Chelsea have one of their biggest games of the season right ahead of them. Anything less than a two-goal swing on Real Madrid and they’ll be knocked out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage.
That is all due to the immense damage done by one man in the first leg. French striker Karim Benzema, whose hat-trick surrounding Kai Havertz ’s strike has given Los Blancos a 3-1 lead to take back to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Discussing the importance of the striker, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti said: “We are dependent on Benzema, it is like that and we are not going to deny it. And I am very happy that we are dependent on Karim. That is the reality and it is a good thing.”
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That should make the mission clear for Thomas Tuchel defensively, but trying to stop the Frenchman is completely different to being able to. Not only that, but the side cannot only focus on containing him, but must also gamble to create their own chances to keep themselves in the game.
It makes for a tough balancing act, but one they must address if they are to defend their European title this season. Former player and pundit Chris Sutton believes that stopping the service to Benzema is crucial as his movement makes him tough to defend.
Discussing the game in his column for the Daily Mail, he said: “It was Benzema’s second goal which impressed me most at Stamford Bridge — the initial movement followed by the finish, heading back across the goalkeeper to score. You can see as Luka Modric’s first-time cross is played, Benzema’s body shape is such that he is poised to move one way while Thiago Silva is facing the other.
“It’s a small detail — something none of us will have noticed in real time — but so critical to how this goal was scored. The 34-year-old Frenchman isn’t the quickest but his movement is second to none.
“He knew that ball was coming from Modric and was ready for it. Stopping that service will be essential.” Although, much like mentioning the striker, stopping former Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric from creating is also easier said than done.
The Blues will be hoping they can replicate their second leg victory from last season’s semi-final to at least give themselves a chance of getting through to the final four this year. It means the first goal, as always, is so crucial and stopping Benzema and Modric is the first way of stopping that from going against the side.
