Chelsea vs Real Madrid, Champions League Q/F 1st leg: 3 things to look forward to

The first leg of the much anticipated quarter-final first leg fixture of the Champions League between Chelsea and Real Madrid takes place tonight with the Blues hosting the Spaniards at Stamford Bridge.

It is arguably the biggest game of the quarter-final fixtures and here, we take a look at three things to look forward to.

1. Can Chelsea repeat last season heroics?

This is the second consecutive season in the Champions League that Chelsea and Real Madrid have met in the knockout stage, with the Blues having a chance of becoming the first English team to eliminate the Los Blancos from the knockout stages of the competition multiple times following their win in the semi-finals last campaign.

Can Thomas Tuchel inspire his team to repeat the feat? Only time will tell.

2. Real will need Benzema to fire

Karim Benzema is Madrid's most important player and their talisman, and it was the Frenchman who led the Los Blancos to the quarter-final stage as it was his hat-trick against Paris Saint-Germain that change the tie.

The 34-year-old has netted 34 goals in all competitions this season and how he performs will decide the fate of the game.

3. Chelsea will need to concentrate once again after Brentford mauling

Chelsea come into this game on the back of a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Brentford in the Premier League over the weekend, and they will need to get their heads in the right space in order to get a win on the night.

It will be interesting to see how they approach the game in what is a big clash for them.