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CHELSEA’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIGHTBACK FALLS SHORT AGAINST REAL MADRID

Karim Benzema’s punishing header crushed Chelsea’s remarkable comeback as Real Madrid lost 3-2 at the Bernabeu Stadium but reached the Champions League semi-finals 5-4 on aggregate.

Ruthless France hit man Benzema produced a carbon-copy of the two headed goals he scored in last week’s quarter-final first-leg at Stamford Bridge, where his hat-trick had Real expecting to stroll into the last four.

Champions League holders Chelsea turned up in Madrid with other ideas however, big ideas in fact, of a memorable and odds-defying comeback in this pulsating second-leg.

The Blues shook off their 3-1 deficit from the first leg and took Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid apart.

Mason Mount, Toni Rudiger and Timo Werner put the Blues 3-0 up and on the very cusp of completing that miracle of Madrid, and that with a Marcos Alonso effort chalked off for handball.

Luka Modric rescued Real though, delivering a sublime raking pass that allowed Rodrygo to race on and volley into the net past a stunned Edouard Mendy.

Chelsea’s fourth stint of extra-time this season duly ensued and after all their efforts and three smart goals, one flick of the head from Benzema brought the Madrid house down.

The 34-year-old turned home Vinicius Junior’s cross with another potent aerial finish to wrestle the Champions League-holders status from Chelsea’s grip.

Benzema now has 38 goals in as many games for Real Madrid in all competitions this season. Such marksmanship invariably yields trophies and Madrid will feel themselves well capable of claiming Champions League title number 14 this year.

Chelsea warmed to their task without delay, with Reece James’ yellow card for a tug on Vinicius the only early concern.

The Blues boasted far more poise and control than in the home leg and duly took the lead when Mount capitalised on a ball falling nicely for him in the area.

Chelsea built steadily in the move for the goal and Mount steered home in style to hand the visitors the perfect start.

Vinicius again threatened on the left but could never cut loose as at Stamford Bridge in a first-half full of frustration for the hosts.

By the time Benzema was booked for an aerial challenge on Thiago Silva, the home supporters’ jeers appeared to have rattled the Madrid men.

Ancelotti’s side seemed jittery and certainly lacking any rhythm or fluency.

Chelsea negotiated pretty much the ideal half from their perspective, taking that 1-0 lead on the night into the interval.

Thomas Tuchel’s side sustained the pressure straight from the restart, with Madrid continuing with their curious ploy of sitting off and allowing Chelsea to dominate the ball.

The hosts’ passivity continued unabated, even after the chance to recalibrate at half-time.

When Rudiger powered home a headed finish from Mount’s corner, the Blues were ahead 2-0 on the night and level in the tie.

Alonso thought he had sent them into dreamland and a 3-0 lead, only for his crisp strike to be chalked off after a VAR review. The Spanish defender was judged to have handled the ball after a ricochet in the area, handing Madrid a major reprieve.

The home side almost took immediate advantage but Benzema struck the bar when he should have scored.

Chelsea kept their cool and set about yet more well-structured attacks and Mateo Kovacic’s fine threaded ball sent Werner through on goal.

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BENZEMA HAT-TRICK LEAVES CHELSEA’S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HOPES IN TATTERS

Karim Benzema bullied Chelsea to the brink of relinquishing their Champions League crown with a stunning hat-trick in Real Madrid’s 3-1 triumph at Stamford Bridge.

The prolific striker moved his competition goal return to 11 in just eight matches after hitting back-to-back trebles as Madrid overwhelmed the Blues in Wednesday’s quarter-final first-leg.

Benzema took his season’s tally to 37 goals in 36 matches for Real, handing his side a major chance of making the semi-finals in their bid to land a 14th Champions League title.

The 34-year-old stalked the beleaguered Andreas Christensen like a heavyweight prize fighter closing off the ring to a frenzied and frazzled foe.

Kai Havertz dragged Chelsea back into the contest from nowhere before half-time, but the luckless Edouard Mendy gifted Benzema his hat-trick goal with an undersold pass.

