Real cruise past Chelsea into Champions League final four

A Rodrygo double has guided defending champions Real Madrid into the final four of the Champions League.
Photo: Photosport

Holders Real Madrid have breezed past Chelsea into the semi-finals of the Champions League a 2-nil win at Stamford Bridge for a 4-nil aggregate victory that sets up a likely clash with Manchester City.

Trailing 2-0 from last week’s clash in the Bernabeu, Chelsea had their moments but failed to take their chances in the opening half and at the start of the second and were made to pay as a double from Rodrygo sent the Spaniards through.

He opened the scoring in the 58th minute and tapped in again in the 80th to spark a mass exodus of Chelsea fans.

N’Golo Kante had twice come close to cutting the deficit and Real’s former Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois made a crucial save just before halftime to frustrate his old club.

And when Rodrygo finished off a sweeping counter-attack there was no way back for the London club who have lost all four games since Frank Lampard returned as interim manager.

Chelsea’s Ngolo Kante.
Photo: Shaun Brooks

It is the first time Chelsea have lost four games in a row since 1993.

The closing stages were almost academic and Real turned on the style with Federico Valverde teeing up Rodrygo’s second.

While Chelsea’s season will end trophy-less under their new American owners despite a 500 million pounds ($US621 million) outlay on new players, 14-times European champions Real march on with manager Carlo Ancelotti eyeing the trophy for a fifth time.

Manchester City lead Bayern Munich 3-0 heading in to their quarter-final second leg on Thursday.

-Reuters