MADRID – Comfortable as it may have been for Real Madrid in their 2-0 win over Chelsea in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday, goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said his teammates were annoyed they had not put the tie to bed.

Goals by Karim Benzema and substitute Marco Asensio gave reigning champions Real control in the Spanish capital but, with Chelsea down to 10 men for more than half an hour, Courtois said the mood was subdued in the dressing room. Ben Chilwell was sent off in the 59th minute for pulling down Rodrygo as he ran through on goal.

“Every time you play a big knockout match, you’re left with the sensation that you could have, should have, killed the tie off,” said the former Chelsea goalkeeper.

“This is a good result, but we’re bugged by the fact that we didn’t score a third or even a fourth goal. I hope we don’t regret not having added another.”

Vinicius Junior added: “We played very well indeed, pressing all the time, just like we did at this stage last season.

“This was one of our best performances of the season. But this is only half-time. There’s a lot left in this tie. We just need to keep calm heads.” 

Benzema netted from close range in the 21st minute after Kepa Arrizabalaga tipped a Vinicius effort into his path.

Despite controlling the game, Real had to wait until the 74th minute for their second, with Asensio drilling home from the edge of the box after a short-corner routine.

While the record 14-time champions dominated for much of the night at the Santiago Bernabeu, Chelsea did have chances and Courtois was forced into a superb save to deny Raheem Sterling shortly after Benzema’s opener.

“They threatened us with a good start to the match, where they counter-attacked well. That save I made after we scored was very valuable. Had they scored, it could have given us a big blow mentally. I was really pleased with that stop,” the 30-year-old Belgian said.

He said Real would approach next week’s second leg at Stamford Bridge as if the scores were level.

“We’ll try to start well and powerfully next week. Our objective is to score first and to win again,” Courtois said.

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti, who won the English Premier League and FA Cup double as Chelsea boss in 2009-10, added: “We are satisfied with the result, for the performance, but it’s not over yet. We have to fight, to sacrifice for another 90 minutes.

“We are satisfied only for tonight, it’s not over yet. We know Chelsea will try to (give) everything next week.”

The Blues, meanwhile, have not scored in their last four matches across all competitions for the first time since December 1993 – and their only natural striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, is not registered to play in the Champions League.

However, Frank Lampard said his Chelsea side can overcome the 2-0 deficit in the second leg next week, insisting “special things” can happen on European nights at Stamford Bridge.

“There were some good things but the result is the reality,” Lampard, who returned to the club last week in the wake of Graham Potter’s sacking, told BT Sport.

“But I just said to the players that special things can happen at Stamford Bridge. They are a very good team, but we have to believe.”

Chelsea created enough chances to suggest they can penetrate Real’s defence next week, with Joao Felix, Sterling and Mason Mount all having clear opportunities.

However, former Blues striker Chris Sutton said on BBC Radio: “It’s an impossible task for Frank to come in, click his fingers and think everything is going to change. And it won’t change against top-class opposition...

“If you look at how they are playing, particularly their forwards, they are really lacking confidence. A lot of Chelsea players in forward areas are hiding and that’s an issue.” REUTERS, AFP