Chelsea will now need a performance to trump perhaps all others from Thomas Tuchel’s highly-decorated reign to overturn this deficit in Madrid’s intimidating Bernabeu Stadium.

The Blues, who dazzled Europe by toppling Manchester City 1-0 to swipe the Champions League trophy in May last year, will head out for the return leg on Tuesday, where a generational showing for this talented squad could well be required to keep their title defence alive.

Madrid meanwhile will head home in total control of this tie, with former Chelsea manager and figurehead Carlo Ancelotti particularly buoyed.

The urbane Italian coach almost did not make it to his old Stamford Bridge stomping ground due to Covid, but returned a negative test in time to link up with his players on the morning of the match.

April showers left the 60-year-old’s coiffured locks requiring a towelling-off, before he donned a beanie hat to ward off the weather.

Benzema’s three-minute, one-two punch left Chelsea flailing on the canvas.

The France striker must have thought the Blues were out for the count after delivering two thumping headers.

First he nodded home by racing onto Vinicius’ cross, then the Real talisman showed the other side of his aerial prowess, hanging in the air to dispatch Modric’s delivery.

A dazed and confused Chelsea found themselves staggering around the Stamford Bridge pitch. None more so than the hapless Christensen, who wound up continually exposed by Chelsea’s first-half system.

The Denmark defender could not decide whether to tuck in tight on the inside-right, or pull out to the right-back area.

James’ advanced right-sided role left Christensen with too much ground to cover, but the Dane should still have avoided the comprehensive work-over he received for his troubles.

Vinicius and Benzema doubled up on Christensen, with Ancelotti clearly identifying the Denmark centre-back as the weak link in Tuchel’s system on the night.

Benzema should have completed his hat-trick before half-time too, only to drive a low shot wide of the goal.

That let-off seemed to clear Chelsea’s punch-drunk haze and in a flash the Blues were on the scoreboard and back from the dead.

Jorginho’s sumptuous lofted ball bisected the Real defence, allowing Havertz to steal in at the far post and nod home.

Hakim Ziyech and Mateo Kovacic replaced Christensen and N’Golo Kante at half-time, with Tuchel well aware the shape had to change.

The Blues went to a flat-back four, but had not even settled when disaster struck.

Mendy underhit a pass to Toni Rudiger when out of his area and Benzema pounced, rolling the ball home to complete his devastating treble.

Proactive boss Tuchel emptied the bench in a bid to claw another foothold, but £98million striker Romelu Lukaku could in no way follow Benzema’s lead.

Where the Real marksman had proved unerring, instead Lukaku could only nod wide from a glorious chance.

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CHELSEA CRUMBLE AT HOME AS JANELT SCORES TWICE IN SHOCK BRENTFORD VICTORY

Vitaly Janelt’s quickfire double put Brentford on the brink of Premier League safety after their 4-1 rout of a Chelsea side beset by unrelenting takeover talk.

Christian Eriksen also netted in a win that puts Thomas Frank’s Brentford on the verge of cementing their top-flight status following a hugely impressive debut campaign.

Toni Rudiger hammered home a long-range strike to stun Stamford Bridge and hand Chelsea a 1-0 lead just after half-time.

But Brentford punished Chelsea’s out-of-character defensive disarray three times in six minutes to seal a memorable win for the Bees.

And by the time Yoane Wissa drilled home a fourth at the death, the travelling Brentford fans were in dreamland.

Chelsea’s fine run of six wins on the spin in all competitions came to a crashing halt in West London, with the Blues now perhaps looking over their shoulders in the league.

Fourth-placed Arsenal could cut their deficit on third-placed Chelsea to two points with a win at Crystal Palace on Monday.

Chelsea had shut out all the takeover noise to fine effect with those six wins in a row, but now boss Thomas Tuchel will need all his powers of man-management to set the Blues back on track.

Chelsea’s fans had started the day promising a protest against prospective new owners the Ricketts family.

But perhaps only 100 supporters took to the streets around Stamford Bridge before kick-off, and plans to unveil a banner in the ground never materialised.

Roman Abramovich will sell the club after 19 years as owner, with four consortiums locked in a bidding battle.

