What Karim Benzema wanted from Reece James as Chelsea star becomes Thomas Tuchel’s assistant
James produces again on the big stage
Given the difficulties Andreas Christensen endured against Vinicius Junior in the first leg between the two sides, it was no surprise that the Dane didn’t start at the Bernabeu. In his place on the right of the back three came Reece James. It was a big call from Tuchel but one that hugely paid off.
James was harshly booked early on for a foul on Vinicius but it didn’t impact his performance. He kept the rapid Brazilian in check for much of the contest and won 11 of the 13 ground duels he attempted across the 120 minutes. There was also one last-ditch clearance to deny a good shooting opportunity for Benzema.
The academy graduate also fashioned Chelsea’s best chance in extra time with a whipped cross that was met by Havertz. Unfortunately for Chelsea, the silky German couldn’t find the back of the net with his header.
James was on the winning side of last night’s game but on the losing side of the tie. Something he and many of his teammates did not deserve given their efforts at the Bernabeu. “We deserved to go through after this performance and match today,” said Tuchel. “But it was not meant to be.”
At full time, James was one of the players to collapse to the ground. When he eventually made it back onto his feet, he shared an embrace with Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti and applauded the travelling Chelsea supporters. He was then approached by Benzema, who wanted to swap shirts with the England international. Clearly, one world-class star recognises the talents of another. And even at 22 years old, that is exactly what James is.
Read more of the talking points here.