Real Madrid saw off a stirring Chelsea fightback to book their place in the semi-finals of the Champions League following a 3-2 defeat after extra time at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday (NZ time) that sent them through 5-4 on aggregate.
Chelsea had looked on course to complete an astonishing comeback, after taking a 3-0 lead in their quarter-final second leg with goals from Mason Mount, Antonio Rudiger and an excellent individual effort from Timo Werner.
Yet the hosts came roaring back, with Rodrygo finishing from a superb pass by Luka Modric to level the tie 4-4 on aggregate and force extra time when Karim Benzema headed home to decide a remarkable encounter.
Real Madrid will now face either Manchester City or Atletico Madrid in the last four.
Meanwhile, underdogs Villarreal scored an 88th minute equaliser through substitute Samuel Chukwueze to snatch a stunning 1-1 draw at Bayern Munich and advance to the Champions League semi-finals with a 2-1 aggregate win over the Germans.
Six-time European champions Bayern, who had won 12 of their previous 13 home games in the competition, levelled the tie when Robert Lewandowski drilled the ball in off the post after 52 minutes with his 13th Champions League goal of the season.
But they failed to find the net again despite intense pressure in the second half and several missed chances.
Instead it was Villarreal, semi-finalists in 2006, who scored against the run of play with Chukwueze beating goalkeeper Manuel Neuer with a left-foot effort to silence the home crowd.
They will play Liverpool or Benfica in the last four, with the English side leading 3-1 after the first leg in Portugal.
Reuters.
