Benzema Real Madrid ChelseaGetty

Real Madrid player ratings vs Chelsea: Karim Benzema lights up the Champions League again while Marco Asensio answers the critics

An early Benzema tap-in and late Asensio curler handed Madrid a comfortable 2-0 win over Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

Madrid pounced on Chelsea's first major mistake, with Dani Carvajal springing a counter-attack that Benzema dutifully finished. Kepa Arrizabalaga had pushed a shot from Vinicius Junior straight onto Benzema's path, the Frenchman popping up in the right position to guide into the net, as is tradition for him.

Los Blancos had further chances in the first half, with Vinicius Junior teasing the languid Wesley Fofana for most of proceedings.

Article continues below

A Ben Chilwell red card in the second half gave Madrid a further advantage, and they capitalised, as Marco Asensio fired in his side's second with a lovely curler from outside the box.

Madrid will feel they could have probably had more here, such was their dominance of possession. But a 2-0 lead after the first leg is hardly something to be disappointed about.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Santiago Bernabeu...