Real Madrid put one foot into the semi-finals of the Champions League with an assured 2-0 victory over Chelsea at the Bernabeu.
Goals from Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio in each half ensured Carlo Ancelotti's side continued on their path to retaining their crown.
Chelsea, under the tutelage of Frank Lampard following Graham Potter's sacking earlier this month, are pinning their hopes of taking part in this competition next season by winning it this.
However, for much of the evening they looked second best, with their toothless forward line struggling to lay a glove on Real Madrid before Ben Chilwell was sent off for hauling down Rodrygo.
Sportsmail's Dan Matthews was at the Bernabeu to cast his eye over some of the things you may have missed.
Benzema shows Boehly what a real No 9 can do
There was a point, late in the first half, when the ball reached Karim Benzema near halfway. The French striker stretched out a leg and flicked the ball into space. It ran neatly into the path of Rodrygo. It also wrong-footed referee Francois Letexier, who came close to taking a tumble. He wasn’t the only one bamboozled by a moment of Benzema brilliance last night.
The Frenchman was supreme — pulling Chelsea apart with his movement and link-up play. A trite point, perhaps, but this was a performance that illustrated the worth of a top-class No 9.
Todd Boehly doesn’t usually need a second invitation to dig out his chequebook but Chelsea will do well to find someone with half the class of Benzema.
He could have scored more than one last night but his recent record is still remarkable: Benzema’s last 11 Champions League goals have all come against English club
The pre-match tifo had a few issues
Before kick-off, Real supporters unfurled this giant tifo carrying images of three club legends — Amancio, Alfredo Di Stefano and Paco Gento — sandwiched between the message: ‘The story continues... there is only one Madrid.’
All very inspiring… except one banner got stuck on the way down and Amancio looked remarkably like Roy Keane.
Hosts dominate first half
Real Madrid had eight shots on target in a dominant opening 45 minutes — the most Chelsea have ever faced in the first half of a Champions League game. Benzema had three of them.
Hoddle and Ferdinand shown no love by Real Madrid fans
Penny for the thoughts of Rio Ferdinand and Glenn Hoddle. Nearly 140 England caps between them and yet, when escorted through a horde of Real Madrid supporters, no one made a fuss. A few Real fans did, however, stop Joe Cole and take pictures with the other legend on TV duty for BT Sport.
Even N’Golo can’t run for ever…
It seemed, during a frantic opening spell in which Chelsea created a couple of glorious openings, that Frank Lampard’s faith in N’Golo Kante was well-founded.
The midfielder’s injury struggles mean his last four Chelsea appearances have now come under four different managers. But experience told Lampard that Kante could come into a game like this and hit the ground running.
He was right: Kante was everywhere early on. Alas, as the evening wore on and Madrid began to toy with Chelsea, the midfielder started to flag. He, like everyone else, was chasing shadows. At one point, he raced down the right flank, only to run the ball straight out of play. He was substituted following Real’s second goal. He is human, after all.
Street sellers unlikely assets in the Saudi sportswashing project?
It seems street sellers around Madrid have expanded their range in recent months. Alongside the usual offerings — Real kits carrying the names of Vinicius Junior and Benzema — was the yellow and blue of Al Nassr and that familiar combination: Ronaldo 7. Shrewd businessmen or unlikely assets in Saudi sportswashing?