D.He led FC to his first semi-final in the Champions League in seven years. Chelsea opened the door. In the first leg of the quarterfinals in Seville, team manager Thomas Duchess won 2-0 (1-0) against nominal hosts F.C. Two English international rivals, Mason Mount (32nd min) and Ben Sylvester (85th), scored for the Blues, with internationals Timo Werner, Guy Howard and Antonio Rodger in the starting line-up. The second leg at the same venue will take place next Tuesday. The semi-finalists are the winners of the match between Real Madrid and Liverpool FC (first leg 3: 1).
After a surprise 5-2 defeat in the Premier League against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, Duchess appealed to his players not to “lose your head”. The first defeat in the 15th game under the German coach was still in the clothes of the London players.
Porto, the 2004 first-class winners, showed refreshing football from the start, not allowing Chelsea to build early. Tuchell battled loudly in the empty Estadio studio Ramon Sanchez Bizjun, repeatedly slumped in his slender coaching seat – and was surprised that his team had the first good attack and the first shot lead towards the opponent’s goal. A good pass was enough to cross the defense from Jorginho, Mount took the ball, turned in a gentle motion, and dried in the far corner.
All three Germans were in a clear position for a long time, and Werner, who had been criticized several times recently, went over the gate in the 47th minute. Howard, who was called to the center of the attack, had a clear shot an hour later on the former Leipzig Werner bass – but it was offside. Both were replaced after 65 minutes.
Porto, who pulled his teeth in two close matches in the round of 16 Juventus Turin and superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, was coming up with chances against the Chelsea defensive club, which could continue to suffer. But Chelsea faced off: former Dortmund substitute Christian Pulisic hit the crossbar (84th), shortly after Sylville attacked.