Boss Tuchel had kept his players’ minds off those boardroom wrangles so impressively in a flawless March schedule.

But after the international break a refreshed Brentford executed a classic smash-and-grab victory.

A tepid protest before the match gave way to a lukewarm first half, where Brentford spurned several half-chances and Chelsea failed to get going.

Chelsea returned after the break reinvigorated and ready to crank up the level.

And Rudiger’s thunderbolt provided a magical moment for the Stamford Bridge faithful.

The Germany defender finally struck gold – and the net – on his latest long-range attempt.

Chelsea’s players were as adoring as the supporters for their cult hero’s howitzer goal.

Such lingering celebration could perhaps account for the speed of Brentford’s equaliser – but assuredly not the two further rapid Bees goals.

Janelt swept home a smart finish after Chelsea ceded possession too cheaply in the middle of the field, and less than two minutes after Rudiger’s strike the match was back on level terms.

Tuchel’s Chelsea would so often steady the nerves and wrestle control after such a setback.

Frank’s Brentford had other ideas, with Mbeumo racing down the left and playing in Eriksen for a tap-in to put the Bees 2-1 to the good.

By the time Janelt dinked in Brentford’s third, from Ivan Toney’s ball, just 12 minutes had elapsed from Rudiger breaking the match’s deadlock.

Four goals in 12 minutes that must surely set Brentford en route to Premier League safety, but also a sequence of strikes to add another layer of intrigue to the race for a top-four finish.

Wissa added a fourth at the death to gloss Brentford’s fully-deserved victory, but also potentially dragged Chelsea back into an unwanted top-four scrap.

Beat Crystal Palace on Monday and fourth-placed Arsenal will be fired up for a tilt at Chelsea’s grip on third place.

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CHELSEA SUITORS AWAIT FATE AS SHORTLIST OF PREFERRED BIDDERS PREPARED

The front-runners in the race to buy Chelsea are still on tenterhooks waiting to discover whether they will make the shortlist of preferred bidders.

Todd Boehly’s consortium, Chicago Cubs owners the Ricketts family and Sir Martin Broughton’s offering are understood to remain favourites to be included on the shortlist.

New York merchant bank Raine Group informed a clutch of suitors on Thursday that their candidacy had been unsuccessful, the PA news agency understands.

Saudi Media Group and New York Jets owner Woody Johnson are understood to be among those who have already been informed they are out of the race.

LA Dodgers part-owner Boehly, Cubs chief Tom Ricketts and former Liverpool chairman Broughton are now thought to be at the top of the pile of suitors to buy the Blues.

But the Raine Group has yet to confirm the shortlist of preferred bidders that will go through to the next stage of the sale process.

British property developer Nick Candy’s Blue Football Consortium appeared a long-shot to make the shortlist by Thursday night.

But Candy’s bid and the consortium offering from London-based global investment firm Centricus still had a chance of progression should Raine have opted for a four-strong shortlist.

The New York bank is expected to finalise that list on Friday, with both the Premier League and UK Government holding influence over the final sale.

Roman Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2nd amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian-Israeli billionaire was then sanctioned by the Government on March 10, with Downing Street claiming to have proven his links to Vladimir Putin.

The Blues must operate under strict Government licence, with Abramovich unable to profit from Chelsea’s sale.

Downing Street must approve another new licence to authorise Chelsea’s eventual sale, with the money either frozen or distributed to charitable funds to aid victims of the war in Ukraine.

Abramovich has pledged to write off Chelsea’s £1.5billion (€1.8 billion) debt, and the bidding frenzy for the club could see the eventual deal hit £3bn.

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CHELSEA CRUISE INTO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUARTER-FINALS

Christian Pulisic and Cesar Azpilicueta helped Chelsea forget their off-field worries by firing the Blues into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win at Lille.

Pulisic latched on to Jorginho’s fine pass to cancel out Lille skipper Burak Yilmaz’s penalty, before captain Azpilicueta turned in Mason Mount’s cross midway through the second-half.

Chelsea prevailed 4-1 on aggregate in the last-16 battle, eventually dampening the raucous spirit of a packed Stade Pierre Mauroy.

