Karim Benzema’s goal vs Chelsea called to be cancelled after latest reviewed, 5 players who could move to Chelsea this summer, as Tuchel admits Zidane surprised him tactically
As we all know, Chelsea were pegged back by Real Madrid in their Champions League semi-final first leg, but a crucial moment that could have seen Karim Benzema’s goal ruled out has been spotted. This is according to the Football London.
Chelsea have a slight advantage heading into next week’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid.
Christian Pulisic’s strike which broke the deadlock in Spain on Tuesday night means the Blues have what could turn out to be the all-important away goal.
Under Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea have kept plenty of clean sheets and another at Stamford Bridge on May 5 will confirm their place in a third Champions League final.
However, it could have been much better for the west London outfit as they failed to make the most of their dominant start to the game, with Timo Werner guilty of missing a great chance.
With that said, there is a suggestion that Chelsea were unfortunate with Karim Benzema’s equaliser.
The Frenchman put the finishing touches to a well-executed set-piece from Los Blancos as he reacted quickest to a knockdown to smash the ball into the roof of the net.
That shot, surprisingly, was Real Madrid’s only shot on target during the 90 minutes.
And it should have been disallowed.
That is according to Juan Andujar Oliver, a refereeing expert in Spain, as he felt Casemiro fouled Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilicueta in the build-up to Benzema’s goal.
“Casemiro commits a foul on [Cesar] Azpilicueta before [Eder] Militao heads to [Karim] Benzema, who scores,” Juan Andujar Oliver told Radio Marca.
VAR was in use at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, and Benzema’s goal was checked.
Although, it was to look for an offside instead of a potential foul.
Interestingly, there weren’t any complaints from any of the Chelsea players as Casemiro got the better of Azpilicueta in the air.
5 players who could move to Chelsea this summer
Chelsea have the opportunity to finish the 2020-21 season in outstanding fashion, with Blues set to face Leicester City in the FA Cup final and a victory against Real Madrid away from booking their spot in the UEFA Champions League final. Thomas Tuchel’s arrival has breathed new life into the club, as they look to kickstart a new era and win trophies under the German.
The Blues splashed the cash last summer and are likely to do so once again, with reports suggesting that Tuchel is set to be backed with a transfer war chest by Roman Abramovich.
Tuchel could look to fine-tune his Chelsea squad this summer
The former Paris Saint-Germain coach has already proved that he can achieve great things and seems like the perfect manager to deliver results in the short term, while also keeping in mind the long-term interests of the club.
There is currently a perfect blend of youth and experience at Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea are still a couple of signings away from having a perfect squad that would allow them to compete on all fronts.
On that note, here are five players who have been linked with summer moves to the Premier League giants.
#5 Gabriel Menino | Palmeiras
Palmeiras midfielder Gabriel Menino has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, as he looks to move on to greener pastures this summer. The 20-year-old is hailed as one of Brazil’s most exciting talents and is also capable of playing as a right-back, making him an interesting prospect for the Blues.
Menino has already been called up to Brazil’s senior team by Tite and is set to have a bright future in the game. Chelsea have signed several young players over the years with varying degrees of success, but the Brazilian looks like quite the player and is reportedly close to becoming Tuchel’s first signing at the club.
#4 Declan Rice | West Ham United
Chelsea were involved in a drawn-out transfer saga involving Declan Rice last summer, as they fought tooth and nail to secure his signature from West Ham. However, the Hammers refused to part with their prized asset, so the midfielder decided to stay at the club for the 2020-21 season.
However, at the end of the current campaign, things could change. Rice has enjoyed another stunning season in the Premier League and is also a key player for the England national team. Primarily a defensive midfielder, he is also capable of playing as a central defender and is set for a big-money move this summer.
Manchester United are reportedly keeping tabs on him, so Chelsea might not have a free run at him and might need to blow the Red Devils out of the offer to secure his signature.
#3 Gianluigi Donnarumma | AC Milan
Gianluigi Donnarumma’s contract expires at the end of the season and he is no closer to penning an extension with AC Milan. The 22-year-old goalkeeper has been heavily linked with Chelsea and Juventus and could be one of the deals of the season on a free transfer.
The Italian has been around for quite a while and is incredibly experienced for someone his age. He is one of the best young goalkeepers in the world is reportedly looking to play UEFA Champions League football next season, with AC Milan yet to confirm their participation in the competition.
AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma has reportedly put contract talks with the club on hold because of his desire to play in the Champions League next season.
He is a target for Chelsea.
Chelsea are likely to be in the UCL next season and could well be Donnarumma’s next club if AC Milan are unable to meet his demands in the coming weeks.
Thomas Tuchel knows the Bundesliga inside out and could well be set to raid his former club for their crown jewel this summer. Erling Haaland has attracted interest from pretty much every big club on the planet this summer, but Chelsea are reportedly ready to launch an audacious bid for him, should he be allowed to leave the club.
Barcelona and Real Madrid have also been credited with an interest, with the Norwegian goal machine currently one of the most sought-after players in world football. Haaland’s €75 million release clause only kicks in next summer, so interested parties will have to meet Dortmund’s exorbitant asking price if they are to sign him this year.
#1 Raphael Varane | Real Madrid
Chelsea could send shockwaves across Europe with the capture of Raphael Varane, with the Frenchman edging closer to an exit after failing to agree an extension with Real Madrid. After spending nearly a decade at the Santiago Bernabeu and winning every trophy in club football, the central defender is reportedly on the lookout for a new challenge this summer.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said earlier this month that Varane will be allowed to leave if he doesn’t sign a new contract, sparking speculation about his future. When quizzed on the subject, Varane remained coy on his future and refused to give much away ahead of Real Madrid’s UCL showdown against Chelsea.
Tuchel admits Zidane surprised him tactically
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane usually lines his team in a 4-3-3 system, but had reverted to a 3-5-2 ahead of the game against Chelsea.
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel has now revealed that he expected Zidane to revert to a 4-3-3 system to face Chelsea, but the Madrid boss stuck with a 3-5-2.
Tuchel who had planned for a 3-5-2 system, had to make tactical changes before the start of the game, after seeing the Real Madrid lineup.
Tuchel said after the game: “We knew that they finished the last game and the game against Barcelona in a 5-3-2. We knew that there was the possibility that maybe they would switch their formation to adapt to our formation. In the end I thought that they would stay in their 4-3-3, which they usually play for 90-95 per cent of their matches. So we prepared for a 4-3-3.
“When we saw the line-up we had a quick talk in the dressing room to slightly change the moments against the ball, like who has to do what with the two strikers and the three in the middle. We had to adapt where we could push out, but only defensively. Offensively it didn’t change much.
“We wanted to impose our style and wanted to wait for what happens on the pitch, to see if we found the spaces that we predicted, and it went pretty much like that.
“It’s like this sometimes, you have to adapt, and the team did that very well and I am happy overall with how we tried it. We gave our everything and we got a more-than-deserved 1-1, so we will try again next week.”