FEARS that Chelsea’s humbling 4-1 defeat to Brentford may impact their Real Madrid preparations could be eased thanks to the Blues’ excellent record against the Spaniards.
Thomas Tuchel’s side host Real Madrid on Wednesday in a crunch Champions League quarter-final first leg, before the return game six days later.
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And in five competitive meetings between the two sides, Chelsea have NEVER lost a match.
So if the history books are anything to go by Tuchel and Co will be full of confidence heading into the two-legged affair.
The teams last met just 12 months ago in the semi-finals of the same competition.
After a tense 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu, goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount fired the Blues into the Champions League final 3-1 on aggregate, which they went on to win.
Before that the last time the two sides played was on August 28, 1998 in the Uefa Super Cup.
Once again it was the Blues who came out on top, with Gus Poyet’s 83rd minute strike sealing a 1-0 win for Gianluca Vialli’s side.
In 1971 the two teams met in the Uefa European Cup Winners Cup.
The first game finished 1-1 with the sides unable to be separated after extra-time.
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Peter Osgood fired the Blues 1-0 up on 56 minutes but Zoco sent the game to a replay with a 90th-minute equaliser.
But it was Dave Sexton’s boys celebrating in the second game with goals from John Dempsey and Osgood again securing a 2-1 triumph.
Sebastian Fleitas netted a consolation for the Spaniards.
So in five games in total between the the two sides Chelsea have won three and drawn two.
Not a bad record against the 12-time Champions League winners, and current runaway LaLiga leaders.
And with Los Blancos still reeling from last month’s 4-0 El Clasico defeat, the Blues will be confident of history repeating itself on Wednesday, and again in the return leg.