The Champions League holders can continue their defence then, and will await a last-eight draw with an excitement to belie the Stamford Bridge club’s continued state of flux away from the pitch.

The Blues have now racked up five straight wins in all competitions, and have not lost in 90 minutes since the 1-0 defeat at Manchester City on January 15.

That is 13 matches without a loss in regular time, with the only defeat in that run being the penalty shoot-out loss to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

Chelsea’s build-up to this clash had seen coaches and players having to work out how the Blues would travel across to France.

Roman Abramovich’s UK sanctions have left Chelsea operating under a stringent Government licence, and a £20,000 travel budget limit per match had put a squeeze on their plans.

Statesmanlike boss Thomas Tuchel had even pledged to drive a seven-seater if that was required, such was the German’s determination to keep pushing the Blues forward on the field.

Chelsea’s sale continues apace away from the football, with the Government taking close oversight of the process.

Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2, amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

Downing Street sanctioned the Russian-Israeli billionaire last week having claimed to have proven his links to Vladimir Putin.

Abramovich has always denied those assertions, but the 55-year-old’s 19-year and 21-trophy tenure as the club owner is close to an end.

Any fears Chelsea still hold for their future, however, Tuchel and his players seem quite able to block out when taking the field.

This was a patchy performance in places – but the uncertainty can account for that, and ultimately the victory proved professional in the extreme.

Jorginho’s handball gifted Lille the chance to take the lead, a penalty awarded after a VAR check.

Yilmaz blasted home from the spot in the 38th minute, shaking off any nerves to deliver in style and put the hosts ahead.

Pulisic netted on the stroke of half-time, however, to ensure the Blues would keep their two-goal aggregate advantage at the break.

And that goal, coupled with the break to reassess, seemed to afford Chelsea the head space required to hit back and seal their progression.

Azpilicueta wrapped up that step into the quarters in the 71st minute, diverting Mount’s cross into the net for another smart Chelsea goal.

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KAI HAVERTZ NETS LAST-GASP WINNER AS NERVY CHELSEA END TURBULENT WEEK WITH WIN

Kai Havertz’s fine last-gasp finish sealed a nervy Chelsea’s 1-0 Premier League win over resurgent Newcastle, providing rare distraction from the Blues’ continued fears for their future.

Germany forward Havertz superbly brought down Jorginho’s masterful lofted pass before slotting home, to cut through an otherwise stodgy affair and hand the Blues a fifth successive Premier League win.

Thomas Tuchel’s relief was writ large by the Blues’ German boss launching himself onto the field in exuberant celebration as Havertz netted the winner.

The former Paris St Germain boss spun to the crowd to join the Chelsea fans in a moment that saw all the Blues’ worries on the future drain away for just a split second.

Havertz’s 11th goal of the season proved enough to topple a resolute and disciplined Newcastle, on a day where Chelsea’s off-field problems dominated proceedings from first to last.

But just when the Blues were fretting on a niggling draw, up stepped Havertz to sink Eddie Howe’s robust Newcastle, whose nine-match unbeaten run in the Premier League was ruined in heartbreaking fashion.

Chelsea’s turbulent week ended with the Blues’ experiencing the limbo ushered in by the UK Government sanctions on owner Roman Abramovich for the first time at their west London home.

While Blues bosses continued lobbying Downing Street for a relaxation of Chelsea’s new operating licence, manager Tuchel battled to keep collective squad minds on football matters.

Two prospective Blues owners were even in the crowd, with both Nick Candy and Sir Martin Broughton among those to witness Havertz’s late moment of magic.

Supporters had trouble sticking solely to footballing matters, with no programmes able to be sold at Stamford Bridge, the club shop shut and Blues staff still worrying about their jobs.

Abramovich was sanctioned by the Government on Thursday, with Tory chiefs claiming to have proved the Russian-Israeli billionaire’s links to Vladimir Putin.

The 55-year-old Chelsea owner has always denied links to the Russian President, but the war in Ukraine has provided a major geopolitical shift.

Abramovich’s 19-year and 21-trophy tenure is at an end, with the Government now overseeing Chelsea’s sale amid ever-increasing suitors for the European and world club champions.

