Chelsea's individual errors against Real Madrid on Tuesday left Joe Cole disappointed.
At Stamford Bridge, the Blues faced Los Blancos in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal. Karim Benzema scored a hat-trick for the visitors, while Kai Havertz scored the only goal for the Blues in a 3-1 loss.
The energy levels of Thomas Tuchel's team were low, and he made a few individual errors that were punished by Real Madrid. The most costly was Edouard Mendy's missed pass, which allowed Benzema to flick the ball into an empty net from outside the penalty area.
The match is still on for the Blues, who go to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg next week. According to BT Sport (via Express), he said:
"The tie's next goal is critical. Going to Spain and overcoming a 3-1 deficit is a tall order. Tuchel switched to a back four at halftime and looked a lot brighter and sharper."
Cole singled out Blues defender Antonio Rudiger and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy for their mistakes.
"Individual errors are one thing you can't account for. Rudiger and Mendy were mistaken. Benzema was superb and gives them a significant advantage over the opposition next week. But the game isn't over yet."
Steve McManaman, a former Real Madrid winger, concurred with Joe Cole, saying: "It is not always the teams that score the most goals that win competitions; often it is the teams that make the fewest errors. Madrid had a great night tonight, with a seasoned, superstar center-forward. In these tight games, a single blunder or ejection can completely alter the game's storyline."
He continued, " "What started out as a 2-1 deficit and a difficult second half for Madrid turned out to be a breeze in the end. Chelsea failed to give themselves a fighting chance. The fact that Madrid has three goals and Benzema should have had more speaks for itself. It's uncharacteristic of Chelsea to make so many mistakes."
In their last two games, Chelsea has conceded seven goals.
Tuchel's Blues have a reputation for being incredibly disciplined. However, in their final two games, both at Stamford Bridge, they appeared careless and prone to errors. The London club let up four goals against Brentford over the weekend and then allowed three more last night.
Since Tuchel took over as coach in January 2021, displays like these have become rare. The German will have to restore his team's rigidity and discipline ahead of the second leg against Real Madrid next week.
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