Key events
14 min: Another amazing save from Chavas, Reiten crosses in but the keeper has to make a save as it was on target. It is pushed out for a corner, Reiten takes it and Fishel has a chance but Chavas picks it up easily.
12 min: Chelsea are still knocking on the door but Real Madrid have the answers to each question posed to them so far.
10 min: Cuthbert whips it in, Buchanan has a header but Chavas collects. It’s been mostly all Chelsea so far but Real Madrid are a lethal counter-attacking team, definitely not a team to under-estimate.
9 min: Chelsea are through once more but the offside flag pulls them back. The Blues need to be more clinical in the final third to find their opener here, Real Madrid are a well-oiled defensive machine and so they will have to be on the money to score. Reiten attempts to pass to Fishel but it is well defended and out for a corner.
8 min: What a save from Chavas, she is having a great performance in these early stages. Kirby finds Cuthbert in the box, she takes a shot but Chavas blocks really well.
6 min: Chelsea continue to pressure Real Madrid but Caicedo does well to win it back to clear some danger for now. Real Madrid put their first attack together and Raso crosses but it doesn’t find a teammate. They keep coming and pop it in again and Buchanan has to clear.
4 min: Chelsea quickly win possession back from the free kick, they are being given a lot of time and space on the ball early on. They work it back to Hampton and the Blues patiently build-up their attack. They go for the kill, the ball threaded to Kaneryd but Chavas reads it perfectly to come out to collect.
2 min: Chavas being hunted down by Fishel early on, the hosts know what is on the line here. The pressure works with a clearance kick going as far as blue shirts and they win a corner. But there is a bit of confusion around it as the referee spots something and gives Real Madrid a free kick? If anyone knows why that happened let me know, I am a bit bamboozled by that.
Kick-off! Chelsea 0-0 Real Madrid
Here we go then. Who can get the win in London? We will find out over the next 90 minutes. Confirmation with the result in the other game in this group, Hacken 0-0 Paris FC, that if Chelsea win this game they will secure a spot in the knock-out rounds.
The players are out at Stamford Bridge ahead of this cracker of a fixture. Chelsea may be favourites but Real Madrid are capable of causing an upset. All to come.
An important read in our women’s football newsletter, Moving the Goalposts, this week. Read it here:
Drama in the Roma v Bayern Munich game! Manuela Giugliano thought she had sealed it for the hosts with a goal in the 90 + 3 min but Lea Schuller equalised in the 90 + 6 minute. Meanwhile, Hacken and Paris FC has ended in a 0-0 draw. A good result for Hacken who are having a blinding campaign in Europe.
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In the two earlier kick-offs in this Women’s Champions League, Bayern Munich are drawing 1-1 to Roma and Hacken are drawing 0-0 to Paris FC. I’ll bring you the full-time scores when they drop.
Real Madrid manager Alberto Toril said: “We’re going there to play our game. We are Real Madrid, so we will be trying to win. We want to build on the good vibes. We’ve had a good start to the year and we’ve made improvements on some of the areas we needed to improve. We’re going to go for the win.”
“They will fear nothing,” said Chelsea boss Emma Hayes in the build-up. “There’s nothing more dangerous than playing a team who has nothing to play for. It’s a dangerous place for us if our mentality is to rule them out of the game and it’s something we won’t be doing.”
There are some Conti Cup matches also happening this evening and I thought I’d bring you some really positive news. Arsenal’s Leah Williamson is back! She will feature for the first time since rupturing her ACL prior to the World Cup. Kim Little has also returned.
Chelsea are missing some of their stars for this one through injury. Sam Kerr has been ruled out with an ACL problem and captain Millie Bright has a knee issue. Jessie Fleming isn’t included amid rumours she is leaving the club.
The team news is in! Hosts Chelsea will be led by Erin Cuthbert in the absence of Millie Bright but Lauren James starts from the bench after her heroics last time out at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea: Hampton, Fishel, Carter, Leupolz, Reiten, Lawrence, Kirby, Kaneryd, Charles, Cuthbert, Buchanan.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, have former Manchester City player Hayley Raso starting.
Real Madrid: Chavas, Møller, Raso, Caicedo, Oroz, Teresa, Zornoza, Robles, Ivana, Kathellen, Svava
Preamble
Hello and welcome back to the Women’s Champions League after a short break in the group stage matches. Tonight we will be focusing on Chelsea v Real Madrid.
The reverse fixture of this match saw two controversial calls as a Real Madrid penalty arguably should not have been given and a Chelsea winner should not have been ruled offside. But those arguments have been put to long rest and both will be solely concentrated on tonight’s fixture.
Real Madrid were officially eliminated from the competition in December after losing to Paris FC but they won’t be rolling over tonight. They will want to put some pride on their badge after only winning one point so far.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are still in the fight for a knock-out place and a win this evening would all but guarantee a spot in the next round. We will dive into what has been said in the build-up shortly but first the team news, stay tuned …