Rodrygo double dumps Chelsea out of Europe
FLYER: Real Madrid's Rodrygo, left, is fouled by Chelsea's goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga after scoring his side's second goal. Pic: AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
FRANK Lampard was forced to bow to the inevitable as Chelsea exited the Champions League and effectively drew a line under a disastrous and painful season.
It was always going an unlikely turnaround to recover a two-goal deficit against the holders although for almost an hour there was hope.
Lampard’s side threatened but their familiar failings in front of goal meant they were unable to gain the foothold that might have allowed them to level the tie. As it was, they were undone by two typically incisive moves that were both finished by Rodrygo as Real Madrid eased their way into the semi-finals having doubled the aggregate advantage.
This was a fourth successive loss for Lampard since he returned to take interim charge - the club’s worse run since 1993 - and while there were plenty of positives from an improved performance, the outcome only served to underline the work that needs to be done at Stamford Bridge this summer, including the appointment of a permanent manager.
Co-owner Todd Boehly is reported to have entered the dressing room after Saturday’s defeat to Brighton and described the club’s 11th place standing in the Premier League as an “embarrassment”.
An analysis of the failure to add to the forward options in the squad despite a £600 million recruitment drive might provoke a similar response.
Lampard’s task on Tuesday night was to fashion a team that would pose a meaningful attacking threat.
The interim manager made changes in a bid to find the combination that might finally offer a cutting edge. Out went Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling from the side that started the first leg with Kai Havertz chosen to lead the attack supported by Conor Gallagher. If Lampard needed a reminder of Chelsea’s failings, it was there in the statistic that his starting line-up had scored a combined total of 17 goals in all competitions this season, with nine of those coming from Havertz.
Lampard confirmed before kick-off that his aim had been to inject energy into his side, knowing that their best hope of progress was to unsettle the holders. And had Kante showed more composure, Chelsea would have established a tenth minute lead. A crossfield ball found James in space on the right, allowing a low cross to be played in towards Havertz whose shot was blocked. The ball broke for Kante who had time and space but snatched at the chance and the opportunity was gone.
The home side struggled to create an opening as inviting as that one until the final seconds of the first half when Real’s former Chelsea keeper Thibaut Courtois saved superbly from Cucurella’s shot when the wing-back was left unmarked at the far post. But they did enough to maintain the belief that a comeback remained possible.
The threat of course was that their efforts would leave them vulnerable defensively.
Wesley Fofana did a better job of dealing with the threat of Vinicius than he had in Spain six days previously but the interplay between Real forwards meant they inevitably created chances and Rodrygo was unfortunate to see a powerful angled shot strike the post.
Luka Modric drew a good save from Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Vinicius spurned his side’s best opportunity when he sliced a close range volley wide from Modric’s inviting cross.
The goals may not have come but Lampard’s strategy was working but there was a lingering feeling Cucurella’s miss in particular might prove decisive.
Another chance for Kante early in the second half - this time well blocked by Eder Militao - maintained Chelsea’s momentum but too often Havertz dropped deep or drifted wide to leave Lampard’s side with a focal point at a time when they needed a much stronger attacking presence. Nor did it help Chelsea’s cause that the quality of their delivery from set-pieces was frequently dismal.
There was little margin for error at both ends of the pitch for Chelsea and their hopes were effectively extinguished when Trevoh Chalobah failed to prevent Rodrygo breaking free on the right just before the hour.
The forward picked out his fellow Brazilian Vinicius who kept his composure to play a return pass in a rapidly filling six-yard box and Rodrygo calmly slotted past Kepa.
And with ten minutes to go Rodrygo added the second after being set up by Federico Valverde.
Arrizabalaga 6; Fofana 7, Thiago Silva 7, Chalobah 5; James 8, Kante 7, Fernandez 5 (Sterling 67, 6), Kovacic 6, Cucurella 6 (Mudryk 67, 6); Gallagher 7 (Joao Felix 67, 6), Havertz 5 (Mount 77, 6).
Mendy, Azpilicueta, Hall, Chukwuemeka, Loftus-Cheek, Zakaria, Pulisic, Ziyech,.
Courtois 7; Carvajal 6 (Nacho 81, 6), Militao 7, Alaba 5 (Rudiger 45, 6), Camavinga 6; Valverde 6, Kroos 7 (Ceballos 76, 6), Modric 8; Rodrygo 8 (Asensio 81, 6), Benzema 5 (Tchouameni, 71, 6), Vinicius Jr 6.
Lunin, Luis Lopez, Vallejo, Hazard, Odriozola, Lucas, Mariano.
Daniele Orsato (Italy) 6
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
