“Sell this guy twice this summer,” “Ship him off on the black market” – Chelsea fans slam Blues star for ‘awful’ display in 2-0 loss to Real Madrid
Chelsea fans had reason to be angry as they watched the Blues get dominated by Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first-leg on 12 April.
The Madridistas won the game 2-0, as their counterparts struggled to impact the game in attacking areas. Blues fans were particularly disappointed with some of their players. One of them was Mateo Kovacic, as he was unable to match up to the intensity of the game.
The Madrid midfield ran circles around him, and he failed to make a single tackle throughout the game. He also had some wayward passes, which the fans were quick to note. Overall, Kovacic struggled to improve Chelsea's efforts in the middle of the park.
Here is a selection of tweets from Blues fans who slammed Kovacic for his poor showing on the night:
What happened to Kovačić? Been pretty mediocre all season but since he’s had the armband on these last couple months he’s been downright awful.
What’s the point in Kovacic?
This kovacic is just something else.. Sell this guy twice this summer please
#kovacic seriously does my head in. He doesn’t show for Reece, he can’t shoot, attack, tackle, win a header, or cross. What use is he?.. no seriously what does he offer? He’s not progressing the ball at all.
Tired of Kovacic, if a decent offer comes, sell.
We should just chop Kovacic up in pieces and ship him off on the black market we’d probably make more P that way
Question … why can’t Kovacic consistently pass the ball more than 10 yards
Hard to remember a worse Kovacic performance at Chelsea btw
Real Madrid outclassed Chelsea with impressive 2-0 win
In a dazzling display of dominance, the reigning champions showed no mercy as they outclassed Chelsea 2-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday. The final score could have been even more crushing if not for some missed opportunities.
Under the watchful eye of new caretaker manager Frank Lampard, Chelsea began assertively, with Joao Felix and Raheem Sterling threatening early on. However, Real Madrid's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, facing his former club, refused to concede.
The tide turned after just 20 minutes when Karim Benzema capitalized on a loose ball in front of goal. He guided it home after Kepa Arrizabalaga deflected Vinicius Junior's shot into his path. With eight shots on goal in the first half from Real Madrid, the Blues were surely relieved to enter halftime trailing only 1-0.
Carlo Ancelotti's side maintained their intensity in the second half, further exposing the Blues' vulnerabilities. The visitors' task became even more daunting when Ben Chilwell was sent off in the 59th minute with a red card for dragging down Rodrygo from behind as he sprinted towards the goal.
The relentless pressure from Madrid continued, and their second goal soon followed. Marco Asensio, just minutes after stepping in for Rodrygo, fired a spectacular shot from the top of the penalty area, finding the back of the net in the 71st minute.
With this resounding victory, the 14-time European champions confidently steered towards the second leg at Stamford Bridge on 18 April, poised to claim their spot in the semifinals.