In a dramatic night of Uefa Champions League quarter-final action, Chelsea fought hard to take a 3-0 lead against Real Madrid only for the Spanish team to fight back and advance to the semis after extra time, while Villarreal stunned Bayern Munich.
Real Madrid 2-3 Chelsea (Madrid advance 5-4 on aggregate AET)
Luka Modric turned the tie and Karim Benzema settled it as Real Madrid held off a sensational fightback from Chelsea on Tuesday to win an enthralling Champions League quarter-final 5-4 on aggregate.
After being thrashed by Brentford and then outplayed by Madrid in the first leg last week, Chelsea came in rejuvenated after putting six past Southampton in the Premier League last weekend.
Mount’s goal in the 15th minute set the tone, Madrid immediately consumed by tension and Chelsea given early hope.
Mateo Kovacic had been key in the buildup but it was Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s quick pass into Werner that caught Madrid cold, the German steering the ball with his knee into the path of Mount, who advanced and fired past Courtois.
For 20 minutes, Chelsea were dictating, Madrid pegged back. Reece James was doing a fine job restricting Vinicius Junior, blocking Madrid’s escape route.
Benzema, Modric and Toni Kroos tried to wrestle back control but Chelsea’s authority was even more pronounced early in the second half and within minutes they had a second, Rudiger rising high at the back post to head in from a corner.
With their lead gone, Madrid briefly exerted, the crowd coming into the contest. But Chelsea were celebrating a third when Marcos Alonso pivoted round Dani Carvajal’s sliding tackle and slammed into the top corner.
Madrid looked beaten, the stadium dead, but the referee was waiting. VAR spotted Alonso had controlled with his hand and when the decision was reversed, the Bernabeu erupted.
With 28 minutes left, the tie was back in the balance. Madrid had renewed impetus and almost scored, Benzema’s looping header at the back post dropping on to the crossbar.
But it was brief, Chelsea coming again in the 73rd minute as Kovacic slid through Werner, who coolly slalomed past two sliding Madrid defenders and sent a deflected finish dribbling into the corner.
A disappointed Kroos was taken off before a wild contest turned again on the moment of magic from Modric. With the outside of his foot, Modric stroked a 30-yard pass over to the right of the penalty area where Rodrygo, on as a substitute, volleyed in.
Chelsea looked the more likely to nick a late winner and nearly did, Kai Havertz nodding across the six-yard box but Christian Pulisic shot over.
Into extra time and Madrid found another gear, Vinicius finally finding space to tear into. His floated cross might have been easily cleared by Rudiger but the defender slipped, giving Benzema just enough space to guide his header in.
Chelsea then threw everything at Madrid in the final minutes, Courtois saving from Werner before Fede Valverde had to block a shot from Thiago Silva. Edouard Mendy went up for a final corner but it was cleared, Madrid holding on.
Bayern Munich 1-1 Villarreal (Villarreal advance 2-1 on aggregate)
Villarreal dumped Bayern Munich out of the Champions League on Tuesday, Samuel Chukwueze’s 88th-minute strike at the Allianz Arena giving the Spaniards a 1-1 draw in the second leg of their quarter-final tie that took them through 2-1 on aggregate.
Villarreal were pinned in their own half for most of the first half as Benjamin Pavard, Dayot Upamecano and Lucas Hernandez dictated play from the back.
Yet, for all their domination of possession, a header by Jamal Musiala straight at Villarreal goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli was Bayern’s only clear chance of a goalless first half.
Lewandowski, who was largely well marshalled, earned the first booking of the game.
The Villarreal back four worked tirelessly throughout, but left back Pervis Estupinan had a particularly busy first half as Leroy Sane constantly probed down the flank.
Bayern finally broke the deadlock in the 52nd minute.
A loose pass out of defence only got as far as Kingsley Coman, who moved the ball to Mueller.
The Germany star slipped the ball into the path of Lewandowski, who managed to get his shot past two defenders and the diving Rulli.
The Poland striker let out a primal scream to celebrate his 13th goal in 10 Champions League games this season.
Bayern kept up the pressure as Mueller went close with a diving header and was left with his head in his hands, as was Coman when he fired over soon after.
Nagelsmann sent on some fresh legs in a bid to get a decisive second goal inside the 90 minutes by bringing on Serge Gnabry and Alphonso Davies.
However, Villarreal stunned the home crowd when Gerard Moreno broke down the left.
He put in a low cross which Chukwueze sent spinning over Neuer to send the Spaniards through.
