The reigning champions aim to take a lead at the Santiago Bernabéu before their rematch at Stamford Bridge, setting up a highly anticipated clash in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.
Real Madrid and Chelsea are set to showcase one of the competition’s marquee matchups in this stage. The defending champions are pouring everything into the home leg at the Bernabéu, chasing a decisive advantage ahead of the return in London, where a spot in the semifinals waits in the balance for the European title holders.
The Madrid side, guided by Carlo Ancelotti, arrived at this moment after a stunning 6-2 aggregate win over Liverpool, powered by Karim Benzema, who contributed a hat trick in the tie. Benzema also supplied the lone goal in the victory that sealed their progress in the rematch. Chelsea, on the other hand, earned their place by edging Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the quarterfinals.
On the domestic front, Real Madrid recently defeated Espanyol 3-1, extending their unbeaten run to five matches in a row. They remain second in La Liga with 59 points, trailing Barcelona by 13 in the title race. Chelsea arrives in Madrid following a stumble in their latest league outing at Wolves, a run that left them 11th in the Premier League with 39 points. The winner of this tie will advance to the next round to face the victor of the Manchester City versus Bayern Munich clash.
Background and head-to-head notes:
- Real Madrid and Chelsea have met in the knockout rounds of the Champions League for a third consecutive season. Chelsea took the 2020-21 semifinal, and Madrid claimed the 2021-22 quarterfinals, with both sides lifting the trophy in those respective years.
- Chelsea have lost only one of seven meetings with Real Madrid in European competition and hold the lowest percentage of defeats against the Spanish giants (14%) among teams that have faced Madrid more than five times in Europe.
- Madrid has prevailed in nine of their two-legged ties against English clubs in the Champions League, including each of the last three, notably the 2021-22 quarterfinals against Chelsea, the 2021-22 semifinal against Manchester City, and this season’s round of 16 against Liverpool.
- Chelsea have lost just one of their last nine Champions League knockout away games against Spanish opponents (W3 D5) and have not lost any of their last three away knockout ties in this matchup (W2 D1).
- Madrid have scored in every one of their last 30 knockout-stage home games in the Champions League, dating back to a setback against Barcelona in 2010-11. They had a streak of seven straight home first legs in knockouts from 2012-13 to 2017-18, but have recently failed to close out some ties when the away leg followed.
- Chelsea have notched a streak against defending champions, remaining unbeaten in six consecutive Champions League knockout matches against Madrid-era champions (W2 D4) since a loss to Porto in 2004-05.
- Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid has slipped in recent quarterfinals, losing three of their last four UCL quarterfinal ties (W1), including two home legs, with the most recent setback coming against Chelsea in the prior season.
- Raheem Sterling has tallied 27 Champions League goals, placing him second to Wayne Rooney’s 30, and Sterling has been a key contributor in Chelsea’s attack across the season, including multiple league goals for the club.
- Vinícius Júnior of Real Madrid has produced six goals and three assists in domestic competition this season, while leading in dribbles and offensive plays in Europe compared with his peers, signaling his continued threat on the wing and in dangerous wide positions.
- Karim Benzema’s last 10 Champions League goals against English clubs have all come versus Chelsea, Manchester City, or Liverpool, underscoring a notable scoring run against Premier League opponents in knockout action.
The first leg of the Quarterfinals will be broadcast live on ESPN, with regional channel assignments depending on the cable operator in use:
- VTR: 48 (SD) (Santiago) – 843 (HD)
- DTV: 621 (SD) – 1620 (HD)
- ENTEL: 212 (HD)
- BRIGHT: 174 (SD) – 474 (HD)
- GTD/TELSUR: 84 (SD)
- MOVISTAR: 480 (SD) – 884 (HD)
- YOU SEE: 508 (SD)
- ZAP: 90 (HD)
For fans preferring streaming, the match can be watched on Star Plus, with subscription options available on the Star Plus website. The service supports viewing on televisions, computers, mobile devices, tablets, and gaming consoles, providing flexible access for viewers across Canada and the United States. Subscriptions can be selected on a monthly or annual basis.
Note: all coverage and broadcasting details are subject to change based on regional availability and network rights.