Real Madrid will travel to Stamford Bridge for the first leg of the 2021/22 Champions League quarterfinals against Chelsea – the very same team that embarrassed the Merengues in the semifinals of last year’s competition.
Los Blancos are currently reeling after an embarrassing loss to Barcelona before the international fixtures, and they weren’t exactly good in a lucky win over Celta Vigo this past weekend. Of course, Chelsea are coming off their own blowout loss, having lost 4-1 to Brentford over the weekend.
Even so, here are three reasons why Real Madrid fans should expect a rough first night of the quarterfinals this week.
Thomas Tuchel
The first reason is just one name. Thomas Tuchel. The Chelsea manager has outwitted Real Madrid time after time, whether as the manager of PSG or Chelsea. Tuchel simply does not lose to Madrid, and he will be going up against a manager in Carlo Ancelotti who may not even be on the sidelines due to COVID-19.
Ancelotti’s biggest issue is that his initial lineup selection is usually lacking. Real Madrid suffer from a lot of slow starts. So if he cannot be on the sidelines for this match, Real could suffer from his poor initial selections without his adjustments, which usually are enough for Real to survive. (Look no further than the second leg of the Champions League Round of 16 vs. PSG.)
Tuchel is one of the best managers in the world, right up there with the likes of Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. His Champions League victory last season with Chelsea was legacy-defining, and he is incredible at maximizing his players and creating a stable defensive structure. In the first leg, Real Madrid will likely find Tuchel’s team too tough to crack.
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