Chelsea's reign as European champions came to an agonising end despite beating Real Madrid on a night of high drama at the Bernabeu Stadium.
It was a heartbreaking night for Chelsea fans, yet the spirited performance and the roar of the pride of London won the hearts of football fans worldwide.
Chelsea's reign as European Champions came to an agonising end despite beating La Liga giants Real Madrid in a high-octane clash at the Bernabeu Stadium.
In a Champions League epic, the Blues put on a courageous display, turning the tables on their 3-1 first-leg deficit to inch ahead 4-3 on aggregate. However, Real Madrid's Rodrygo's equaliser took the clash into extra time before the in-form Karim Benzema slammed another header to sink Tuchel's side.
Chelsea was outstanding throughout the game, but the decisive goal in the 96th minute by the first-leg hat-trick scorer Benzema sent Real Madrid through the semi-finals with a 5-4 aggregate.
Also read: 'Aging like wine': Real Madrid's Benzema hailed for UCL hat-trick against Chelsea
In the end, Chelsea, who played superbly, fell just short of producing one of the greatest comebacks in the competition, winning the hearts of football enthusiasts globally. Here's a look at some of the reactions on Twitter:
It hurts, but we'll be back stronger. 💛 pic.twitter.com/ldWFlylTds
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)An outstanding effort to be proud of tonight in Madrid, but we exit the . pic.twitter.com/UNA7NAZTkE
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)Whatever happens. are blessed with Thomas Tuchel. What a manager.
— Cesc Fàbregas Soler (@cesc4official)Holders bow out but Chelsea can proud of their campaign 👍 pic.twitter.com/THe5VhuxAi
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague)Time to be proud for Chelsea. Top performance, incredible reaction and again credits to Thomas Tuchel. Almost two months with no ownership and under sanction - never easy. 🔵
… and what a player, Toni Rüdiger. More than a centre back. Pure leadership. pic.twitter.com/QSBLI4Qd0i
Chelsea Football Club, that is one of the best 90 minute performances I’ve ever seen from you. What a game, what a team.
— George Benson (@MrGeorgeBenson)If Chelsea was going to get eliminated, I wanted them to go out with pride. They did that today. I love Chelsea football club so much man.
— Conn (@ConnCFC)CHELSEA HAVE COME BACK FROM THE DEAD pic.twitter.com/Mjf544TOU3
— GOAL (@goal)You can go hard and still go home back to the trenches.
-Chelsea 2022.
To be sincere, Chelsea tried their best, it was a great match, Mount and Rudiger extra ordinary, but Real Madrid played with experience, didnt panic, when Marcelo came in, his performance was top notch, but you see Benzema!
That guy needs a f*cking statue pic.twitter.com/Q8K7y04jYR
What a lovely come back and an incredible performance from the players and coach. Chelsea fans let’s drop a ❤️ and retweet bcos we made them know we are the Champions.
Chelsea - John Terry - Rudiger - Emmanuel - Ziyech - Tuchel pic.twitter.com/HrVYC8JP0K
Modric: “For me, Chelsea are the toughest team I have played against.” pic.twitter.com/7ce7dODX9K
— Official Chelsea Delhi - The Capital Blues✭✭ (@TheCapitalBlues)Almost is never enough 🥰
Thank you Chelsea who made us believe, now and forever 🔵 pic.twitter.com/eYbdicyHQs
We showed real Madrid a game to remember.
I love Chelsea football club💙 pic.twitter.com/3YoVbi8rmZ
Thomas Tuchel said “we will make a team that nobody wants to play against” … Modric has just confessed that Chelsea are the toughest team to play against in the world pic.twitter.com/AINbmXjDlq
— Elim (@NsofwaLombe)Silver lining from tonight :
Chelsea won 8 consecutive away games for the first time in their history.
Chelsea became the first English team in Champions league history to score 3 goals at the Bernabeu. pic.twitter.com/dCvNSfZvSw
Following the shocking exit, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel was furious over a decision made by VAR to rule out a second-half goal for Chelsea, when Marcos Alonso was adjudged to have handled before smashing the ball past Thibaut Courtois.
Referee Szymon Marciniak ruled the goal out without checking the VAR monitor, with Tuchel claiming that officials do not have the "courage" to give decisions against Real Madrid.
But it was the official's joyful moment with Carlos Ancelotti that enraged the German the most at full-time.
"I was disappointed that the referee had a good time with Carlo," said Tuchel after the game.
"When I wanted to go and say thank you, he was smiling and laughing with the opponent's coach. I think this is the very wrong time to do this after the final whistle, 126 minutes of a team giving their heart. When you go and see a referee smiling and laughing with the other coach, it's bad timing. I told him this," said the Chelsea manager.
"[It's] not only today. When you play against Real Madrid, maybe you don't expect everyone has the courage. I felt the little decisions in the first leg and today as well. I didn't see the goal, but I am super disappointed he didn't come out and check it on its own. You should stay the boss and not give the decisions to someone in a chair and who is isolated," Tuchel remarked.
Tuchel, however, was full of praise for his Chelsea side after the match and admitted this defeat is easier to take given the performances put in by his players.
"These are the kind of defeats we can digest and swallow. We left nothing to regret out there. We played what we wanted to play, with the quality and the character this team has. We deserved to go through, we were simply unlucky, and it wasn't to be," the German stated.
"The most important thing is how we play and the input from the players. The full credit is for the players. You need to score and win and do it over the 90 mins. We were unlucky not to go through," Tuchel concluded.