Chelsea are out of the Champions League after a 4-0 aggregate loss to defending champions Real Madrid with striker Rodrygo on target twice sending the Blues to a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud missed a penalty and then netted the crucial goal to send AC Milan into their first Champions League semi-final for 16 years, by beating Napoli 2-1 on aggregate.
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Chelsea 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge; Scorers: Rodrygo 58′, 80′
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Frank Lampard’s side needed to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg to have any hope of advancing into the semi-final.
However, Real Madrid was way good in London to cruise past Chelsea and secure their place in the Champions League semi-final making it UEFA record 32nd time.
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Rodrygo scored the first goal in the 58 minute with the Brazilian adding his second with another simple finish after Federico Valverde had made it through Chelsea’s static defence in the 80’.
Madrid showed their dominance after two goals silencing Stamford Bridge, underlining Madrid’s superiority and setting up the stage for a semi-final against Manchester City or Bayern, where City have a 3-0 first-leg lead over Bayern Munich.
This becomes Chelsea’s three consecutive defeat following Lampard’s appointment as caretaker boss. Chelsea Started positively on the night but, in a bad season run, they still failed to take their chances, with N’Golo Kante spurning their two best opportunities.
The Blues are currently 11th in the Premier League table and 17 points off the Champions League spots with only seven games left to play, now face a season outside of Europe’s premier competition, leaving them with little to play for in the remaining weeks of the campaign.
Real Madrid’s reign as the kings of Europe continues into another Champions League semi-final and they will pose a massive as they not only have the competition’s most successful manager in four-time winner Ancelotti but possess a team of such vast experience that knows exactly how to get the job done.
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Chelsea’s stats
Chelsea has lost four consecutive matches in all competitions for the first time since a run of six in October and November 1993.
Chelsea has failed to score in 18 different matches in all competitions this season, their most in a single campaign since 1980-81 (21).
This was Chelsea’s second biggest aggregate margin of defeat in a Champions League knockout tie (0-4), after losing 7-1 over two legs against Bayern Munich in the 2019-20 round of 16.
Real Madrid has reached the Champions League semi-finals for the 11th time in the last 13 seasons.
With 10 goals and 11 assists (including setting up Rodrygo’s opener tonight), Vinícius Junior has been involved in 21 goals in his last 21 Champions League appearances for Real Madrid.
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Frank Lampard to BT Sport:
“We played really well for 60 minutes and maybe it’s normal after the goal, at 3-0 in the tie we made some changes to go for it, it’s normal how the game pans out. But for 60 minutes, we had really good chances and at this level you get them, you have to take them.
“You don’t want to praise the performance too much when you lose at this level because it’s finite. It’s what it is but where we have been this season and what we are and what we have to work towards is a club that has been in this position and further many times.
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“It wasn’t our night, some players will take that tonight and understand what it is at that level.
Napoli 1-1 AC Milan (1-2 aggregate): Olivier Giroud puts Rossoneri into Champions League semi-finals for the first time in 16 years
Drama for Olivier Giroud as he missed a penalty and then scored the crucial goal to send AC Milan into their first Champions League semi-final for 16 years, by beating Napoli 2-1 on aggregate.
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Milan arrived in southern Italy with a one-goal advantage and thought they had missed their best chance to double that lead when Giroud’s spot-kick was saved by Alex Meret just after the hour-mark.
AC Milan reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since winning the competition in 2007 as they saw off Serie A rivals Napoli in an incident-packed game.
Milan could face Inter Milan in the last four, with their city rivals going into Wednesday’s second leg with Benfica holding a 2-0 lead.
Napoli dominated but Milan won a penalty with one of their first attacks, although Olivier Giroud’s spot-kick was saved by Alex Meret.
The veteran Frenchman got the opening goal, though, to make it 2-0 on aggregate when he tapped in following a sensational 70-yard run by Rafael Leao to set him up.
Napoli was then gifted a way back into the game when Fikayo Tomori handled in the box, but visiting keeper Mike Maignan saved Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s penalty.
They did eventually score, through a Victor Osimhen header with seconds remaining in the match – and there was not enough time to create another chance.
Napoli is 22 points clear of Milan in the league table, has lost form at a critical time and failed to take a host of opportunities, with 39 efforts across both legs.
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Stefano Pioli’s side has clearly focused on this competition, having rested all 10 outfield players in last weekend’s Serie A draw with Bologna.
