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Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior made a bullish claim following Los Blancos' 2-0 win over Chelsea in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio were the scorers for the home side at the Santiago Bernabeu. Ben Chilwell was sent off, meaning the Blues were down to 10 men in the 59th minute.
Vinicius Junior had a productive outing. The Brazilian attacker completed four dribbles, took two shots on target and won eight ground duels during the match. Following the game, he said (h/t Fabrizio Romano):
“I’d love to stay at Real Madrid forever. This is the best club in the world. To play in the Champions League is something special.”
Vinicius has been in fine form for Los Blancos throughout the course of the season. He has scored 21 goals and has provided 16 assists in 45 matches this campaign.
The Brazilian also scored the winner in the UEFA Champions League final last year as Real Madrid defeated Liverpool by a score of 1-0 at the Stade de France.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti spoke to the media following the first leg
After a comfortable 2-0 win in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash, Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media.
The Italian manager was asked about the return leg at Stamford Bridge on April 18. He replied, saying (via Los Blancos' official website):
"I have a lot of energy. The team looked very good and I'm very happy. I'm very pleased, but we have to be calm and collected because there are 90 minutes left to play and anything can happen in football. We have to manage our lead there and try to repeat the game we played today."
Speaking about his team selection in the first leg, Ancelotti said:
"I always look for the best for the team. There are games where we can create chances with three strikers and I think that Kroos helps a lot as a playmaker spreading the ball out wide and keeping possession.
"You might suffer more defensively, but if there is a collective commitment you don't suffer. It worked out well."
Real Madrid look set to beat Chelsea in the quarter-finals for the second season in a row. They earned a 5-4 aggregate win last term.
