UCL 2022-23: Chelsea vs Real Madrid: Predicted lineup, injury news, head-to-head, telecast

The Blues dream for a miracle as they face the Los Blancos at Stamford Bridge in the second-leg of the Quarter-Finals

Real Madrid and Chelsea are set to renew their UEFA Champions League rivalry in the second leg of the quarter-finals of the tournament. Both teams are hoping to salvage their seasons in Europe's premier club competition after struggling in their respective domestic leagues.

Chelsea's new interim manager, Frank Lampard, suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss in his first Premier League game in charge followed by a 2-1 loss to Brighton in his second game leaving the team languishing in the lower reaches of the Premier League table. The London club risks missing out on a top-half finish in the league for the first time since the 1995-96 season. As a result, avenging last season's quarter-final elimination against Madrid could be their best chance to settle fans' nerves.

On the other hand, Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid are "Champions League specialists," having won the competition four times in the past seven years. Following a 2-0 win over Cadiz in LaLiga, the Spanish giants will enthusiastic about their chances in this clash with a 2-0 lead in place.

The stage is set for an exciting encounter between two European heavyweights, with the winners set to face either Manchester City or Bayern Munich in their Semi-Finals clash.

Kick-Off:

Tuesday, 18-04-2023, 7:00 PM (GMT)

Wednesday, 19-04-2023, 12:30 AM (IST)

Chelsea Form (All Competitions): L-L-L-D-L

Real Madrid  Form (All Competitions): W-W-L-W-W

Player to Watch Out

Chelsea: Joao Felix

Chelsea has struggled to find a standout scorer in the 2022-23 season. However, one player who could potentially make a difference for the team against Real Madrid is Joao Felix, due to his familiarity with the opposition.

Having spent four and a half years at Atletico Madrid, the 23-year-old has had ample time and opportunities to study Real Madrid's strengths and weaknesses, making him a potential secret weapon for Chelsea in the quarter-final clash.

Real Madrid: Karim Benzema

Karim Benzema, who won the Champions League MVP award last season, has been in excellent form this year, scoring 26 goals in 34 competitive games for Real Madrid. The striker will aim to continue his impressive scoring record and pick up where he left off in the first leg against Chelsea by finding the back of the net once again.

Match Facts

• Real Madrid have progressed into the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League in 18 out of 19 fixtures where they took a 2+ lead in the first-leg.
• No away team has managed to defeat Chelsea twice in the UEFA Champions league at Stamford Bridge.
• Across the last two seasons, Real Madrid were the only side to defeat Chelsea at home in the UCL.

Injury and Team News

Chelsea will miss Ben Chilwell due to suspension in the second leg against Real Madrid. Kalidou Koulibaly is also out injured, while Kai Havertz, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Carney Chukwuemeka's fitness will be assessed before a call is taken on their participation.

Thiago Silva and N'Golo Kante were rested in preparation for the game in the game against Brighton/ The two alongside Reece James, Joao Felix, and Mateo Kovacic are expected to start.

Real Madrid will have a nearly fully-fit squad for their second-leg clash against Chelsea, with the exception of Ferland Mendy, who remains a long-term absentee. David Alaba has recovered from his muscle injury and will be available for selection.

In their recent league game against Cadiz, Carlo Ancelotti opted to rest Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, leaving them on the bench. The move was made with an eye on keeping the midfield duo fresh for the upcoming fixture against Chelsea.

Head-to-head Stats

Matches – 8

Chelsea – 4

Draws – 2

Real Madrid – 2

Predicted Lineup

Chelsea Predicted lineup: 

Kepa; James, Fofana, Silva, Cucurella; E. Fernandez, Kante, Kovacic; Mudryk, Havertz, Felix

Real Madrid Predicted lineup:Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Camavinga; Modric, Valverde, Kroos; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius Jr

Prediction for Chelsea vs Real Madrid

Chelsea will need a miracle to beat Real Madrid based on their current form, Madrid without a single shred of doubt seem like the better side and no statistical record from the past is likely to stop them from steamrolling their way into the semi-finals. Frank Lampard's men will have to be on their best and then give some more if they wish to turn the 0-2 deficit in their favour.

Prediction: Chelsea 1 - 3 Real Madrid

Telecast

India – Sony Sports Network, Jio TV, Sony LIV

UK – BT Sport, BT Sports App

US – CBS Sports Network, CBS, Univision, fuboTV, Paramount+

Nigeria – SuperSport