Champions League semi-final - Chelsea stun Real Madrid - As it happened

Now we move on to Paris and see how PSG and Man City get on. Surely more fireworks on Wednesday night. 

Tough night for Real in the rain, and Chelsea have the advantage going to London for the second leg. 

Doesn't look like we are getting a winner tonight. Poor second half from both sides. Slight delay as we approach 90 mins with a nastyt clash of heads. Rudiger is down for a few minutes but he gets to his feet. 

10 to go. I hope I am proved wrong. 

Both teams want to get into the dressing rooms now as the rain continues to pour down. I don't think we we will see much more, with Real skipper Marcelo comining off. This is the oddest Champions League semi-final in terms of atmosphere - all the drama, then nothing, with no fans. But we are set up for a second-leg belter.

We are on the Estadio Alfredo training ground for Real rather than the Bernabeau, but this second 45 looks more like a training session. Not much going on as Chelsea succeed in killing the Real attacks. Still chucking it down here. 

Stilted second half so far as neither team seem keen to over-commit. To me, Real should be knocking down the door as Tuchel and Chelsea seem to have the measure of their opposition tonight. 

Off we go again. Can Real get into the driving seat? To me, the visitors are playing this perfectly, despite the setback of the goal against. If they can see this 45 minutes through, they are on their way to the final... in my opinion. 

Well played Chelsea. Real have looked rocked back on their heels at times as Chelsea have used the counter-attack as their best weapon so far tonight. The soggy Spaniards will not be too impressed with the weather. Vinicius and Pulisic landed in the book for late tackles on a slippery pitch and the rain does not look like letting up. 

I have to say I am impressed with the way Chelsea have approached this game. There is no fear and they are undaunted about showing up and giving the Galacticos a proper game.  

Phew! After that mental start, we have calmed down a little. Still upper hand Chelsea obviously, but it is chucking it down now and we are in for a few more moments of drama as we approach half-time. 

Wow! Benzema steps up. What a finish. He controls a cross with his head and overheads a belter into the net. No chance for Mendy. 

What a brilliant start, but Benzema almost gets the hosts back on level terms with a rasper from a good 25 yards. It beats Mendy but bounces off the outside of the post. 

First blood to the visitors as Rudiger chips in to Pulisic but he is denied by the big shape of Courtois. However the American is undeterred, and he rounds the former Chelsea man and finds the net. Big ask for Real now with the away goal secured.

Ohhh! What a chance for Chelsea as Ben Chilwell goes close.... but

We are off. Shouts echoing around the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano - Real's training stadium but still admirable in its own right. Tentative start, understanbly, from both sides. 

Five minutes to kick-off, and the big news is there is no place for Havertz in the visitors' squad.

Real Madrid XI: Courtois, Eder Militao, Varane, Nacho, Carvajal, Modric, Casemiro, Kroos, Marcelo, Benzema, Vinicius Jr. Subs: Hazard, Asensio, Lunin, Odriozola, Isco, Mariano, Rodrygo, Altube, Arribas, Blanco, Gutierrez
Chelsea XI: Mendy, Christensen, Thiago Silva, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, Kante, Jorginho, Chilwell, Mount, Pulisic, Werner. Subs: Arrizabalaga, Alonso, Abraham, Caballero, Zouma, Giroud, Hudson-Odoi, Ziyech, Gilmour, James, Havertz, Emerson Palmieri

It is almost a relief to get back to the ‘normality’ of a Champions League semi stage with two teams that have never won the competition after the chaos over the past week with the ill-fated European Super League farce. Read a read take on the return to on-field action here.

In the quarters, Chelsea edged out Porto 2-1 on aggregate, while Real saw off Liverpool 3-1 over two legs in the last eight. The winners over the two legs in Madrid and London will face either Paris St-Germain or Manchester City in the final. Those two new-boy powerhouses go head to head in their first leg in Paris on Wednesday night. But that is a story for another night. One boost for PSG is that star striker Neymar has said he is happy in Paris ant wants to stay on amid speculation over his future (has there ever been a season when there is not speculation over the Brazilian?). You can read all the latest here.

Back to the continental competition and we could be in for a cracker. Goal machine Benzema is in the best form of his career for Zinedine Zidane’s side while — despite a recent shock defeat to West Brom — Chelsea seem to have their attacking woes behind them.

“It could easily go either way, with Chelsea having sorted themselves out and Real having a bit of a Jekyll & Hyde season,” says Craig Leader, manager at Crown 7 Lion, Byblos Barsha Heights. “Zidane said himself that he will need to see the ‘best Real’ to make it to another final. Let’s see what they have left in the tank after another long season and tough fight in La Liga.”

Similarly, Real have had their struggles domestically, but have reeled in Atletico Madrid at the top of La Liga before another stutter at the weekend gave their domestic rivals the upper hand once again.

How do you see this one going? Both clubs have had a yo-yo year, with the visitors sacking club hero Frank Lampard as manager midway through the season before Thomas Tuchel steadied the ship and has them pushing for a top-four finish in the Premier League.

All set for the final-four fight? First up we are in Madrid as 13-time winners Real Madrid take on Chelsea.