Real Madrid 2-3 Chelsea (April 12, 2022) - The Stitch

I will start with the end of this story: Real Madrid has qualified for the semi-finals of the Champions League, the most demanding competition in the world, with a defensive line made up of Lucas Vázquez, Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Marcelo. Living example, among other issues to study... of passing the round when no one is tall and powerful. Carlo's things.

Tuchel, for his part (who, yes, in the first leg received a tactical review from which he was unable to recover) raised a tactical battle for the second leg that had already begun on the previous date with his phrase: "It is unlikely to come back, But it's worth trying". Knowingly lying, because with a simple 0-1 it automatically became a dispute. No one really believed him either.

They had to risk. And they did. We left the attack on the right for possible Valverde bursts, which they masterfully contained with their high-intensity game (and our nerves). For his strides, Kanté (far from his best version) and Kovacic, who has evolved into the expected elite midfielder we supposed he would be. We knew that a goal would put us in the tie almost no matter what had happened, but we were excessively timid, fulfilling the prediction of many that we were not going to know how to play with the 1-3 result at the Bernabéu.

I joked on Twitter saying that a goal against would be good for us to reconnect the jotajordis to the tie for future memes and loles of disappointment.

In minute 10 Vini got a good free kick that Karim didn't know how to put between the sticks (we wouldn't shoot on goal in the first half, if I didn't remember badly). And shortly after a good combination, not without fortune (the more attacks, the more Lady Fortune smiles at you, of course) brought the 0-1. Tuchel had the plan.

https://twitter.com/LigadeCampeones/status/1513959866011983877

Our pre-match survey on which player was going to be the most outstanding player of the night included Vini because a lot of the tie was about being successful in space. It was not his night, always on the edge, until extra time.

The British players continued to be aggressive, often leaving their defense unprotected. If they missed the ball, they bit a lot, and rightly so. After half an hour we had no choice but to move to the lower block, where we gained in tranquility.

The Polish arbitration was rare, in terms of yellow criteria and some decisions, but without standing out too much.

We survived the break with that 0-1, thinking that with Militao it would be another game.

The start of the second half was sweet for Chelsea. Already in minute 46, an important minute of this tie, Nacho had saved one. But in minute 49, after a corner of dubious origin, the man of the match (especially if they had won) appeared: the imperial Rudiger.

We had not yet gone into "Defense mode without centimeters" that would be later, but his shot was unappealable.

https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1513973692891635712

Equal.

It had the effect of plugging in the team and the team brought the stadium (it's very difficult to happen in the other way at the Bernabéu). The challenge was marked and this team works through challenges.

Soon Kroos almost made it 1-2, from a free kick, in minute 55 (Ngolo Kante had gotten rid of another yellow card, those little things seem unimportant, but not)

The world fell on us. It did it through one of his main styles: the law of the ex. Marcos Alonso, grandson of our five-time european champion Marquitos, benefited from a rebound to make it 0-3. The VAR annulled it, because the advantage came from his own hand. A sharp decision. And a notice that left us very touched.

Rudiger was still imperial (preventing a pass from Kroos -misguided today- to Vinicius). Another classic: minute 67 and 3/4 of the Bernabéu wondering if Carlo would have a plan. At 72 Camavinga came out, and although in everything after that he did a great performance for his age, he brought some initial imbalances that Chelsea crushed on us. Nacho tried to correct a bad position, without the forcefulness of Militao, a gap was opened and boom: 0-3.

Once again in this Champions League... suffering and seeing ourselves out. But we already wrote that this team works against challenges.

Carlo moved pieces, and it could have been fatal. Late risky changes, we went on to play with a team of short players (and even then Nacho would fall).

But sometimes life smiles, and more so if Luka Modric plays on your team. A brutal central shot (the poll in the tweet below is not deserved) and Rodrygol's shot. Goal from the Brazilian, who always claims to be a Real Madrid player scoring goals in the Champions League.

Goals and in the Champions League, there is nothing more Madridista than that. Let him continue his idyll with the competition

https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1513982300303892486

Nacho was injured, the joys lasted just long enough. And if we were already suffering each center to Rudiger, we were going to do it more.

Carlo's trick of removing Lucas and putting Carvajal in the center back is som even myself wouldnt sign in my most epic moments at FootballManager. Because here, in real life, height counts. And they were looking for Rudiger and company, so maybe it was time even to put Lunin in central. Or, call me crazy, the boy from the cantera that you had summoned. Rafa Marín, a stem of 191 cm.

It went well for him, but today it could have gone wrong for Carlo.

Extension Time. Tuchel took out a blackboard. And while we thought about centimeters, centers, life... Carlo chewed his gum watching Camavinga recover a ball and finding Vinicius. And there the Brazilian remembered all the teachings of Karim, who of course was on the spot, ready for the goal with his head, his blessed head that is the hallmark of this tie

https://twitter.com/ChampionsLeague/status/1513990502164705280

It was almost half an hour testing the side effects of Pfizer and Moderna on millions of Madrid fans around the world. Each center, each hanging ball, they were able to score, of course they were able to score.

But we had competed and we had done it again. We are the Real Madrid Football Club. ________

Congratulations to Villareal, for an excellent tie. The Champions owes them a successful semifinal.