Real Madrid crushed Chelsea’s Champions League dreams on Tuesday as Karim Benzema ensured a wild quarter-final comeback by the Blues would be for naught with his extra time winner.
Benzema secured a 5-4 aggregate victory in the 96th minute, using his head to beat Edouard Mendy for the fourth time across two legs.
Chelsea had overturned the 3-1 deficit they faced entering the game to take a 4-3 lead only to see Real Madrid break their hearts late on.
Before the game, manager Thomas Tuchel demanded better organisation from his players after a first leg throttling at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea responded with an impressive performance despite the ultimate defeat, controlling possession for long spells and keeping Benzema under wraps until extra time.
The Blues became just the second English team to score three goals away against Real Madrid in all European competitions, after Manchester United did so in a 3-3 draw in the European Cup in May 1968.
Additionally, they became just the second team in all European competitions to play more than once away to Real Madrid and never lose.
More to come…