Real Madrid counting on more Benzema magic to complete Chelsea mission

It’s no fluke that Real Madrid are the most successful team in the UEFA Champions League, having won the competition a record 13 times.

Los Blancos are simply special on European nights and rarely get it wrong when the stakes are high. As they prepare to welcome Chelsea to the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday evening (April 12), the expectation is that the Spanish side will advance to the next stage.

The Spanish giants, under Zinedine Zidane, lost both home and away to the Blues last season after being comprehensively outplayed. However, Ancelotti's men were a completely different proposition in the first leg of this year's quarter-final clash.

Going to Stamford Bridge and beating Chelsea 3-1 is no mean feat and that Real Madrid managed to get the better of Thomas Tuchel’s side away from home typifies their La Liga giants' strength at the moment.

Real Madrid aim to complete Chelsea mission

It’s been four years since Real Madrid completed the three-peat after winning successive Champions League crowns from 2016 to 2018.

Los Blancos have since struggled in the competition and last season’s semi-final berth remains the closest they’ve come in that period.

However, Ancelotti’s side has a huge chance of going one step further this year. A two-goal advantage from the first leg against Chelsea could be healthy enough to see them go through.

The Blues weren’t at the best during the first leg and a series of mistakes occurred to Real Madrid’s benefit. But Tuchel's men recovered superbly to thrash Southampton 6-0 in the Premier League on Saturday.

Having gained their ruthlessness back ahead of the second leg, Chelsea are bound to give Real Madrid a tougher match this time around, as Los Blancos aim to finish what they started last week.

Los Blancos banking hopes on talismanic Karim Benzema

Real Madrid have always had a talismanic figure whenever they’ve conquered Europe. Cristiano Ronaldo was the main man in their last four European glories.

The mantle has since been passed on to Karim Benzema, who has lived up to the billing so well. The Frenchman scored a hat-trick in the round of 16 against PSG to seal Los Blancos' progress.

What followed was a match-winning performance against Chelsea, with the Frenchman's treble of goals giving his side a much-deserved first-leg victory. But Benzema’s work is not done yet, and Real Madrid will be counting on him again at the Bernabeu.

"We are dependent on Benzema. That's how it is, we are not going to deny it. And I'm very happy that we are dependent on Karim. It's a reality, and it's a good thing,” Ancelotti said during Monday’s press conference, as quoted by Marca.

"Karim is a modern forward and [does] what is required of strikers. Everything, including defensive work. He is the perfect representation of what a centre forward should be in today's football," said the head coach.

Indeed, Madrid have become very dependent on Benzema, who has scored 37 goals in 37 matches this season. They'll need him to be as sharp as ever to complete the job against Chelsea on Tuesday evening.