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Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that their Champions League quarter-final clash with Chelsea at the Santiago Bernabeu was their toughest of the season thus far.
Los Blancos have made it to the the final of Europe's premier club competition and will face Liverpool on Saturday. They have had to overcome some serious challenges along the way, particularly from last year's champions.
The Whites comfortably beat Thomas Tuchel's side 3-1 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg, courtesy of a spectacular hat-trick from Karim Benzema that left the defending champions needing a huge performance in the return leg.
And they delivered with Chelsea unexpectedly racing to a 3-0 lead by the 75th minute to flip the script and almost knock their Spanish rivals out of the competition.
However, Rodrygo struck late on to force extra-time and Benzema popped up with their second in the 96th minute to put Real Madrid back in the driving seat, ultimately sealing a 5-4 aggregate victory.
Ancelotti has now deemed that match the hardest of his side's European campaign this term. Speaking at their press-conference ahead of the Paris showpiece, he said (The Chelsea Chronicle):
“Most difficult game in the Champions League this season? The game against Chelsea at Bernabeu.
“It’s been very complicated mentally because we had won in London.”
Real Madrid overcame another Premier League giant, Manchester City, 6-5 on aggregate in the semi-finals following another spectacular late comeback at the Bernabeu with both Rodrygo and Benzema directly involved once again.
Real Madrid eye 14th Champions League title
Los Blancos are looking to extend their tally in the competition by lifting their 14th title, but face a difficult opposition in Liverpool.
The Reds are a much stronger outfit from the one that lost to Madrid four years ago, and have their own huge ambitions coming into Paris - with two domestic cups already in the bag, they're looking to complete a 'cup treble'.
However, the Whites have established themselves as the comeback kings of Europe this season, and cannot be written off until the last minute. Either way, it will be a cracking affair between the two high-quality sides.
