Chelsea became a team with tactics, work rate and aspiration for the first time in months, but it was too late as a superior Real Madrid picked them off.
In the final match that matters to the club this season, the Blues’ expensively assembled group gave the 14-time European Cup winners a scare at Stamford Bridge, before falling to another 2-0 defeat.
Chelsea bombarded Thibaut Courtois's goal at times in the second leg of this Champions League second leg, despite being a measly 11th place in the Premier League and winless in six matches.
After failing to do so last week in Madrid, Frank Lampard’s plan was this time carried out perfectly by his players. It involved pressing with intensity and switching play to the two wing backs in a 3-5-2 formation.
Vinicius Jr, who destroyed Chelsea in the first leg, was snuffed out by his man-marker Wesley Fofana, supported by the aggressive closing down of Reece James, N’Golo Kante and Enzo Fernandez in midfield.
James, in particular, wreaked havoc, crossing for the first chance of the game that was aimed at Kai Havertz but fell for N’Golo Kante, who scuffed his effort wide.
Marc Cucurella, who performed a lesser version of James’s role on the left, squandered a crucial huge himself at the end of the half, giving Courtois a choice to produce a brilliant save.
Real did not have as many opportunities as Chelsea, but Rodrygo would take his to see off an increasingly open Blues side in the second half.
Mykhailo Mudryk, Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling were thrown on late but, for this crop of players at least, Courtois proved unbeatable.
The former Blues No1 kissed his Madrid badge in front of the Matthew Harding End, relishing his pantomime villain status against his former club.
If Chelsea had a bit of luck, with Eder Militao escaping a possible second yellow card, then it could have been so different. Across both legs, though, they weren’t good enough and maybe Lampard came in too late to affect change.
Graham Potter had only come close to achieving this level of performance in the last Champions League match at home to Dortmund but they represented lesser opposition.
Todd Boehly watched on and may have a tinge of regret in not appointing Lampard sooner, despite his admirable efforts to give the previous coach time.
Chelsea could bulldoze lesser Premier League sides with this kind of display, but they have nothing left to play and the season ends here.
