Thomas Tuchel says his Chelsea team face a ‘big challenge’ after drawing La Liga giants Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
Chelsea avoided Premier League rivals Liverpool and Man City in Friday’s draw but may feel aggrieved after being pitted against Real Madrid.
Madrid are currently ten points clear in the Spanish league and shocked Paris Saint-Germain in the previous round thanks to Karim Benzema’s second-half hat-trick.
Chelsea, though, have enjoyed a good European campaign thus far and beat Real Madrid in the semi-finals of last year’s Champions League on their way to lifting the trophy.
Reacting to the draw, Tuchel said on Friday: ‘Tough one. The challenge can not be much higher than playing a second leg in the Bernabeu with spectators.
‘It’s a big challenge but there is big excitement around this match and around this fixture. We know what’s coming. It will be an exciting match and a tough challenge.
‘It’s nice to play a European team and maybe not at this kind of stage a team you’ve played so many times in domestic competitions.’
Elsewhere in the Champions League, Manchester City face La Liga champions Atletico Madrid, who eliminated Manchester United earlier in the week.
Liverpool, who lifted the European trophy in 2019, take on Portuguese side Benfica while Bundesliga champions Bayern face Unai Emery’s Villarreal.
While Chelsea will already be contemplating the quarter-final clash with Real Madrid, this weekend they need to focus on a FA Cup clash with Middlesbrough.
Tuchel added: ‘We expect an emotional stadium, an emotional crowd. We love the competition, I love the FA Cup. ‘We expect a tough away match against a strong team. It will be a challenge for us.’
