Chelsea

Minute-by-minute report: Join Barry Glendenning for updates as Chelsea look to repeat last season's success over the 13-times European Cup winners.

Chelsea host Real Madrid in the first leg of a mouthwatering quarter-final match-up that is nigh on impossible to call. The occasion is special and the opponent is special. Christian Pulisic is back in contention for a place in the starting line-up after being rested over the weekend following his late return from international duty with the USA. Ruben Loftus-Cheek may make way from the side that lost against Brentford for Mateo Kovacic or Jorginho. 1 min: Chelsea get the ball rolling and it is sent wafting towards the right touchline. They line up either side of French referee Clement Turpin and his team of match officials ahead of the Champions League anthem, which is drowned out by noise from the stands. But at the same time is what we love. Reece James takes the free-kick and his low curler brings a fairly straightforward save out of Courtois. Chelsea old boy Thibaut Courtois was on hand to talk up Real Madrid’s chances. “Last season’s tie was different,” he said of Real’s exit a year ago. Real Madrid win it back immediately. 14 min: The first quarter hour has flown by, with neither team asserting dominance.

Follow all the action from the first leg of the quarter-final clash at Stamford Bridge.

They have never been beaten by Madrid and Thomas Tuchel has never lost to a Spanish side as a manager. Kai Havertz gets the first leg of this Champions League quarter-final underway. 9 mins: N’Golo Kante closes down Toni Kroos and gives away a free kick to Real Madrid. It’s taken quickly with the ball knocked into the right side of the Chelsea box to match Federico Valverde’s run from the wing. He backheels a pass into the path of Federico Valverde who drives to the edge of the box and slots the ball over to Vinicius Junior. He rolls it onto his right foot and shoots, firing his effort into the crossbar allowing Chelsea to clear their lines! Militao panics and pulls Havertz down giving Chelsea a free kick in a dangerous area. 16 mins: Save! The free kick is just to the left of goal about 20-yards out.

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N’Golo Kante - surprisingly - is one of the men to make way and Andreas Christensen, who had a torrid first-half, is the other, so there’ll be a tweak to the shape. Rudiger tries to bail his ‘keeper out in a 50/50 with Benzema but the ball still breaks to the Madrid man, who sweeps into an empty net from midway inside the Chelsea half. Courtois is down keeping goal at the end that the Madrid fans are at this half which should make his life a little more pleasant. 57 mins: Romelu Lukaku and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are the latest Chelsea players out for a warm-up. Madrid bounced back from their El Clasico heartache to beat Celta Vigo ahead of the tie and the visitors will have Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout after his negative Covid test on the morning of the match. Los Blancos are in town for the tie of the round in the Champions League quarter-finals.