Brahim Diaz on Target as Real Madrid Hand Chelsea their Second Consecutive Defeat

It’s fair to suggest that Enzo Maresca’s start to his Chelsea tenure has been far from straightforward. The Blues’ subpar displays in their preseason tour against the likes of Wrexham, Celtic, Club America and Manchester City have alarmed many Chelsea supporters.

However, Maresca and Chelsea had the chance to ease those inhibitions on 7th August when they faced Real Madrid in their last game of the US Tour. Almost 62,000 supporters gathered at the Bank of America stadium to catch a glimpse of their favorite football stars. But Chelsea succumbed to yet another defeat, further raising concern about their defensive frailties.  

Real Madrid vs Chelsea – Match Summary 

Chelsea started the game on the front foot, as wingers Noni Madueke and Raheem Sterling looked dangerous going forward. However, Chelsea’s defensive frailties reared its ugly head once again. The European champions struck the first blow, as Brahim Diaz squared the ball to Lucas Vasquez, whose left-footed shot was blocked by Malo Gusto. However, the ball ricocheted into Dani Cabellos' path, who bundled it into the net.  

Real Madrid doubled their lead in the 27th minute when Brahim Diaz latched onto an exquisite through ball from Vinicius. Diaz skillfully rounded Chelsea shot stopper Filip Jorgensen and finished effortlessly from a tight angle. The Blues halfed their deficit in the 39th minute, as Noni Madueke nodded home Chelsea’s first goal of the match from close range, courtesy of a brilliant cross from Enzo Fernandez. 

No further goals were added in the second half. Optimistic Chelsea fans can consider this as a positive, as the Blues looked much more solid after the break. Chelsea had several efforts to equalize, but they failed to capitalize on their opportunities. Another positive Chelsea fans can take from this game is Mykhailo Mudryk’s performance. The 23-year-old Ukrainian terrorized the Madrid backline with his positive and direct running. Mudryk went on a mazy run in the second half, but the Ukrainian skyed his shot from edge of the box. And this is the reason Mudryk has frustrated many Chelsea fans. He has all the quality in the world, but the end product is missing. With their opening day Premier League clash against City less than two weeks away, Maresca has a lot of work to do on the training ground. 

Real Madrid vs Chelsea – Post-Match Reactions 

Following another disappointing defeat, talk around Chelsea is all about one glaring weakness; their defensive frailties. The Blues have looked porous defensively in every preseason game. In five preseason games, Chelsea have shipped in twelve goals. Head coach Enzo Maresca is well aware of this problem, and he outlined that every player must do their job in order to become a defensively solid unit.  

In a post-match interview, he said, “One of my first meetings with the squad was about the number of goals we conceded last year with the defensive live being very high. It is something that we are trying to work on. Today offensively, once again, I think we were there because the patterns are there and we created chances. The problem has been defensively and when I say defensively, I don’t just mean the defensive line. All of the players.” 

On the other hand, Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti was pleased by his side’s display against Chelsea. He said, “A good game, with good rhythm and clear ideas up front. The offensive aspect was good. We played more vertically with Vinícius and Rodrygo. It was a good match.” He added further, “It was an intense, fast game, with a lot of forward changes, because Chelsea also have fast players. It was a game with a lot of transitions. It was a good match, it was good for us to play it.” 

Real Madrid and Chelsea’s Next Games 

After their 2-1 win against Chelsea, Real Madrid will face Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup. The game will take place on 15th August 2024 (Thursday). The match will kick off at 12:30 AM (Indian Standard Time).   

Chelsea will travel back to London to face Italian champions Inter Milan on 11th August 2024 (Sunday). The match will kick off at 7:30 PM (Indian Standard Time). 

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