Chelsea vs Real Madrid: Which side will earn spot in the final?
Chelsea will be hoping to feature in this season’s Champions League final, but first they’ll need to see off Real Madrid on Wednesday evening.
The Blues have one foot there thanks to an impressive goal from American star Christian Pulisic and now they’ll need to ensure that Zinedine Zidane’s men don’t find a way back into the tie after Karim Benzema’s goal gave them a life-line. This will be the fifth meeting between Chelsea, who won their first – and only – Champions League title in 2012, and Real Madrid, who are the continent’s most decorated side in this competition with a whopping 13 titles to their name. But so far, the London giants have yet to lose to the Spaniards in any of their four prior meetings, so it goes without saying that Thomas Tuchel will be hoping to keep that solid run going as the Blues are just 90 minutes away from an all-English final in Istanbul.
Both Chelsea and Real Madrid come into this match having secured wins in their respective domestic fixtures. The Blues eased to a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Fulham, while Los Blancos picked up an academic victory over Osasuna, also by the same score-line. As thing stand, both teams are in good stead to secure Champions League football for next season. Real currently sit in second spot, and could even pip city rivals Atletico Madrid to the La Liga the La Liga title as they sit two points behind with four matches left to play.
Meanwhile, Chelsea presently find themselves in fourth spot, and third isn’t out of their reach either if they can make up some of the ground between themselves and Leicester City. Notably, Tuchel’s arrival has seen Chelsea really tighten things up at the back. In fact, Benzema’s goal was the sole one Chelsea had conceded in their last five matches across all comps. That being said, Real Madrid are, well, Real Madrid. They aren’t rated as one of the best teams in the world just for the sake of it, and Los Blancos arrive in London in top form. They’ve already done a double over bitter rivals Barcelona, beating them home and away in both El Clasico meetings this season and are presently on a 19 game unbeaten streak across all comps.
Real Madrid may not have won the Champions League since 2018, but they did become the first team to win three in a row – and all under Zidane’s tenure. They’re aiming to reach their 17th final, and 13 of the last 16 have concluded with them winning it, so if they do manage to win here – and one would be remiss to count them out – Manchester City certainly will be not exactly celebrating about the proposition of facing them in Istanbul, either.
So, will it be Chelsea to book what would be a very interesting all-English affair and a chance for Tuchel to win his first Champions League trophy? He’d follow in the very interesting steps of Roberto Di Matteo, who was appointed mid season and guided the Blues to the title. Or will Zidane bring Real Madrid back to the final and set up a tantalizing clash with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City?
