Frank Lampard believes 'door is open' for Chelsea to overturn Real Madrid tie

Real ran out 2-0 winners at the Bernabeu after Chilwell was sent off in second half of Champions League quarter-final first leg

Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard comforts defender Wesley Fofana at the end of the Champions League quarter-final first leg defeat to Real Madrid. EPA

Frank Lampard said he believes "the door is open" for Chelsea to overturn a 2-0 deficit to Real Madrid in their Champions League quarter-final tie.

A red card for Chelsea defender Ben Chilwell just before the hour mark effectively ended any hope the team had of springing a surprise at the Bernabeu, after Karim Benzema had scored to give Real Madrid a first-half lead.

Marco Asensio fired in a second after 74 minutes to leave Lampard’s team facing a mammoth task to rescue the tie at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday, as their last hope of rescuing a wretched season hangs by a thread.

“It’s a big challenge of course, a team of the quality of Real Madrid,” said Lampard.

“The door is open, it’s up to us if we want to kick it open further."

The result meant Chelsea have failed to score in four consecutive games for the first time since 1993, with three different managers having overseen a goalless run stretching back to March 18.

Chelsea had an early sight of goal when Joao Felix raced clear of Eder Militao and fired at Thibaut Courtois, only for the former Blues goalkeeper to shovel the ball to safety.

It was to be the team’s best chance until substitute Mason Mount went through in added time but his shot was blocked by former Blues teammate Antonio Rudiger.

Karim Benzema of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring the first goal in the 2-0 victory over Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium on April 12, 2023. Getty

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema celebrates scoring their first goal with Vinicius Junior. Reuters

Karim Benzema of Real Madrid scores their first goal as Kepa Arrizabalaga of Chelsea looks on. Getty

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema scores the opening goal. AP

Marco Asensio of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring the second goal. Getty

Real Madrid players celebrate Marco Asensio's goal. Getty

Chelsea's Ben Chilwell fouls Real Madrid's Rodrygo on the edge of the box before being shown a red card. Reuters

Chelsea's Ben Chillwell is shown a red card by referee Francois Letexier. EPA

Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois and defender David Alaba react after the keeper made a save from Raheem Sterling. EPA

Kalidou Koulibaly of Chelsea leaves the field after picking up an injury. Getty

Chelsea forward Joao Felix shoots as Real Madrid's Eder Militao tries to close him down. AFP

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana battles with Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior. AFP

Chelsea's Raheem Sterling and Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga. AFP

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior in action against Chelsea's Wesley Fofana. EPA

Real Madrid's Toni Kroos tangles with Chelsea's Joao Felix. Reuters

Chelsea's caretaker manager Frank Lampard greets Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti. AP

Chelsea's Reece James stretches as he attempts to block a shot from Real Madrid's Karim Benzema. AFP

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior tries to pass the ball as Chelsea's Wesley Fofana defends in the penalty box. AP

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard and Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti before the match. Reuters

Chelsea's Joao Felix rues a missed chance. PA

Real Madrid's Karim Benzema battles against Chelsea's Thiago Silva. EPA

Real Madrid's Fede Valverde has a shot. EPA

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti juggles the ball on the touchline. Getty

Chelsea's Reece James has a shot. AFP

Real Madrid's Rodrygo and Chelsea's Thiago Silva compete. AFP

Chelsea Kepa Arrizabalaga collects the ball under pressure. AFP

Chelsea's Kalidou Koulibaly wins the ball in the air. AFP

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti gestures on the touchline as Rodrygo lies prone. AP

“Mixed emotions about the game. For a period with 11 men, we were in the game, we had some chances. I think we could do better," said Lampard.

“We can utilise our strengths better, especially with the wing-backs, we can be more urgent. Those are things for myself and the staff and the players to work on. I saw opportunity there that we didn’t quite take.

“The spirit was great at the end of the game was great – 10 men for half an hour, you understand a lot of things can happen.

“We have to believe. I have to be the first one to believe this is possible.”

Real were ruthless in dispatching the rudderless visitors, from whom the attacking life seemed to drain once Benzema had struck in what to that point had been a balanced first half.

The Real captain netted from close range after 21 minutes after Kepa Arrizabalaga tipped a Vinicius Junior effort into his path.

It was the French striker's 89th Champions League goal.

Ratings

REAL MADRID RATINGS: Thibaut Courtois - 6. The Belgian made a decent save to prevent his team going behind in the second minute. Wasn’t really tested in the second half as Madrid took full control of the match. EPA

Dani Carvajal - 6. He showed great vision to pick out Vinicius with a precise pass that led to the game’s opening goal. He later got into a needless scuffle with Kovacic and picked up a yellow card in the closing stages. Reuters

Eduardo Camavinga - 7. Struggled against James in the first half but improved greatly in the second and got forward to good effect. Brought a James run to a halt with a brilliant sliding challenge on the hour mark. EPA

Eder Militao - 8. Made a last-ditch block to stop Sterling from getting Chelsea back on level terms in the 23rd minute. Hardly put a foot wrong in the second half. AFP

David Alaba - 8. Displayed good recovery pace to get back and limit Felix’s space to do damage in the opening exchanges. Played in a dangerous cross that was punched into the path of Benzema in the 90th minute. AP

Toni Kroos - 8. Was impeccable at the base of Real Madrid's midfield. He provided adequate cover for the defence, and helped kickstart attacks from deep. Reuters

Luka Modric - 7. Fizzed a decent cross into the penalty area in the 40th minute but Alaba failed to get the right connection to turn it home. Helped Real Madrid win the midfield battle. Getty

