Chelsea hangs on with ten men and gains some optimism despite Champions League schooling from Real Madrid.

Discover how Real Madrid outperformed Chelsea in their recent match with an authoritative display of technical mastery. Chelsea may have considered a 2-0 loss as a decent result, given their recent struggles, but the reality is that they are facing a formidable foe. Without careful planning, they might struggle to reclaim their footing.

Although Frank Lampard will recall their 2011-12 season, when they turned around a 2-0 deficit against Napoli, Real Madrid is not Napoli, and Chelsea is not the same team they were then. There were many lessons learned from this match.

Real Madrid played with an unmistakable arrogance, illustrating how their Champions League win elevated them to new heights. Chelsea’s defensive tactics seemed protective but left plenty of space for Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema, who shredded Chelsea’s backline with intricate moves. The match would end with a penalty awarded against Chelsea for a foul by Ben Chilwell on Rodrygo, leaving Lampard contemplating how to make up the deficit.

Real Madrid’s dominance was evident in the unprecedented amount of control they had over the game. Chelsea, in contrast, was a team in search of direction brought on by Lampard’s recent struggles. The match ended with a 2-0 scoreline which could have been worse for Chelsea. Real Madrid showed utter technical mastery throughout the game, ensuring that if there was a prize for arrogance, they’d have won it hands down. Chelsea must come back stronger to turn this deficit around.