‘Leaving everything on the pitch’: Thomas Tuchel delivers passionate message to fans ahead of Real Madrid

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel says his side will not just throw in the towel at the Bernabeu and will go above and beyond to try and turn the tie.

The European Champions face an uphill task of  defending the title they won back in May against Manchester City after sleep walking into a 3-1 defeat to Madrid at home last week.

A Karim Benzema hat-trick means the Blues will need almost a night like the one against Napoli a few years ago when  they overturned a 3-1 defeat to Napoli and progress under Roberto Di Matteo.

“We need to play better, that we know we can take more risks and that we show our true face and live up to our full potential. That’s what we should do first.

“By not accepting it before it ends. By not accepting it and by leaving everything on the pitch that we have and by showing we can work harder and that is how we need to do it tonight.“

Beating Real Madrid is no easy task but the English side managed that last season on their way to the Champions League title but the task has been made harder with the Spanish side looking more compact and currently flying in La Liga than they were last season.

In addition- Chelsea’s disappointing first leg showing means they essentially go into this second leg with their bags against the walls.

They however prepared for the game with a resounding 6-0 battering of Southampton over the weekend with most of the key players enjoying a great shift.

That result will lift confidence and manager Thomas Tuchel is silently optimistic that if they can play together as a Unit and have some luck, progressing is not entirely beyond them even in an arena like the Bernabau.

He added: “We will support our team and we will try and we will try hard. It is worth trying, it’s sports and it is a game and it’s the beauty of the game that everything is always possible.

“We will arrive and try everything because it is worth trying and from there we see and hopefully, we have a match where belief grows by our actions. Hopefully, we can fulfil our dream and live up to our dream.”

The Blues have seen their Premier League title defence fade but they have the distraction of an FA Cup semi-final clash against Crystal Palace at Wembley on Sunday and will hope they don’t use too much energy in Spain that could eventually cost them a palace in the final too this weekend.