In a staccato first half, all the real rhythm came from the opposing supporters’ repartee.

Chelsea’s fans in the main opted against chanting for owner Abramovich, with Tuchel’s name the first to escape Blues lips en masse.

Newcastle’s fans wasted no time in poking the Chelsea bear though, piping up with ‘no noise from the bankrupt boys’.

Chelsea hit back with ‘Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that’, before Newcastle chorused ‘Mike Ashley, he’s coming for you’.

The Chelsea supporters could not resist a riposte of ‘Boris Johnson, he’s coming for you’, before Newcastle had the last word with ‘you only sing when you’re loaded’.

Chelsea’s first effort on target did not come until the 76th minute, when Havertz flicked Hakim Ziyech’s teasing cross goalwards.

Havertz could only trouble Martin Dubravka into a regulation save, but somehow he kept his best for last.

Just when all in Stamford Bridge geared up for the draw, Havertz stole in to tell west London otherwise.

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CHELSEA OVERCOME OFF-FIELD CHAOS TO SEE OFF NORWICH

Chelsea overcame the chaos of a turbulent day off the pitch to grind out a 3-1 win at Norwich and stay in the driving seat for Champions League qualification.

The Blues took to the field at Carrow Road hours after learning owner Roman Abramovich had been sanctioned by the UK government and had his assets frozen.

It meant Chelsea required a special licence to fulfil this midweek clash, but goals by Trevoh Chalobah, Mason Mount and Kai Havertz still clinched all three points.

Boss Thomas Tuchel would have preferred a more comprehensive victory, with Teemu Pukki’s 69th-minute penalty setting up a nervy finale before Havertz’s late strike, but it was a welcome result at the end of another dramatic day for the club, which Abramovich had put up for sale last week amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.

After a day in which the Champions League holders saw their club shop forced to close, tickets sales suspended and their very future mired in uncertainty, attention turned to matters on the pitch and four changes were made from Saturday’s 4-0 win at Burnley.

Romelu Lukaku remained on the bench, with Timo Werner given a starting role, and it took only three minutes for the opener to arrive.

Two Chelsea academy graduates combined to break the deadlock, with Mount’s corner headed home at the near post by Chalobah to spark celebrations from the away fans.

Chants of support for Abramovich from the visiting supporters had started before kick-off and continued during the early exchanges, with the Chelsea kit still sporting the logo of shirt sponsor ‘Three’, despite the telecommunications company suspending its deal with the club earlier in the day.

It was 2-0 with 14 minutes on the clock when Havertz found Mount inside the area and the England international opened up his body to create space against Ozan Kabak before he curled home.

Tim Krul had thwarted Havertz on two occasions by this point, but the dispirited Norwich faithful were at least able to enjoy a brief break in play when a bird entered the Carrow Road pitch.

No further damage was inflicted on the Premier League’s bottom side before the break and both teams made changes at half-time.

Visiting captain Cesar Azpilicueta was withdrawn, while home boss Dean Smith made a double substitution and ditched wing-backs for a flat back four.

Milot Rashica made an immediate impression with a fine run before he fired over from range, which at least signalled the hosts’ intent at the start of the second period.

The Chelsea supporters were soon back in full voice, chanting for Abramovich and singing “Chelsea get sanctioned everywhere they go”, but the momentum shifted in the 66th minute.

Pierre Lees-Melou raced on to a ball into the area and saw his cross hit the arm of Chalobah. Referee Martin Atkinson was advised by VAR to review the incident on the pitchside monitor and a penalty was awarded.

Norwich’s top-scorer Pukki stepped up and sent Edouard Mendy the wrong way to score for the eighth time this campaign.

Smith’s men were full of belief now and Mendy had to scoop up Kenny McLean’s weak header minutes later.

A yellow for Chalobah further whipped up the home crowd and Tuchel turned to Lukaku and N’Golo Kante in the final exchanges to close out the win.

It was Kante who made his mark with an assist for Havertz to wrap up the points with a fine finish that ensured third-placed Chelsea ended another tumultuous day with one positive result.

