Rio Ferdinand has underlined how traumatised Chelsea will feel after blowing a lead as they crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Real Madrid on Tuesday.
Having lost the first leg at Stamford Bridge 3-1 last week, the Blues went 3-0 up at the Bernabeu and were 4-3 up on aggregate and in pole position to progress to the last four of the tournament.
But individual errors allowed Real to score twice, and progress 5-4 on aggregate after extra time despite losing 3-2 on the night - leading BT Sport pundit Ferdinand to emphasise how upset the visiting players will be.
He said: 'The Chelsea team will be absolutely sick, devastated with that.'
Fellow pundit Joe Cole, a former Blues attacking midfielder, concurred, adding: 'Chelsea will be kicking themselves. Chelsea should have won. I know this feeling all too well.
'When you've been the better side and you get knocked out, it's horrible. The FA Cup semi-final on Sunday (against Crystal Palace) takes on even more importance now.
'Chelsea were on top of them, pressed so well. But Rio's right, it's the details. It was a tactical mistake by Chelsea, Vinicius Junior set up the winner. Crazy.'
But ex-Real Madrid star Steve McManaman pinpointed a shoddy first-half showing, which saw them go in at the interval 2-0 down at home, in the first leg as a key reason for Chelsea's exit.
He concluded: 'They saved their worst 45 minutes under Tuchel for the first half of the first leg.'
Benxe
229
Nothing but FULL OF RESPECT to Chelsea and TT💪
obedience122
157
Chelsea tried.... to be sincere we have watched champions League final
CollinsRPG
75
Give Benzema the Balon Dor.. No stories
vakeinrtz
64
but l see another Liverpool vs Man city final come may 28th in Paris
Midalpstz
41
In one match we witness 2 comebacks . Chelsea was coming back from first league and real Madrid over came it
Samuel210
20
I honestly don't know why chelsea didn't draw back and defend after those 3 goals...they felt they were way stronger and could score more
12UnitedGuyReborn
12
For me I think this season is probably the best that this season happened to this Chelsea lads like this, they are a new group and also young they need to learn the pain of losing and easily you can fall behind or even fall out, they have the talent and with age on their side and under the tutelage of a really talented coach (Tuchel) they will only get better (like pool did under Kloop), with time when they are at their peak and could do so much more than they are already doing now (if they remain together amidst the uncertainty around the club and it's new owners and many player's contracts), losing like this will help their young and talented squad understand how to be serial winners like this pool and city side, although many Chelsea fans will be delighted now I think it's actually a blessing in disguise for them in the long run, how they came into the game and nearly took it off this exceptional Real Madrid yesterday (despite having their work cut out for them after the first leg costly mistakes) really impressed me, I didn't expect there will anytime (before the game) Chelsea will be 3 goals up and even had one disallowed, amazing had the offside not been ruled out, the game wouldn't have gone to extra time and Chelsea would have won, had Chelsea not concede two goals from uncommon mistakes from foray leg the game wouldn't have gone to extra time and Chelsea would have won, that's the way I see the game, Real Madrid was a bit lucky and also proved their class and experience by winning and not dropping a huge lead from the first leg (respect to them for that) but I still think over the course of both legs, Chelsea deserve more to even be able the ones in the semis now but was undone by bad luck and their own mistakes, but then again those two things are always part of game of football but performance wise I think this Chelsea squad has proven to me that they are a really talented squad and might one day get to heights this current pool and city are enjoying, if that were to happen then I think losses like that of yesterday and how the lost group in EPL this season will be the best lesson they can learn at this stage Kudos Chelsea, Congrats R. Madrid
Elman_jr
9
Nothing but FULL OF RESPECT to Chelsea and TT💪
[image]
We will not be sick. We will come back even stronger next season with an improved squad that has a good depth. Congrats to madrid 👍👍