Fede Valverde - 7. Stole the ball off the feet of Fofana and stung the palms of Kepa just before the break. Never stopped running in the second half and had a couple of pops at Kepa’s goal. EPA

Rodrygo - 7. Played a quick one-two with Benzema that ended with him forcing a save from Kepa with a shot from a tight angle. Responsible for Chilwell's red card, as he got pulled to the ground by the Englishman. EPA

Vinicius Junior - 9. Played a huge role in Benzema’s opener as Kepa parried his shot into the path of the Frenchman to tap home. Left Fofana in his wake and almost made it two but his attempt was cleared off the line in the 26th minute. Grabbed the assist for the second as he laid the ball on for Asensio to sweep home. Getty

Karim Benzema - 8. Decided to shoot when laying the ball off to Vinicius looked like the better option and was thwarted by Kepa in the 12th minute. Opened the scoring with a simple tap-in from close range after Kepa failed to hold on to Vinicius's attempt. EPA

SUBS: Marco Asensio (Rodrygo, 71) - N/A. Doubled Real Madrid’s lead with his first touch of the game with a shot from the edge of the penalty area into the far corner. Almost made it three ten minutes from time but his effort just flashed wide. AP

Antonio Rudiger (Camavinga, 71) - N/A. Made a goal-saving block in the second minute of extra time and celebrated as if he'd just scored a goal. Getty

Dani Ceballos (Modric, 81) - N/A. His ball-retaining ability under pressure was on full display as Real tried to hold on to the ball in the closing stages. AP

Aurelien Tchouameni (Kroos, 84) - N/A. Helped Real see out the game with minimal fuss. Getty

CHELSEA RATINGS: Kepa Arrizabalaga - 6. Was the busier of the goalkeepers in the first half as he made five saves and also got a hand to Vinicius's attempt that fell into the path of Benzema for the opener. Couldn’t have done anything to stop Asensio’s goal in the second half. Getty

Wesley Fofana - 5. Picked up the first yellow card of the match for a foul on Vinicius in the fourth minute. Allowed Vinicius to get past him too easily on the half hour mark. AFP

Thiago Silva - 7. Put all his years of experience to good use as he delayed a run and cleared Vinicius's attempt off the line in the 26th minute. Made several blocks in the second half as Real Madrid piled on the pressure. AFP

Kalidou Koulibaly - 6. Displayed excellent pace and strength to shield Rodrygo off the ball and stop him from running through on goal just after the break. However, he had to leave the pitch a few minutes later with an injury. Getty

Reece James - 6. Whipped in a fantastic cross that Sterling failed to get a proper connection on in the 23rd minute. Had a hard time dealing with the threat of Vinicius throughout. AFP

Ben Chilwell - 5. Wasn’t as adventurous as usual in the first half but he did a great job of keeping Rodrygo quiet. Undid all of his good work by needlessly pulling Rodrygo down as the Blues' last man and picking up a red card. Reuters

Enzo Fernandez - 6. Sat deep and went on few attacking forays, but still failed to do enough to protect the backline. EPA

Mateo Kovacic - 6. Worked hard alongside Enzo but Real Madrid’s midfield just seemed a cut above Chelsea's. AP

N'Golo Kante - 6. Played Felix in on goal with a delightful pass in the second minute. Started the game brightly and found his teammates in dangerous positions but his influence waned as the game went on. AFP

Raheem Sterling - 5. Failed to get a proper connection when James played a tantalising cross into his path in the first half. Struggled to get involved in the game, and he was subbed off in the second half. EPA

Joao Felix - 6. Had the first real chance of the game when he got played through by Kante in the second minute but Courtois was equal to his shot. Began the second half in the same vein as he had the first attempt of the half with a shot that was straight at the former Chelsea keeper. EPA

SUBS: Marc Cucurella (Koulibaly, 55) - 6. Impeded illegally by Militao when he looked to run through a play a cross into the box late in the game. Played a dangerous cross into the area that led to Mount’s late chance. AP

Kai Havertz (Sterling, 65) - 5. Worked hard after coming on but he was well dealt with by the duo of Militao and Alaba in Madrid’s defence. Getty

Trevoh Chalobah (Felix, 65) - 6. Did well to block a Vinicius shot in the 84th minute. Helped Chelsea see out the game without conceding a tie-ending third. Getty

Conor Gallagher (Kante, 75) - N/A. Was a willing runner after coming on and won the ball back a number of times. AP

Mason Mount (Silva, 76) - N/A. Denied what looked like a certain goal with a last-ditch block from Rudiger in the third minute of extra time. AP

Chilwell was shown a straight red card for pulling down Rodrygo as he ran through on goal.

Despite controlling the game, Madrid had to wait until the 74th minute for their second, with Asensio drilling home from the edge of the box after a short corner routine.

“If you don’t believe in top level sport that things will go your way … it’s a mindset and a belief,” said Lampard. “The fans will [believe]. They will come and support us."

He added: “It’ll be different next week. We’re not favourites. We weren’t favourites yesterday, we’re not favourites today. The possibilities are ours if we can take them.”

Real manager Carlo Ancelotti echoed Lampard’s words that the tie is not yet over and called on his players to show calm ahead of the return leg in London.

“I’m not exhausted, I’m quite well,” said the former Blues boss. “I have tonnes of energy. But obviously we have to suffer, it’s not simple to be on the bench even when you’re winning 2-0.

“I’m happy but we have to be calm and there’s another 90 minutes. In football, anything can happen. We have got to manage it properly and try to repeat the match we had tonight.

“We are satisfied with the result, with the performance. We’re satisfied only for tonight.

“It’s not over yet. We know really well Chelsea will try to do everything next week.”