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FA CUP QUARTER FINAL DRAW: MIDDLESBROUGH HANDED CHELSEA TIE AFTER KNOCKING OUT MAN UTD AND SPURS

Middlesbrough’s reward for knocking Tottenham out of the FA Cup is a home quarter-final against Chelsea.

Boro followed up their fourth-round penalty shoot-out win over Manchester United by deservedly beating Spurs 1-0 after extra time on Tuesday and will now face a third Premier League giant in the last eight.

Chelsea beat Luton on Wednesday and make the long trip north looking to make it back to Wembley for the semi-finals, having been beaten in last season’s final.

Six-time winners Manchester City have been handed a tough draw as they visit Premier League outfit Southampton, while Liverpool – fresh from winning the Carabao Cup on Sunday – are guaranteed Championship opposition after being drawn against the winner of Nottingham Forest and Huddersfield, who play on Monday night.

Crystal Palace will play Everton or Boreham Wood, who battle it out on Thursday, at Selhurst Park.

Ties will be played over the weekend of March 19th and 20th.

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LIVERPOOL WIN CARABAO CUP AFTER LONG PENALTY SHOOTOUT WITH CHELSEA

Caoimhin Kelleher won the battle of the second-choice goalkeepers against Chelsea’s Kepa Arrizabalaga as Liverpool claimed a record ninth League Cup after an incredible penalty shoot-out.

The Irishman scored the decisive kick, with his opposite number – sent on specifically for the shoot-out with two minutes of extra time remaining – blazing over as the spot-kicks finished 11-10 after 21 of 22 efforts were perfectly dispatched.

In a thrilling and absorbing Carabao Cup final at Wembley both sides had goals ruled out for offside in normal time, Joel Matip falling foul of Virgil Van Dijk’s transgression and substitute Romelu Lukaku marginally straying ahead.

Extra time could not settle it and it ultimately came down to the goalkeepers, but not in the way usually imagined in a shoot-out, as Kelleher – who started after manager Jurgen Klopp kept faith with him for cup competitions – was successful from the spot and Kepa, who had barely touched the ball after coming on, was not.

Kelleher had played in every Carabao Cup game bar one this season, and then only because first-choice Alisson Becker needed game time after Covid-19, and was the hero in the quarter-final penalty shoot-out against Leicester.

Kepa had similar outings in the cup competitions but his ‘live’ game time in the final amounted to less than three minutes as Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel adopted the policy he had done in the UEFA Super Cup final in August by swapping the otherwise excellent Edouard Mendy for the Spaniard, who famously refused to come off in the 2019 League Cup final.

It barely affected his shot-stopping as virtually all the penalties taken were unstoppable but cannot have helped his rhythm or feel for the occasion.

Penalties were almost inevitable after two of the Premier League’s top three sides went blow-for-blow over 120 minutes with disallowed goals and the odd on-pitch confrontation adding to the occasion.

Mohamed Salah was making only his third League Cup appearance for the club in nearly five years, having lost his previous two appearances against Chelsea in September 2018 and Arsenal in October 2020.

It was also third time lucky for Klopp, who had lost his last two Wembley appearances in the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool in the 2016 League Cup final, when they were beaten by Manchester City on penalties.

As expected Chelsea started without Romelu Lukaku, although the withdrawal of midfielder Thiago Alcantara after injury in the warm up was a significant blow to Liverpool with the midfielder, in tears on the bench, having to be consoled by team-mate Alisson at kick-off.

The late change unsurprisingly affected Klopp’s side who, for 15 minutes, appeared to struggle with Chelsea’s front three and left wing-back Cesar Azpilicueta pushing on.

Just six minutes in Kelleher justified his manager’s faith by producing a superb reaction close-range save from Christian Pulisic.

Liverpool’s first sight at goal saw Sadio Mane comically misjudge Trent Alexander-Arnold’s cross and head well off target, with Salah slicing a free-kick wide.

Having got their act together Klopp’s side began to dominate possession – they had a 10-minute spell where they had the ball 87 per cent of the time – and Mendy got down low to block Naby Keita’s shot before brilliantly getting up to deny Mane’s close-range follow-up.

