Chelsea and Real Madrid will meet in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, April 7 at 1 a.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). This will be a fascinating matchup, since Real Madrid are the most successful club in Champions League history, while Chelsea are the reigning champion. Both clubs will strive to win the game in order to obtain a significant advantage over their opponent ahead of next week's crucial second tie at the Santiago Bernabeu. Let's take a look at the latest team news and a match preview for Chelsea vs Real Madrid.
Chelsea vs Real Madrid: Probable Team Lineups
Ben Chilwell is expected to miss the opening leg against Real Madrid due to injury. In addition, Callum Hudson-Odoi may miss the match owing to an injury. Christian Pulisic, who was out for the weekend encounter, should be available for this one.
Predicted Playing XI (Chelsea):
Edouard Mendy (GK), Cesar Azpilicueta (RB), Trevoh Chalobah (CB), Antonio Rudiger (CB), Reece James (LB), N'Golo Kante (CM), Jorginho (CM), Marcos Alonso (CM), Mateo Kovacic (LW), Kai Havertz (RW), Christian Pulisic (FW).
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Coach Carlo Ancelotti will most likely miss guiding his team from the sideline due to COVID-19 issues. Luka Jovic, Isco, and Eden Hazard are among the players who will almost certainly miss out due to injury.
Predicted Playing XI (Real Madrid):
Thibaut Courtois (GK), Dani Carvajal (RB), Eder Militao (CB), David Alaba (CB), Ferland Mendy (LB), Toni Kroos (CM), Casemiro (CM), Luka Modric (CM), Federico Valverde (RW), Vinicius Junior (LW), Karim Benzema (FW)
Chelsea FC vs Real Madrid CF: Head-to-Head
Both sides have met each other five times at European events. Real Madrid have never beaten Chelsea in UEFA competitions. Chelsea defeated Real Madrid three times, including a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge in the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals last season.
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Real Madrid have won the Champions League 13 times, making them the most successful side in the competition's history. The most recent Champions League title won by Madrid was in 2018. On the other hand, Chelsea have won the UEFA Champions League thrice, including last season. Portuguese striker, Cristiano Ronaldo is Real Madrid's highest scorer in the Champions League with 105 goals. Oppositely, Didier Drogba of the Ivory Coast is Chelsea's top scorer with 36 goals.
Real Madrid vs Chelsea Match Prediction
Chelsea and Real Madrid have both suffered heavy losses in their recent domestic league fixtures. Chelsea were defeated 4-1 by Brentford in their most recent Premier League encounter. It was the first time Chelsea have lost against Brentford since 1939. Real Madrid, on the other hand, was humiliated 4-0 by arch-rival Barcelona in front of their home supporters, ending a five-match unbeaten streak against the La Blaugrana. However, Los Blancos made a strong comeback in their latest La Liga encounter, defeating Cleta Vigo 2-1 away from home.
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Chelsea and Real Madrid both prefer to play in a 4-3-3 formation because it is an approach they are familiar with. However, Thomas Tuchel is known for his mastermind tactics and has a stellar Champions League record. He can outsmart Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid in a tactical tussle. Ancelotti may not be in the dugout for the first leg due to a positive COVID-19 test.
Prediction: Chelsea 1-0 Real Madrid
Verdict
Chelsea FC and Real Madrid both have some of the top footballers in the world right now. Their tactics remain fairly similar when facing decent opposition. However, both teams have struggled this season while playing tougher opponents. Chelsea's record against big sides this season hasn't been impressive, while Real Madrid eliminated PSG in the Round of 16 thanks to a fantastic performance by French striker Karim Benzema. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how both teams create a strategy to defeat one other in this Chelsea vs Real Madrid match.
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