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![Rodrygo (right) scores for Real Madrid to give them a 3-0 aggregate lead over Chelsea](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/12214/production/_129406247_gettyimages-1251957759.jpg)
Chelsea’s hopes of salvaging success from a season of abject mediocrity were ended ruthlessly by Real Madrid as the holders advanced into the Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues were always battling against the odds to overturn a 2-0 deficit from the first leg in the Bernabeu and their cause was not helped by a familiar failing as a battling performance was undermined by missing a succession of clear chances.
N’Golo Kante missed a glorious first-half opening while Marc Cucurella was blocked by former Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois when he looked certain to reduce Real’s advantage.
The Spanish champions had moments of their own and there are few sides more adept at making opponents pay for wasted opportunities and so it proved.
A lightning counter attack led by Vinicius Junior ended with Rodrygo putting the tie to bed with a close-range finish just before the hour
The Brazilian forward then walked in the second after brilliant, unselfish work by Federico Valverde with 10 minutes left.
Carlo Ancelotti’s quest for an historic fifth win as a coach in this tournament will continue with a semi-final against either Bayern Munich or Manchester City while Chelsea’s interim manager Frank Lampard, who now has four defeats from four games, must somehow lift the grim mood of despair around the club.
Chelsea flaws exposed again
![Thibaut Courtois produces a superb save to prevent Chelsea's Marc Cucurella scoring against Real Madrid](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/onesport/cps/624/cpsprodpb/C3F0/production/_129406105_gettyimages-1483120616.jpg)
In among the many mistakes made by Chelsea’s new ownership group led by Todd Boehly, one of the most obvious is shelling out ยฃ600m in a madcap transfer spree but failing to acquire someone who deals in the most precious commodity of all, namely goals.
Chelsea gave a very decent performance here, certainly the best of Frank Lampard’s short reign, but a painful lack of end product meant there was almost an air of inevitability they would eventually be punished by the street wisdom and quality in Carlo Ancelotti’s side.
Kante had Chelsea’s best opportunities while Cucurella and substitute Mykhailo Mudryk also failed to cash in on good positions, although the latter’s chance came with only minutes left and the tie over.
Chelsea are currently languishing in 11th place in the Premier League. They will not be in the Champions League next season, a big pull for potential purchases, while Boehly and the Clearlake group must find a manager to mend the fractures in the club after the sackings of Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter this season.
It will have to be ambition and reputation that lures that man because all the elite names who may come into contention will invariably wish to ply their trade in the Champions League.
Lampard will need to show some serious powers of motivation to inspire an upbeat end to the season at a club that has lost its way.
More to follow.
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Chelsea
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Squad number1Player nameArrizabalaga
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Squad number14Player nameChalobah
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Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva
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Squad number33Player nameFofana
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Squad number24Player nameJames
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Squad number5Player nameFernรกndez
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Squad number8Player nameKovacic
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Squad number32Player nameCucurella
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Squad number7Player nameKantรฉ
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Squad number23Player nameGallagher
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Squad number29Player nameHavertz
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Squad number11Player nameJoรฃo Fรฉlix
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Squad number15Player nameMudryk
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Squad number17Player nameSterling
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Squad number19Player nameMount
Line-ups
Chelsea
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 14Chalobah
- 6Thiago Silva
- 33Fofana
- 24JamesBooked at 50mins
- 5FernรกndezSubstituted forSterlingat 67′minutes
- 8Kovacic
- 32CucurellaBooked at 34minsSubstituted forMudrykat 68′minutesBooked at 89mins
- 7Kantรฉ
- 23GallagherSubstituted forJoรฃo Fรฉlixat 67′minutes
- 29HavertzSubstituted forMountat 77′minutes
Substitutes
- 10Pulisic
- 11Joรฃo Fรฉlix
- 12Loftus-Cheek
- 15Mudryk
- 16Mendy
- 17Sterling
- 19Mount
- 20Zakaria
- 22Ziyech
- 28Azpilicueta
- 30Chukwuemeka
- 67Hall
Real Madrid
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Courtois
- 2Carvajal RamosSubstituted forNachoat 82′minutes
- 3MilitรฃoBooked at 22mins
- 4AlabaSubstituted forRรผdigerat 45′minutes
- 12Camavinga
- 15Valverde
- 8KroosSubstituted forCeballosat 76′minutes
- 10Modric
- 21RodrygoSubstituted forAsensioat 81′minutes
- 9BenzemaSubstituted forTchouamรฉniat 71′minutes
- 20Vinรญcius Jรบnior
Substitutes
- 5Vallejo
- 6Nacho
- 7E Hazard
- 11Asensio
- 13Lunin
- 16Odriozola
- 17Vรกzquez
- 18Tchouamรฉni
- 19Ceballos
- 22Rรผdiger
- 24Mariano
- 26Lรณpez Andรบgar
- Referee:
- Daniele Orsato
- Attendance:
- 39,453
Live Text
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Match ends, Chelsea 0, Real Madrid 2.
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Second Half ends, Chelsea 0, Real Madrid 2.
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Attempt saved. Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Federico Valverde.
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Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Vinรญcius Jรบnior (Real Madrid).
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Hand ball by Wesley Fofana (Chelsea).
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Attempt missed. Joรฃo Fรฉlix (Chelsea) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Mateo Kovacic.
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Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea).
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Luka Modric (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Offside, Chelsea. Mason Mount tries a through ball, but Mykhailo Mudryk is caught offside.
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Offside, Real Madrid. Marco Asensio tries a through ball, but Vinรญcius Jรบnior is caught offside.
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Foul by Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea).
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Nacho (Real Madrid) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Vinรญcius Jรบnior (Real Madrid).
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Raheem Sterling (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid).
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Attempt saved. Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt blocked. Joรฃo Fรฉlix (Chelsea) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Mateo Kovacic.
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