Salah headed wide at the far post from Andy Robertson’s cross but Chelsea continued to create the best chances with Kelleher saving from Pulisic as Liverpool waited for another delayed offside flag which never came before Mason Mount bundled wide with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Pulisic, sliding in at the far post, failed to connect with a Kai Havertz cross early in the second half but the most glaring miss came from Mount who appeared to get the ball stuck under his feet having been clean through and stabbed a shot against a post.

In the technical area Tuchel sank to his knees and beat the turf with his hand.

Injury to Azpilicueta saw Reece James make his first appearance since late December faced with the livewire Luis Diaz, one of Liverpool’s better players on the afternoon.

Thiago Silva belied his 37 years to race back and clear Salah’s goal-bound dink over Mendy after the goalkeeper had scuffed a clearance.

Liverpool thought they had taken the lead when Matip nodded home from Mane’s header but VAR suggested referee Stuart Atwell look at the monitor and it was chalked off for an offside against Van Dijk, who had blocked Toni Rudiger’s run.

It was the sign for Tuchel to send on Lukaku and Timo Werner, for Mount and Pulisic, with Werner the next to be flagged offside as Havertz headed home.

Liverpool’s triple substitution saw Diogo Jota, James Milner and Harvey Elliott introduced but it was the impressive Diaz and then Van Dijk who forced Mendy into two saves, before Kelleher denied Lukaku with virtually the last kick of added time.

Lukaku had a goal ruled out in the first extra period on a tight-looking offside call and Havertz for one less so in the second.

A series of impeccable penalties followed before Kelleher brought home Liverpool’s first domestic cup in a decade in unlikely circumstances.

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ROMAN ABRAMOVICH HANDS STEWARDSHIP AND CARE OF CHELSEA TO CLUB’S TRUSTEES

Roman Abramovich has handed the “stewardship and care” of Chelsea to the club’s foundation trustees.

Abramovich will remain as Chelsea’s owner, but will not be involved in any decision making at the Stamford Bridge club.

Russian-Israeli billionaire Abramovich has taken the decision to protect Chelsea from continued links to the wider situation of Russia’s war with Ukraine, the PA news agency understands.

Chelsea’s senior leadership set-up will not change, it is understood, with chairman Bruce Buck now the west London club’s most senior figure.

“During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always viewed my role as a custodian of the club, whose job it is ensuring that we are as successful as we can be today, as well as build for the future, while also playing a positive role in our communities,” read a statement from Abramovich.

“I have always taken decisions with the club’s best interest at heart. I remain committed to these values.

“That is why I am today giving trustees of Chelsea’s charitable Foundation the stewardship and care of Chelsea FC.

“I believe that currently they are in the best position to look after the interests of the club, players, staff, and fans.”

Abramovich’s step backwards will not have any bearing on any possible UK government sanctions, but was a decision understood to have been taken solely in Chelsea’s interests.

Labour MP Chris Bryant claimed in the House of Commons on Thursday that the UK government should seize Abramovich’s assets and remove the 55-year-old from Chelsea’s ownership.

Abramovich did not apply for a renewal of his UK work visa in 2018, leading to a period of time where he was rarely seen in London.

In October 2021, Abramovich visited Stamford Bridge for a Say No To Anti-Semitism event, in support of Chelsea’s long-running campaign against racism and hatred.

Abramovich then attended Stamford Bridge to watch Chelsea in action in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United in November, and was on hand in Abu Dhabi when the Blues won the Club World Cup final on February 12.

Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003 and has help turn the Blues into one of Europe’s most successful club sides.

Chelsea have won 19 major titles since Abramovich took control of the west Londoners.

In a statement, the Chelsea Supporters’ Trust said it was “seeking urgent clarification” on the implications of Abramovich’s statement.

“The Chelsea Supporters’ Trust is deeply saddened and shocked by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent loss of life,” the statement read.

“We note Mr Abramovich’s statement (26.2.22) and are seeking urgent clarification on what this statement means for the running of Chelsea FC.

“The CST board are ready to work with the trustees of The Chelsea Foundation in order to ensure the long-term interest of the club and supporters.

“We stand with the people of Ukraine.”