Karim Benzema heads Real Madrid past Chelsea into Champions League semifinals

Karim Benzema stole the show once again as Real Madrid did just enough to eliminate Chelsea from the Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night with a 5-4 aggregate win in their quarterfinal tie.

Carlo Ancelotti's side came into the match with the upper hand after riding a Benzema hat trick to a 3-1 win in the first leg at Stamford Bridge, and despite losing the second leg 3-2 to the Champions League holders, they advanced on aggregate.

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Real Madrid 2 - 3 Chelsea; 2022 Champions League Quarter Final second leg

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel, speaking to BT Sport: "We are always [disappointed] but these are the kind of defeats we can digest and swallow as we left nothing to regret out there. We showed the quality and character this team has and deserved to go through, it was not meant to be today, we were simply unlucky.

"It is most important how we play and the input from the players - how lively did we play within a tactic, how much discipline did we have within the spaces - this was up to the fullest, so full credit to the players. To do it over 90 minutes was simply unlucky not to go through.

"I didn't see the goal disallowed andI I am very disappointed the referee does not check it by himself, I feel {over both games] it was 51 on the other side with all the decisions made but that is how it is when you play Real Madrid in the Champions League.

"There is nothing to regret. We had a huge deficit to overcome because we did big mistakes in the first leg and today both goals come from mistakes from us - they took advantage of the msitakes with individual quality and that was enough because over the two legs we did too many of these big mistakes."

Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger speaks to BT Sport: "The positive is we didn't give up. Not many teams can come and dominate them as we did. But over the two legs if you make these kind of mistakes like we did, you get punished.

"The game plan was to find our number 10s. To find the space. We found it and got the goal. We didn't panic. In the second half we did everything we could but over the two legs, as I said, you make these mistakes you get punished.

"It was a do or die for us. I think before the game not everybody thought we would have the 3-0. For them the individual class comes to light with Modric and Benzema."

#BBC Sport

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