Timo Werner’s misses deny Chelsea victory against Real Madrid despite dominant display
The UEFA Champions League semi-final tie on Tuesday night wasn’t as explosive as many expected, but there was still a lot to enjoy about the game. Chelsea surprisingly outplayed Real Madrid at the Alfredo di Stefano Stadium and were unfortunate not to have won the first leg of the tie.
The Blues completely dominated the early exchanges and deservedly took the lead thanks to an exquisite finish from Christian Pulisic. However, Real Madrid grew into the game and the individual brilliance of Karim Benzema made the difference. The Frenchman scored a wonderful goal from nothing to snatch a draw for the hosts.
Werner’s misses cost Blues a win
Between the two teams, Chelsea will feel hard done by after a wasteful performance on Tuesday. The Blues created several chances but were not clinical in front of goal.
Timo Werner was particularly wasteful against the Blancos and ended up costing Chelsea the win. The German forward has been struggling since joining the Premier League outfit and he hasn’t shown any signs of improving up front.
The German has scored just two goals in as many months and appears to have lost all confidence. Against Real Madrid, Werner squandered many chances, including a horrible miss which immediately rose to the top of the Twitter trends.
If the 25-year-old striker could time his runs and take his chances, Chelsea would have ended the first half with at least a 4-1 lead against the Blancos.
Werner running out of time at Chelsea
Real Madrid were there for the taking but Chelsea just failed to take their chances on Tuesday. For Werner, though, his big misses are becoming more and more frustrating for Chelsea fans.
Manager Thomas Tuchel also expressed his disappointment in the German while referencing another big chance he missed during last week’s Premier League game against West Ham United.
"He missed a big one at West Ham and now he's missed a big one here. That does not help," Tuchel told Sky Sports. "But it doesn't help crying about it or regretting it all the time. He is sad, he is angry and disappointed."
"Tomorrow, he has a free day and the next day he must put his chin up. He's a top guy, a professional guy. He works hard. He's in the positions. He will not stop believing," Tuchel added.
So far, Tuchel has stuck by Werner despite his struggles. However, the manager could soon run out of patience, especially with Tammy Abraham and Olivier Giroud waiting in the wings.