:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72190982/1251918435.0.jpg)
Chelsea and Real Madrid meet in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal matchup with the defending champions up 2-0 on aggregate. Chelsea were down 3-1 after the first leg of this series last year and came back to take a lead on aggregate at one point in the second leg, so truly anything could happen in this contest. Chelsea are coming into this match off a 2-1 loss to Brighton, while Real Madrid scored a 2-0 win over Cadiz in league play.
Let’s take a closer look at Tuesday’s match, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
Chelsea v. Real Madrid
Date: Tuesday, April 18
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV channel: CBS
Live stream: Paramount+, fuboTV
Odds, picks & predictions
Chelsea: +185
Draw: +260
Real Madrid: +140
Moneyline pick: Draw +260
The second leg of this tie last year was phenomenal, with Chelsea storming back at the Bernabeu after going down two goals in the first leg. This is a home match for the Blues, who have historically found magic in this competition. However, Chelsea are 0-2-4 in their last six matches across all competitions. That run of form is hard to back.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, have gone 4-0-1 across all competitions since losing the Barcelona in El Clasico. One of those four wins was over Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey. Los Blancos tend to do well in big games, and they’re the defending champions for a reason. Vinicius Jr. and Toni Kroos are back in the side after getting some rest over the weekend, so Real Madrid are at full strength. They know what happened in this tie last year and they’ll be prepared for that.
A draw in regular time seems like the best move given Chelsea’s Champions League history and Real Madrid’s two-goal advantage. Look for the La Liga side to stay fairly compact and contain Chelsea rather than go on the front foot themselves.