Real Madrid 2-0 Chelsea: Benzema, Asensio Score to Help Los Blancos dominate first-leg of UCL Quarter Finals

Ayushmaan Srivastava April 13, 2023

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Real Madrid put on an impressive display in their first-leg match against Chelsea in the Champions League quarterfinals at Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. The reigning champions of the competition secured a 2-0 win against the English side, with goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio.

Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti praised his team’s performance, stating, “We played a good game, we deserved to win, and now we have to play with the same intensity in London.” Meanwhile, Benzema emphasized the importance of staying focused and working hard in the second leg, saying, “It was a good win, but it’s not over yet.”

Benzema Scores First Goal as Madrid Triumphs Over Chelsea at Santiago Bernabeu

Despite a strong start from Chelsea under new caretaker manager Frank Lampard, Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois denied Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling’s early attempts. Madrid’s dominance eventually paid off when Benzema scored the first goal of the match after pouncing on a loose ball in front of goal just after 20 minutes. “It was a great goal by Benzema. He’s a fantastic player, and he showed it again tonight,” Ancelotti praised.

Carlo Ancelotti becomes the Real Madrid manager with the most Champions League wins in history 👑#UCL pic.twitter.com/5RERwmXCM5
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 12, 2023

Asensio’s Powerful Shot Secures Madrid’s Second Goal and Victory

In the second half, Madrid continued to look far stronger than Chelsea, and the English side’s job became even harder when Ben Chilwell was shown a straight red card for hauling down Rodrygo from behind as he rushed toward goal.

Lampard admitted that it was a difficult decision but stated, “We have to keep fighting.” Asensio replaced Rodrygo in the 71st minute and secured Madrid’s second goal with a powerful shot from the top of the penalty area.

Despite the convincing first-leg victory, Ancelotti acknowledged that the job was far from done and that Madrid would have to fight for another 90 minutes in the return leg at Stamford Bridge. “It’s only halftime. We have to be focused and play with the same intensity in the second leg,” Ancelotti stated.