With Real Madrid trying crushed and on the verge of elimination after a fierce comeback by defending champion Chelsea, Karim Benzema got here up large as soon as once more within the Champions League.
Having scored a hat trick within the first leg to provide Madrid a 3-1 lead, Benzema spoiled the English crew’s comeback by netting the decisive aim in additional time on Tuesday to place the Spanish membership again into the semifinals. After trailing 3-0 at residence, Madrid pulled two objectives again to safe a 5-4 combination victory regardless of a 3-2 loss on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
“It was another incredible night at the Bernabeu,” stated Madrid midfielder Luka Modric, who arrange the hosts first aim. “We suffered but we never gave up. We kept fighting until the end and managed to advance. We gave everything we had and showed great character.”
Benzema additionally saved Madrid within the spherical of 16 by scoring a second-half hat trick in a 3-1 win in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain after Madrid had misplaced 1-0 in Paris and conceded early on the Bernabeu.
Benzema’s twelfth Champions League aim this season got here with a header off a cross by Vinicius Junior six minutes into additional time.
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, left, and Chelsea’s Thiago Silva soar for the ball throughout the Champions League, quarterfinal second leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea on the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
The hosts had appeared defeated after taking place 3-0 in regulation, however substitute Rodrygo evened the combination rating within the eightieth and Madrid discovered a option to attain the final 4 for the tenth time within the final 12 seasons.
Chelsea had overpowered Madrid early and constructed a lead by means of objectives by Mason Mount within the fifteenth, Antonio Rudiger within the 51st and Timo Werner within the seventy fifth.
“Not many teams can come here and dominate them, as we did,” Rudiger stated. “Over the two legs, if you make the type of mistakes that we did, you get punished.”
Madrid will subsequent face both Manchester City or Atletico Madrid, which play on Wednesday within the Spanish capital with City defending a 1-0 lead from the primary leg.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has reached the Champions League semifinals for the eighth time as a supervisor, equaling the file held by Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola.
Referee Szymon Marciniak, left, provides Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema a yellow card throughout the Champions League, quarterfinal second leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea on the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
“We suffered a lot,” Ancelotti stated. “In the end, after the 180 minutes, I think we deserved to advance.”
In the opposite quarterfinal on Tuesday, modest Spanish membership Villarreal superior previous Bayern Munich 2-1 on combination after a 1-1 draw within the second leg in Germany.
The loss will add to Chelsea’s off-the-field turmoil amid the pressured sale of the membership after sanctions in Britain in opposition to oligarch proprietor Roman Abramovich following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Chelsea had eradicated Madrid 3-1 on combination in final yr’s semifinals en path to its second Champions League title. But Madrid couldn’t play on the Bernabeu that point as a result of the venue was present process main renovation work. Instead, the primary leg was on the small Alfredo Di Stefano Stadium within the membership’s coaching heart, a match that ended 1-1 earlier than Chelsea received 2-0 in London.
On Tuesday, the defending champions appeared the extra harmful crew throughout a lot of the match however either side had alternatives in a high-intensity encounter that went back-and-forth towards the top of regulation.
Chelsea’s American substitute Christian Pulisic had two good probabilities for a decisive aim in stoppage time however couldn’t capitalize on them. The guests additionally had a few alternatives later in additional time as they pushed for a aim that may take it to penalties.
The English facet acquired a dream begin when Mount opened the scoring after fast touches by Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Werner caught the Madrid protection off guard and left the ahead with a straightforward shot from inside the realm.
The guests acquired the second with a agency header by Rudiger off a nook by Mount, and so they thought they’d one other within the 62nd after Marcos Alonso scored from inside the realm, however the aim was known as again after video evaluation due to a handball.
Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, left, scores his facet’s second aim throughout the Champions League, quarterfinal second leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Chelsea on the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Tuesday, April 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Instead, the third aim got here when Werner scored from shut vary after a pleasant transfer to go previous defenders in entrance of the web, however Madrid roared again 5 minutes later with a volley by substitute Rodrygo. It was arrange by an beautiful go by Luka Modric with the surface of his boot after Chelsea captain N’Golo Kante gave the ball away with a foul go close to the sideline.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had made a great save to disclaim an try by Kai Havertz a couple of moments earlier.
Benzema, who struck a header off the crossbar within the 66th, had been largely contained as Madrid struggled to maneuver the ball into assault and stored giving Chelsea alternatives.
But one good probability in additional time was all he wanted to make the distinction as soon as once more.
