Real Madrid News
Five key stats ahead of Real Madrid vs Chelsea | UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid will lock horns with Chelsea in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals at Santiago Bernabeu. This clash between two of Europe’s elite clubs promises to be an exciting encounter, with both sides aiming to secure a vital advantage ahead of the return leg.
One of the biggest assets for Real Madrid heading into this contest is Karim Benzema. The French striker has a phenomenal record against English clubs, having scored 19 goals in 26 matches against them. His best scoring average is against Chelsea, with five goals in four games against them, followed by Liverpool and Manchester City.
Benzema has also been in scintillating form in the knockout stages of the UCL, scoring 13 goals in his last eight knockout matches, four of which came against Chelsea.
Chelsea, though, have been no pushovers against Spanish clubs in recent times, having lost just one of their last nine away matches in the Champions League knockout phase against a Spanish opponent. They have won three of those matches and drawn five.
Real Madrid and Chelsea have faced each other seven times in European competition, with Chelsea having won three, Real Madrid winning just one and three matches ending in draws.
Chelsea have also won two major European trophies against Real Madrid in the past – the 1971 Cup Winners’ Cup and the 1998 European Super Cup.
Chelsea have also not lost a match in their last two visits to Real Madrid’s home ground. One was at the Valdebebas in the 2020/21 semifinals and the other was at the Bernabeu, in last season’s quarterfinals.
Real Madrid will be hoping to break Chelesa’s resilience when these two sides meet each other once again at the Bernabeu this evening.
Real Madrid are looking towards a heavy splurge in the coming summer transfer window. After all, they do not even have another option given the sheer number of player departures already finalized.
Los Blancos have lost the services of Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz, and Eden Hazard over the past week. While three of the four players predominantly featured on the bench, their presence in the squad gave Carlo Ancelotti’s side much-needed depth and a cushion of sorts.
The forward unit is, thus, the most prioritized department ahead of the transfer window. However, pieces are beginning to fall apart on other fronts and could potentially put the club in a difficult situation.
According to reports from Gianluca Di Marzio, Juventus are eyeing Lucas Vazquez and hope to sign him in the coming month. Contacts between the two parties have begun and the transfer fee discussed appears to be around the €6 million to €8 million ballpark given that he has just one year left on his contract.
The player, for his part, is willing to sign for the Italian giants given his relative lack of minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu. At 31 years of age, he understandably does not want to play a second-fiddle role.
Vasquez played part in 23 of Real Madrid’s 38 La Liga games last season, starting only on 12 occasions. Even in his few appearances, he averaged a mere 50 minutes per game.
The veteran completed the season with four goals and an assist to his name. Further, he averaged five defensive actions and a key pass in every game and feels hard done by his limited role.
Vazquez’s departure would place the club in a tricky situation as it would leave Real Madrid with only Dani Carvajal as a natural right-back option. Nacho Fernandez could, in theory, serve as the backup but a new signing for the position cannot be ruled out.
