Chelsea vs Real Madrid

Defending Champions League holders Real Madrid head to Stamford Bridge to encounter out-of-sorts Chelsea in the return leg of their quarter-final tie, looking to protect a comfortable 2-0 aggregate cushion.

Frank Lampard’s interim tenure in West London has been off to a woeful start, with Chelsea losing all three competitive matches by an aggregate score of 4-1. Not only are they winless in six games in the run-up to this fixture (D2, L4), but they’ve also failed to score in four of their last five competitive outings. There’s still a piece of history backing their faint hopes of pulling off a comeback, with the ‘Pensioners’ progressing from five of the last seven Champions League knockout ties after losing the first leg on hostile turf, including their last-16 success against Borussia Dortmund this season. Yet after alternating between draws (2) and defeats (2) in their last four games at the Bridge, they’re unlikely to pull off another upset.

Meanwhile, visiting Real Madrid are seemingly on the verge of a third successive Champions League semi-final qualification, having progressed from 18 out of 19 knockout ties after winning the first leg by a multi-goal margin. Carlo Ancelotti’s team followed the first-leg triumph with a 2-0 La Liga win at Cadiz, making it four wins in their last five competitive outings (L1). Another victory in London would see ‘Los Merengues’ set an unprecedented feat in the club’s history by winning a sixth straight knockout leg in the Champions League. Interestingly, their last five wins in such match-ups have all come against English clubs, including three against Chelsea! After finding the net on their last seven Champions League travels (W4, D1, L2), the Spaniards will be confident of making history this midweek.