Chelsea exited the Champions League with a humbling 4-0 aggregate loss to holders Real Madrid as a Rodrygo’s double condemned the Blues to a 2-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.
Frank Lampard’s side needed to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg to have any hope of salvaging silverware from a stormy season but Rodrygo’s opener, scored from close range following a rapid Madrid counter (58), effectively ended the tie as a contest.
The Brazilian then added his second with another simple finish after Federico Valverde had danced through Chelsea’s static defence (80), the goal silencing Stamford Bridge, underlining Madrid’s superiority and setting up a potential semi-final against Manchester City, who hold a 3-0 first-leg lead over Bayern Munich.
Chelsea, beaten in three consecutive games following Lampard’s appointment as caretaker boss, started positively on the night but, in keeping with their season as a whole, failed to take their chances, with N’Golo Kante spurning their two best opportunities.
The Blues, 11th in the Premier League table and 17 points off the Champions League spots with only seven games left to play, now face a season outside of Europe’s premier competition, leaving them with little to play for in the remaining weeks of the campaign.
