Real Madrid vs Chelsea: Five Things We Learned As Madrid Brush Aside ‘Sorry’ Blues

• Real Madrid beat a 10-man Chelsea in a largely easy contest in the UEFA Champions League
• It was the third consecutive season Los Blancos and the Premier League side crossed paths
• Despite the Spanish giants picking up a two-nil win at home, their tie is far from being over

Real Madrid recorded their first win over Chelsea at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, edging out the Blues 2-0 in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Wednesday night.

A goal each from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio on either side of half-time gave Carlo Ancelotti's men a slight advantage ahead of the return leg at Stamford Bridge next Tuesday.

It was almost too easy for the defending champions, who did not have to switch gears to outperform a toothless Chelsea side, who have failed to score a goal in their last four games.

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Sports Brief takes a look at the five talking points from the first leg between the familiar foes:

Champions League is Real Madrid's

For the uninitiated, Real Madrid are the defending champions and record holders of the UEFA Champions League.

When it comes to European nights, no team - absolutely no team - comes close to Los Blancos in terms of character and delivery.

Despite their poor La Liga run, Real Madrid have been simply special in the Champions League and they showed up once again.

After surviving Chelsea's early onslaught, Benzema and Asensio conspired to worsen the Blues' plight.

Benzema and his Ramadan form

There is a theory that Benzema is at his lethal best when Ramadan - the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (sawm), prayer and reflection - commences.

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The Frenchman proved that school of thought right once again.

He broke the game's deadlock in the first half as Madrid went on to seal a comfortable win. It takes his tally to 14 goals in his last nine Champions League knockout games, per MARCA.

For context, Benzema's last 11 goals in Europe's premier club competition have come against English sides, with Chelsea, Manchester City, and Liverpool all falling victim to the reigning Ballon d'Or holder.

Chelsea still in the woods

Frank Lampard's appointment as interim manager was expected to roll the 'new manager bounce effect' in action for the Blues.

However, the club legend, who returned for his second spell in charge after the sack of Graham Potter, is yet to stem the tide.

According to Squawka, Chelsea have failed to score in four consecutive games for the first time since December 1993, with Lampard supervising half of those games - firing blank against Wolves and now versus Real Madrid.

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Ancelotti with the Midas touch

Carlo Ancelotti doesn't often get the needed tactical recognition. Nonetheless, he goes about his business diligently.

On Wednesday, the Italian weaved his tactical magic in Europe again, comfortably beating one of his former players - Lampard - with ease.

His timely introduction of Asensio sealed the victory as the latter fired in the second goal and put Madrid in a commanding position to punch their ticket to the semi-final.

This tie is not over

Madrid take a two-nil lead to London ahead of the return encounter, but this battle is surely not over yet.

The record-holders of the competition looked comfortable and could have made the second leg a mere academic exercise. However, the Spanish giants failed to add to their tally.

The truth and crux of the matter is that, had Chelsea proved a little clinical, the scoreline would have read differently and Ancelotti will be fully aware of the danger Lampard's charges pose, Eurosport reports.

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Ancelotti concerned about Chelsea

Sports Brief also reported that Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said he was sad to see Chelsea's slump this season ahead of their Champions League quarter-final clash on Wednesday.

The Italian coach led the Blues between 2009-2011, winning a Premier League and FA Cup double in 2010.

Chelsea, 11th in the Premier League, sacked coach Graham Potter at the start of April and hired their former coach Frank Lampard on an interim basis.