Real Madrid and Chelsea played an almost perfectly evenly matched game at Stamford Bridge. Though the Blues had the majority of the possession, it was the Merengues who made their chances count, thanks to having the best striker in world football, Karim Benzema.
After his legendary hat trick in the Remontada over PSG, Benzema had another vintage performance in the Champions League, putting three past Edouard Mendy to lift his club to a 3-1 victory.
Here are the player ratings from Real Madrid’s first leg win in the Champions League quarterfinals, which could have so easily been a defeat without the heroics of their two best players, Thibaut Courtois and Karim Benzema.
GK Thibaut Courtois
We start with Thibaut Courtois, who made a few big stops, none bigger than his save of a longshot from Cesar Azpilicueta, which was just as stunning as his weekend save of an Iago Aspas free kick. Courtois is good for one of those in every match, and this big-game performance at his old stomping grounds – in front of a hostile crowd – should do well for his Ballon d’Or candidacy. No, Courtois won’t win the award – his teammate, Benzema, should – but he absolutely has a case. Real Madrid would not have won this game without him, even if you somehow want to blame him for Kai Havertz’s goal.
Rating: 8.0
LB Ferland Mendy
After a nervy first half, Ferland Mendy settled down and made more defensive plays in the second half. He’s never going to offer nearly enough attacking-wise, and that puts a lot of pressure on Vinicius Jr., who does much more to help Mendy defensively than Mendy does to help him offensively. He finished the game with three tackles, saving his best work for the second half against Hakim Ziyech.
Rating: 6.5
CB David Alaba
David Alaba did well to close down shooting angles and make recovery plays for his team, but he was not as dominant defensively as usual. You wonder if he could do a better job of marking and defending in the air, as that has been a huge problem for the Real Madrid defense as a collective. And Alaba is now the leader of this back line.
Rating: 7.0
CB Eder Militao
It is difficult to rate Eder Militao, who exited the match in the 63rd minute with an injury. There is a clear drop-off between Militao and Nacho Fernandez, even though Nacho is not a bad center back by any means. Militao was clumsy on the ball at times and made a few positional errors, but he did his job decently well enough.
Rating: 6.0
RB Dani Carvajal
Dani Carvajal really, really should have done better for the goal Kai Havertz scored, as he failed to properly mark the German international or even connect with the ball in the air. That mistake will not help Carvajal’s standing among Madridistas, as many fans believe the club legend at right back is now finished at the top level. But in fairness, he improved significantly as the game went on, making several clearances, fighting hard on the ball, and blocking a pair of shots.
Rating: 6.5
CM Toni Kroos
Although Toni Kroos worked hard for the team and even won three tackles, he was surprisingly ineffective in this game. Kroos attempted just 40 passes, with only one of those 40 passes being a key pass. And that was from a corner. From open play, Kroos made risky passes through the press that were accurate but put teammates at risk of losing the ball. He could not do anything to progress play and was rightfully substituted in the 73rd minute for Eduardo Camavinga.
In truth, we have not seen Kroos play at the highest level in a few weeks. And it has been months since we have seen him at his best. That should be of some concern for Madridistas as we head into the final months of the season.
Rating: 6.0
DM Casemiro
Casemiro absolutely owes Thibaut Courtois and Karim Benzema one. He was horrendous at times in this match with the ball at his feet, completing just 75 percent of his passes as the clear weak link when playing through Chelsea’s press. He could have gifted goals to the Blues on two occasions, and he also gave opposing midfielders too much space to make passes in the final third.
That said, Casemiro was not all bad. He continues to be vital in terms of his defensive activity, as he logged three tackles and two interceptions. But at some point, his weaknesses on the ball become untenable, and without Benzema and Courtois shining, Chelsea could have won this game. If that happened, Casemiro would have been the scapegoat.
Rating: 5.0
CM Luka Modric
Out of the three midfielders in “KCM”, Luka Modric was the most effective. He recorded two interceptions and led the team in passes attempted. He put in the most dirty work one-on-one and was more effective than his teammates at trying to move the ball up the pitch. Modric also logged an assist, sending in a looping cross to Karim Benzema that the world-class No. 9 finished exquisitely. Modric remains one of the world’s best midfielders and does not disappoint in the big games, even as his teammates left Madridistas wanting more.
Rating: 7.5
LW Vinicius Jr.
Vinicius Jr. didn’t have a pinpoint cross for Karim Benzema’s opening goal, but his assist was good enough and represented Vini making the right decision in a quick manner, which continues to be important for his development as a creator in the final third. The left winger worked incredibly hard defensively, dropping deep to help deal with the threat of Reece James. Everyone knows how important the right back is to Chelsea’s offense.
Aside from the assist, Vini was very quiet offensively, though, and you get the sense that the struggles of Toni Kroos and Ferland Mendy are weighing on Vini’s shoulders. He has such an unenviable task of being a spark out wide for Real Madrid, but he made an impact when it mattered at Stamford Bridge.
Rating: 6.5
CF Karim Benzema
By far the best player on the pitch for Real Madrid. Even accounting for one bad miss from a Jorginho gift, Karim Benzema gets another perfect 10 for a dream performance at Stamford Bridge. Without him, Real Madrid would have lost. Plain and simple.
His third goal – off a shocking error from the normally excellent Edouard Mendy – was his only easy goal. Benzema’s first two goals to start the match set the tone for the Real Madrid victory and were clearly decisive in this 3-1 win on the road. The first was a bullet of a header from a Vini Jr. cross, while the second was a more delicate, placed one from a Luka Modric cross. Both headers were aesthetic and perfect from a technical aspect, even as they were difficult chances and required very different kinds of finishes.
He truly is an inspirational figure, the perfect player for Real, and now the leading Ballon d’Or candidate (if he was not before!)
Rating: 10
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RW Fede Valverde
Fede Valverde joins Thibaut Courtois and Karim Benzema as standouts from this match without whom Real Madrid probably would not have won this game. Although Valverde’s impact on the pitch may be more subtle to the untrained eye, Madridistas understand how vital he is to the team’s success. After all, they were begging for Valverde to start in this one, and they are 100 percent glad Carlo Ancelotti did not snub him this time.
The young midfielder started on the right wing and offered more than anyone else at that position, especially in terms of his intangible qualities. Valverde’s non-stop running, pressing, recovering, and effort were especially telling in the final stages when Chelsea were pushing to close the gap from 3-1.
Rating: 7.5