41
Thomas Tuchel asks Chelsea to deliver ‘what makes us strong’ at Real Madrid
The Blues boss praised his side for rediscovering their poise in Saturday’s 6-0 Premier League thrashing of Southampton.
Chelsea lost their Champions League quarter-final first leg 3-1 to Real Madrid on Wednesday, after being humiliated 4-1 by Brentford the previous weekend.
Tuchel delivered a tough squad speech on Thursday, and that led to Saturday’s thrashing at Southampton.
Chelsea’s German manager declared their Champions League quarter-final almost over after Real Madrid’s defeat on Wednesday, but now he wants his team to throw it all away in Tuesday’s second leg at the Bernabeu.
miguel jones12 April 2022 19:38
Real Madrid-Chelsea
Edouard Mendy has kept 14 clean sheets in 20 Champions League starts in the competition. What would Chelsea give to make that 15 of 21 tonight?
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miguel jones12 April 2022 19:33
Premier League fan group criticizes UEFA over Champions League reform proposals
UEFA has been accused by a group of Premier League fans of not being in touch with supporters over its proposals to reform the Champions League and of seeking to create a Super League through the back door.
However, those same fans feel Uefa’s new proposals to increase the number of Champions League group stage matches from six to 10 from 2024 and reserve two qualifying berths based on historic European performance instead of national achievements they will create a “cartel” of rich clubs. and harm national competitions.
Football Supporters’ Association Premier League Network says these proposals should be rejected by UEFAwhose governing executive committee is expected to make a final decision on renewing the Champions League in Vienna on May 10.
miguel jones12 April 2022 19:30
Real Madrid-Chelsea
This is the eleventh time that Chelsea have made it to the Champions League quarter-finals and the first time they have reached this stage in consecutive seasons since 2010/11 and 2011/12.
They have progressed in eight of their previous nine ties at this stage of the competition. The only exception was against Man Utd in 2010/11 when they lost 3-1 on aggregate.
miguel jones12 April 2022 19:26
Real Madrid-Chelsea
This is the first time that Chelsea has played at the Santiago Bernabéu. When the two teams met in last season’s Champions League semi-final stage, Real Madrid’s first leg was played at their training facility, the Estadio Alfredo di Stefano, and the match ended 1-1.
The Blues have won each of the last three Champions League ties at this point, and eight of the last nine. Can you beat that record tonight?
miguel jones12 April 2022 19:22
Real Madrid-Chelsea
Thomas Tuchel has admitted that it is ‘unlikely’ that his team will be able to reverse a two-goal deficit at Real Madrid, but promises his players will give their all on the pitch. He said:
“It is unlikely [that we will turn the tie around] but it is worth trying and trying means we will play hard and at our limit because this is what we do and we never manage our input and investment for the chances of having an outcome.
“This is what it is, it’s a great night and a great match and we will try to be in better shape and condition than in the first match.”
miguel jones12 April 2022 19:18
Karim Benzema blocks Chelsea’s path to the Champions League comeback against Real Madrid
The Chelsea team is already talking about how they can do it, how it has been done before. After all, recent Champions League seasons have seen far bigger comebacks than those required by Thomas Tuchel’s side to overcome a 3-1 deficit at Real Madrid. He has been pointing out the lessons of some of them in their preparations, where the players have accelerated.
Tuchel himself inevitably changed his tone. Where he had been sorry, he is now recovering.
The Chelsea manager said his players must not “accept” elimination, and that they can do so “leaving everything we have on the pitch”.
miguel jones12 April 2022 19:15
Real Madrid-Chelsea
Karim Benzema has scored 11 goals for Real Madrid in the Champions League this season, the most by a French player in a single campaign in European Cup/Champions League history.
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miguel jones12 April 2022 19:12
Real Madrid-Chelsea
Real manager Carlo Ancelotti is seeking to qualify for the Champions League semi-finals for the eighth time, the joint most by a manager in the competition’s history, along with Pep Guardiola and José Mourinho (eight).
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miguel jones12 April 2022 19:08
Reference-www.independent.co.uk