简体中文
Of all the moments that summed up Chelsea's sumptuous masterclass against Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final on Wednesday, one tongue-in-cheek anecdote stood out and captured the irony of this thrilling encounter.Eden Hazard, who remained anonymous throughout and a shadow of his former self for Real, was caught laughing hysterically with Chelsea defender Kurt Zouma at full time. You could be forgiven for thinking that the expensive Madrid flop had just bagged a hat-trick and effortlessly sent Los Blancos into another European final.Alas, the opposite was true. Hazard and his teammates were utterly outclassed by their Premier League counterparts, who assumed dominance across two legs and could have scored far more than three if they were more clinical in front of a goal.Real Madrid are not the intimidating powerhouse they once were. This is the third year they have failed to reach the final and the second in a row they have been schooled by a ruthless English opposition. Last time around, the Spanish giants were overwhelmed by Manchester City in the round of 16 and they were extremely fortunate to escape another thrashing.
Real Madrid's Eden Hazard endures another disappointing night during their Champions League clash with Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge in London, England, May 5, 2021. /CFP
"Chelsea were the better team. We have no excuses," admitted Real midfielder Casemiro. The sadness was echoed by their manager Zinedine Zidane. "We didn't have any clear chances," he observed. "They made a number of them and that's football. We fought and tried but they deserved to win and go through."
Real's troubles are far from over. Their president Florentino Perez was widely ridiculed for being the mastermind of the ill-fated European Super League and could face inquiry and punishment from football authorities. Their captain Sergio Ramos and Luka Modric are both out of contract this summer, even the future of Zidane is uncertain as the French tactician has repeatedly refused to address questions regarding his contract extension.
In sharp contrast, Chelsea have gone through a remarkable transformation after Thomas Tuchel was hired to replace Frank Lampard as manager less than four months ago. Key cogs such as N'Golo Kante, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, and Timo Werner all rediscovered their form in time and excelled in the biggest game.
Despite a stuttering start of the season, Chelsea have lost just two of Tuchel's 24 games in charge to move into pole position to qualify for next season's Champions League via a top-four finish in the Premier League even if they fail to beat Manchester City in Istanbul on May 29.
Chelsea fans celebrate outside the ground after beating Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinal at Stamford Bridge in London, England, May 5, 2021. /CFP
Tuchel will be tempted to make up for last season's final loss with PSG and he has already shown he had what it takes to outplay after Chelsea's 1-0 win in the FA Cup semi-final."I felt it was an amazing club from the first day," beamed Tuchel, who is going back to the Champions League final for a second consecutive season. "I felt huge support from day one. I am very grateful to be at the sideline of this team. The heads were never down, they always stayed positive and never regretted anything. The job is not done yet. We are in two finals now and the sacrifice I personally gave was worth it since day one."Ahead of the game against Real, Lampard's name was chanted by Chelsea fans, who still consider it too harsh to sack their club legend and gathered outside Stamford Bridge to make their voice heard. But given the incredible progress the Blues have displayed so far on the pitch, it won't be too long before Tuchel is adulated and treated as one of their own.
(CGTN)
