Real Madrid draw Chelsea in Champions League Quarterfinals

Real Madrid will face Chelsea in the 2022 Champions League Quarterfinals. This is a tough draw for Madrid, as Chelsea dominated Los Blancos last season in the Semifinals. Plus, coach Thomas Tuchel will have the opportunity to get every single player ready for these two games, given that they’re not competing for the Premier League title. The first leg will be played at Stamford Bridge —likely behind closed doors as Chelsea are not allowed to sell any tickets— and the Santiago Bernabeu will host the return leg.

Here’s where the Champions League gets interesting. Madrid managed to achieve an improbable comeback win against Paris Saint-Germain in the Round of 16 and now they must try to take advantage of the situation and keep advancing in the European competition.

Ancelotti will probably have to play with four midfielders against Chelsea. The London-based club play with intensity and physicality and the usual Casemiro-Kroos-Modric midfield trio could struggle against that, as shown during last season’s meeting between the two teams. Fede Valverde or Eduardo Camavinga will likely be deployed in the lineup in order to increase Madrid’s chances of clinching their presence in the Semifinals.

If Madrid advance, they will face the winner of the tie between Manchester City and Atletico de Madrid.