1-1: Place in final to be decided in London

The semi-final tie between Actual Madrid and Chelsea might be selected Wednesday 5 Could at Stamford Bridge. Every little thing is to play for within the return leg after the groups served up a stalemate within the first instalment on the Di Stéfano. The 2 objectives got here earlier than the half-hour mark. Christian Pulisic struck within the fifteenth minute to place the guests within the ascendancy, earlier than Karim Benzema lashed dwelling an excellent strike to stage issues.

The primary half was performed at a rip-roaring tempo and the possibilities didn’t take lengthy to return. The primary opening of the night went Chelsea’s approach with 10 minutes on the clock. Mason Mount started a counter-attack and Pulisic’s cushioned header discovered Timo Werner, whose effort from point-blank vary was brilliantly saved out by Thibaut Courtois. Simply 4 minutes later, the guests hit the entrance, when Antonio Rüdiger performed a ball in behind the Madrid backline and Pulisic skipped across the madridista custodian earlier than side-footing dwelling.

This was the Premier League facet’s finest spell of the sport, however Madrid quickly modified the sample of the match. First Benzema went shut with a left-footed strike from distance that got here off the publish within the twenty third minute, earlier than the equaliser got here six minutes later. Toni Kroos performed a brief nook to Luka Modrić who slipped the ball to Marcelo. The Brazilian crossed to the far publish for Casemiro to flick the ball on to Militão, who in flip nodded it on to Benzema. The Frenchman managed the ball along with his head and acrobatically volleyed into the roof of the online. Zidane’s facet then went shut on 32’ when Kroos curled an effort extensive from the sting of the world. This was the final clear-cut probability earlier than the break.  

The hosts dominate

The sport modified after the restart, as each groups loved lengthy spells of possession and Actual Madrid started to use the strain. Chelsea sat deep and appeared content material to go away with a precious draw and away-goal benefit and hardly gave the hosts any areas to use. Kroos had Madrid’s finest probability when his strike from the sting of the field deflected extensive for a nook. On 88’, the ensuing nook kick, taken by the German midfielder, was headed inches extensive by Raphaël Varane. It’s all to play for within the return leg of the Champions League semi-final at Stamford Bridge.