UCL: Real Madrid ease pass Chelsea; Milan pip Napoli at the San Siro
Champions League holders Real Madrid are one step closer to retaining their title after a 2-0 defeat of Chelsea in the first leg of their quarter-final tie.
João Félix threatened for the Blues in the opening stages, but Madrid were into their stride soon enough. Vinícius Júnior was a constant thorn in the visitors’ side so it was little surprise it was he who latched on to Dani Carvajal’s pass and – on the stretch – got off a shot which Kepa Arrizabalaga could only parry into Benzema’s path: UEFA Champions League goal No90 was on a plate.
Though only Thibaut Courtois’ fine stop denied Raheem Sterling an instant riposte, the hosts cruised through the gears as the half progressed, going closest to a second when Thiago Silva cleared off the line.
Luka Modrić shot narrowly over early in the second half and any chance of a Chelsea comeback on the night looked to be over when Ben Chilwell was shown a straight red card just before the hour after bringing down Rodrygo with the Brazilian bearing down on goal.
Marco Asensio’s composed finish to make it 2-0 – Vinícius again the architect – leaves Frank Lampard’s side facing an uphill task at Stamford Bridge. They could have had a mountain to climb had Benzema not headed over late on, even if there was still time for Mason Mount to go close to halving their deficit.
AC Milan survived early pressure from Napoli to seize a narrow advantage in their all-Italian Champions League quarter-final, scoring a goal on the counterattack by Ismaël Bennacer before the visitors were reduced to ten men late on.
Perhaps motivated by their 4-0 domestic defeat in this fixture ten days earlier, Napoli set off at a blistering pace, almost scoring with less than a minute player when Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s close-range shot was blocked by Davide Calabria; Mike Maignan then had to tip André-Frank Zambo Anguissa’s strike over the crossbar.
Brahim Díaz turned the tide, launching a lightning counterattack with a superb spin on the halfway line to begin a move that culminated in Ismaël Bennacer – deployed in a more attacking position than usual – firing past Alex Meret.
The goal unsettled the visitors, who almost fell further behind when Simon Kjær headed Bennacer’s corner against the underside of the crossbar on the stroke of half-time.
The runaway Serie A leaders applied plenty of pressure throughout the second half, although that lessened after Zambo Anguissa was dismissed in the 74th minute for two bookings in quick succession.
Maignan still had to rescue Milan late on, pawing away Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s header before the unmarked Mathías Olivera went close from a cross. The Rossoneri held on, ensuring they will take a narrow advantage to Naples on Tuesday, when Napoli will also be without Kim Min-jae through suspension after the defender’s late booking.
