Chelsea face Real Madrid on Wednesday reeling from their heaviest defeat of the season, but Thomas Tuchel’s battle-hardened ability to keep his players focused should ensure the Champions League holders are ready for the latest test of their resilience.
Real Madrid’s trip to Celta Vigo might once have been seen as a chance to rest and reset but the Clasico capitulation has raised the stakes ahead of next week’s Champions League first leg against Chelsea.
Troubled holders Chelsea were drawn against 13-time winners Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Friday, while Manchester City will take on Atletico Madrid.
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has revealed his house was burgled during his club’s Champions League defeat against Atletico Madrid while his children were asleep in their bedroom.
Chelsea coach Thomas Tuchel praised his players for remaining focused amid the uncertainty about the club’s future after they progressed Wednesday to the Champions League quarter-finals, where he said they would be “the team nobody wants to play”.
Catch up with highlights and reactions from the Champions League as Chelsea sealed their place in the quarter-finals after clinching a 2-1 win over Lille in the return leg at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
Chelsea put their off-field troubles to one side to seal a place in the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday as a Cesar Azpilicueta goal clinched a 2-1 win at Lille in the second leg of their last-16 tie, and a 4-1 aggregate victory.
Catch up with highlights and reactions from Tuesday night’s Uefa Champions League action as Manchester United were eliminated from the competition by a dogged Atletico Madrid side, while Ajax saw their journey ended by Benfica.
Manchester United were blunted by a determined Atletico Madrid side as the Spaniards edged the Red Devils 1-0 win at Old Trafford to progress 2-1 on aggregate to the Uefa Champions League quarter-finals while Benfica knocked out Ajax.
Hear from Ralf Rangnick and Alex Telles as they look forward to Manchester United’s Champions League return leg against Atletico Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday evening.