Preview: Real Madrid clear favorites to UCL semis

0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Xinhua, April 18, 2023
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Boasting a 2-0 Champions League quarterfinal lead away to Chelsea in Stamford Bridge, Real Madrid are big favorites to qualify for the semifinals.

Goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio gave Madrid the comfortable win a week ago. The only surprise on the night was that they didn't completely put the tie to bed after Ben Chilwell's 59th minute red card left Chelsea to play the last half hour with just 10 men.

Such was Real Madrid's dominance over a team that looked a lot better on paper than they did on the pitch, that perhaps some overconfidence crept into their play after Asensio's 74th minute goal.

Carlo Ancelotti is unlikely to make any changes to the 11 that started last week, and he rested players such as Vinicius Jr, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in Madrid's 2-0 win away to Cadiz on Saturday night.

Ferland Mendy remains Real Madrid's only injury and that means Eduardo Camavinga will cover on the left, with Kroos, Modric and Fede Valverde in central midfield, while Benzema, Vinicius and Rodrygo lead the Real Madrid attack.

The only possible problem for Ancelotti is that right back, Dani Carvajal and central defender, Eder Militao have to avoid a booking that would see them miss the first leg of the semifinal.

Frank Lampard has many more problems at Chelsea, who were convincingly outplayed in a 2-1 defeat at home to Brighton on Saturday afternoon. That defeat means that (including his spell at Everton) Lampard has lost 11 of his last 12 games as a manager and raises big questions over the decision to bring him back to the club to replace Graham Potter until the end of the season.

Chilwell is suspended for the match, while Kalidou Koulibaly is out after pulling a hamstring last week, but more than anything Lampard has to mould a talented group of players into something resembling a team.

In theory, Enzo Fernandez, Matteo Kovacic and N'Golo Kante should have formed a solid block in midfield last week, but the reality was they were far from compact, allowing Madrid to tear holes in Chelsea's defense, with Vinicius giving Reece James a night to forget and Chilwell sent off for a professional foul.

Chelsea have to be more aggressive on Tuesday and Lampard could recall Mason Mount and give Conor Gallagher another start, but with Madrid's pace on the break, it is hard to see anything but a comfortable night for the reigning Champions.

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