Karim Benzema hat-trick for Real Madrid puts Chelsea on brink of exit

Karim Benzema hat-trick, APR 7, 2022

Sometimes the old ones are the best. Written off as too slow to handle the pace of modern football, this was Real Madrid turning back the clock and reminding the rest of Europe that there will always be a place in the game for midfielders as smart as Luka Modric and strikers as deadly as Karim Benzema.

It did not matter that Modric is 36 or that Benzema, who has scored consecutive hat-tricks in the Champions League, is 34. By the end the notion that Chelsea would run through Madrid felt preposterous. Carlo Ancelotti, a veteran of these encounters, had outwitted Thomas Tuchel. Toni Kroos, who turned 32 in January, had helped Modric run the game. Benzema had completely obliterated Chelsea’s defence.

This was a battering. It was only 3-1, which gives Chelsea hope of reaching the last four when they visit the Bernabéu on Tuesday, but it is difficult to see the European champions turning this quarter-final around. Madrid are not in the habit of squandering leads and, unless Chelsea find a way to repair their defensive frailties, Benzema is bound to make them suffer again.

Tuchel desperately needs a quick fix. Chelsea, labouring under the uncertainty of their ownership issues, are a mess. As Tuchel acknowledged, there was no sign of any improvement after last weekend’s 4-1 defeat to Brentford. Once again Chelsea’s shape disappeared when their opponents had the ball and the worry for Tuchel is that too many of his players look unfocused, with the error count high and the malaise summed up by Édouard Mendy gifting Benzema his third goal with a wretched turn as a sweeper-keeper at the start of the second half.

Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool win FA Cup after beating Chelsea on penalties

MO SALAH & FA CUP, MAY 18, 2022

The Reds had a bright start to the game, but suffered a massive blow after just 30 minutes, when Mohamed Salah limped off injured to be replaced by Diogo Jota.

The opening 90 minutes was locked at 0-0 with Marcos Alonso hitting the post in the 48th minute, while Andrew Roberston and Luis Diaz both were denied by the woodwork towards the end of the 90 minutes.

Jurgen Klopp’s men had more bad news in the extra-time as Virgil Van Dijk was also taken off due to another injury.

As both teams failed to find the back of the net, the game was sent to a penalty shootout, which saw Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta hit the post and Edouard Mendy saving Sadio Mane’s spot kick.

In the sudden death, Mason Mount was denied by Alisson Becker, before Kostas Tsimikas struck to seal the win and the title for Liverpool.

This becomes Liverpool’s 8th FA Cup in the club’s history and the first since 2006 when they beat West Ham on penalties.

Moreover, this means Jurgen Klopp has now won all the major trophies during his time at Anfield as he became the first German manager to win the FA Cup.

Liverpool’s quadruple ambitions remain as they will hope to beat Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final and Manchester City to slip in the Premier League to mark a historic season for the club.