Sometimes stats don’t mean much and you prefer to actually watch a game with the eye test.
But with Chelsea’s game against Real Madrid in the Champions League last night, both were a pretty shocking read.
Sources: Chelsea prepare fresh new terms for Mason Mount!
The eye test was clear, Real Madrid’s players simply just wanted it more than Chelsea’s players did. They were hungrier, they were winning second balls, and they were winning their individual battles all over the pitch. Despite Chelsea digging in a bit more when they went down to ten men, they lack Madrid’s effort, desire, and failed to match their intensity levels. Sometimes football is simple, and ultimately that is why Chelsea lost this game.
Also Madrid’s quality, and Vinicius Jnr, who was an absolute menace all game.
He had 19 touches in the opposition box against Chelsea, the most in a single Champions League knockout stage match in the last seven seasons at least.
https://twitter.com/Squawka/status/1646268705280770048?s=20
Chelsea, as a collective, had just 10 touches in the Real Madrid box! Yikes.
