MADRID: Real Madrid aim to return to business as usual when they take on Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday night.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti rested key players for Saturday’s La Liga match at home to Villarreal and saw how his Real side lost a thrilling match 3-2, but key players, such as Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Dani Carvajal are all likely to be back against Chelsea.

Ferland Mendy is Madrid’s only injury and the only big doubt is whether Nacho Fernandez, David Alaba or Eduardo Camavinga will replace him.

Although he has performed well in midfield in recent weeks, Camavinga could be the favorite, after his excellent display on the left in Real’s 4-0 Copa del Rey win away to Barcelona last week.

Karim Benzema struck a magnificent hat-trick against Barca and, with the world watching on, issued a powerful statement of intent as the season reaches its business end. And Chelsea will be on red alert trying to stop the irrepressible Benzema at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Chelsea are familiar with the damage that the striker can do, with the striker netting a hat-trick last season at Stamford Bridge against the Blues in the quarter-finals in a 3-1 first leg win.

Despite Thomas Tuchel’s side battling back at the Bernabeu, the hosts forced the game to extra-time and Benzema headed home decisively in the 96th minute after Antonio Rudiger, now at Real, slipped.

It was a thrilling night of European football but despite Chelsea’s best efforts in a 3-2 win, Benzema and Real marched on — as they so often do.

Real went on to lift the trophy by beating Liverpool in the final in Paris. Now their sights are set on Istanbul.

“We suffered a lot last year,” Ancelotti, who guided Chelsea to the Premier League and FA Cup double in 2009-10, told a news conference on Tuesday.

“We have to respect the team and the club, they have very good players and even if they are not in a good moment they have great motivation and will bring out the best. It’s a squad of a very high level.

“The team is excited and motivated to return to the Champions League and experience another magical night at the Bernabeu. We have to take advantage of the fact that we play the first game at home.”

Chelsea they travel to Spain in miserable form. Graham Potter left his job just over a week ago after the team slipped to 11th in the Premier League table, and Frank Lampard, who was sacked by the club in 2021, made a shock return as his replacement until the end of the season.

Lampard’s first game in charge ended in a 1-0 defeat away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday and it is clear that Chelsea’s main problem is scoring goals, something highlighted by the fact that Kai Havertz is their top scorer in the Premier League, with just four goals, while others, such as Raheem Sterling are struggling for form.

“We have an opportunity against a fantastic team and we just have to attempt to make the most of the opportunity — go there with confidence and go there with a belief, because otherwise you don’t turn up,” said Lampard, the former Chelsea midfield great.

NAPOLI’S OSIMHEN TO MISS MILAN CLASH

In Wednesday’s other quarter-final tie, Napoli will be without star player Victor Osimhen for the first leg of their all-Italian clash against AC Milan at the San Siro.

The striker missed the last two matches for Napoli after injuring the adductor muscle in his left leg while on international duty

with Nigeria and did not take part in team training on Tuesday, doing individual work in the morning session, before being left out of the squad.

Osimhen is the top scorer in Serie A this season and his 21 goals have played a crucial role in Napoli’s seemingly unstoppable march to a first Serie A title since Diego Maradona led the club to their only two league championships in 1987 and 1990. In his absence, Napoli were routed 4-0 by Milan in the league but bounced back to win 2-1 at Lecce on Friday.

Speaking earlier on Tuesday, Milan coach Stefano Pioli said he is not expecting a repeat of his team’s devastating display against Napoli.

“The match in the league will obviously give us an idea, but there’s no way it will be the same match again,” said Pioli.

“They’re the highest scoring team in this Champions League and after Bayern

Munich the team which has won the most matches so they’re a really good team with great quality.

“I think both teams have the same chance of going through. I’m expecting two very balanced matches... I think we can expect something different from Napoli so we need to be aware whether we need to make changes from the match in the league.”

Napoli will be playing their first ever last-eight tie in the Champions League at a stadium which has seen a raft of memorable European nights.

Milan have been crowned continental kings more times than any other team bar Real Madrid and Pioli believes that playing such a huge game at a packed San Siro will have a positive impact on his team.

“San Siro will be on the pitch with us tomorrow and that gives you a better chance of both giving your best and of winning,” he said. “Our fans will push us on to give our very best.”

Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2023