The French forward had already netted two classy headers when he benefitted from a defensive mix-up in the first minute of the second half, spoiling the momentum given to us by Kai Havertz’s goal shortly before the interval.

The Blues had started the game brightly, but Real remained a constant menace on the break, the pace of Vinicius Junior and deadly finishing from Benzema putting the Spanish side 2-0 up in the blink of an eye midway through the first period.

Havertz, Reece James and Thiago Silva had all had chances before the German headed beyond Thibaut Courtois to get us right back in the game. The brilliant Benzema then wasted a golden opportunity to complete a second consecutive Champions League hat-trick before he did, with Chelsea applying all the pressure therein. Subs Romelu Lukaku and Hakim Ziyech went closest to getting a goal back, but it is with a 3-1 deficit that we travel to the Bernabeu next week.

The defence of our European crown might be in serious jeopardy, but if there is any team who can overcome the odds it is this Chelsea.

The selection

Thomas Tuchel made a quartet of changes to his Chelsea side and reverted to a 3-4-3 shape, before switching back to 4-3-3 at the break.

James started his first game since Burnley away, at right wing-back, with Cesar Azpilicueta selected on the opposite flank ahead of Marcos Alonso. Andreas Christensen came into the back three.

Jorginho also returned, at the expense of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and he joined N’Golo Kante in midfield.

The three-pronged attack was once again spearheaded by Havertz. Mason Mount, making his 150th Blues appearance, and Christian Pulisic, another fresh face, joined him there.

Real Madrid preferred Federico Valverde to Marco Asensio or Rodrygo on the right-hand side of their front three.

Blues begin well

A deafening noise and a Shed End mosaic with two gold stars greeted the two teams on a very wet spring evening in west London. The anticipation only increased inside the first minute when James released Mount in space down the right, and his first-time cross skidded off the surface and not far beyond Havertz and Pulisic in the centre.

The quick pace continued with both teams’ showing purpose going forward. In the fifth minute, with Benzema threatening to break clear, Kante turned defence into attack by spinning away from him and freeing Havertz, who stood David Alaba up, cut inside but shot well over from 15 yards out. It was a chance.

The slippery conditions were having a major effect on proceedings, and Christensen was the next player to lose his footing, almost decisively. After Benzema had cutely freed Valverde, our Dane slipped attempting to intercept a pass destined for Vinicius. The Brazilian cut inside his compatriot Thiago Silva and thudded a shot against the top of the crossbar.

Militao then dawdled in possession and, with Havertz lurking, had to resort to fouling our striker. It earned him a booking, ruling him out of the second leg, and Chelsea a free-kick wide left, which James forced the stretching Courtois to parry to safety.

2-0 down in the blink of an eye

Vinicius was proving an absolute livewire down Real Madrid’s left. He broke free of the Christensen-James axis twice, and although Thiago Silva did well to hold him up the first time, we had no answer when he latched onto Benzema’s flicked pass and sent in a cross the French striker headed beyond Mendy’s reach.

It was a masterful header. Unfortunately for us, an even better one was to follow just three minutes later. This time Luka Modric was the supplier from the right flank, and while Benzema was worryingly unmarked, it still required a perfect cushioned header back across goal to beat Mendy and drop in the far corner.

Having conceded three goals in 10 minutes on Saturday, there was an understandable tension on the pitch, and in the dugout and the stands. We survived one scare preventing a repeat of that when Dani Carvajal overlapped and drew a save out of Mendy, with Christensen in the right place to hack away.

We did manage to settle down, though. Thiago Silva had a good headed chance from a Mount corner, but in almost stooping to connect he could only steer his effort over Courtois’ bar. The next attempt was much more effective.

Havertz hits back

Patient play created space for Jorginho to send a cross in, and Havertz was too powerful for Carvajal at the far post, thumping a header into the Matthew Harding net despite Courtois getting two strong hands to it.

The Bridge was roaring once more, the tempo notched up, but overeagerness nearly cost us dearly before the break. Again there was far too much time and space for Modric in midfield to find Vinicius on the left. His low centre was only partially intercepted by Jorginho, the ball falling right into Benzema’s path. Everyone held their breath expecting the net to ripple, but inexplicably the Frenchman sent his shot wide.

Tuchel had plenty to think about as the teams headed inside. When they re-emerged, Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech replaced Christensen and Kante and we switched to 4-3-3. Mount dropped into midfield.

Alas, Tuchel’s half-time words counted for little as we were the architects of our downfall 45 seconds after the restart. Mendy collected a long pass out of his area, under little danger. His pass square sold Rudiger short, Benzema challenged and the loose ball ran into his path. He couldn’t miss.

Searching for a second

In response, Azpilicueta drew a flying save out of Courtois from distance before Tuchel further shuffled his pack, bringing Romelu Lukaku and Loftus-Cheek on for Pulisic and Jorginho.

Lukaku had a golden opportunity to make it 3-2 almost instantly as Azpilicueta’s deflected cross found him unmarked on the cusp of the six-yard box, but his header flashed wide of the post. It signalled an increase in intensity from the Blues, though, and after Lukaku made a nuisance of himself, Mount whipped a long-range strike a whisker over.

With a little over 10 minutes remaining the same man wriggled free of sub Nacho only to see his shot blocked. It wasn’t far away from being a penalty. James then blasted a shot from 20 yards that while Courtois couldn’t hold, rebounded first to a white shirt.

Real were content to try and kill the game late on but there was time for one more good Chelsea chance in the 92nd minute, Lukaku teeing up Ziyech who fired wide. Chelsea will have to be at our best to leave our first trip to the Bernabeu with hopes of retaining the Champions League still alive.

What's next?

It's Southampton away this Saturday, kick-off at 3pm, before we travel to Spain for the second leg of this tie on Tuesday.

Chelsea (3-4-3): Mendy; Christensen (Kovacic h/t), Thiago Silva, Rudiger; James, Kante (Ziyech h/t), Jorginho (Loftus-Cheek 64), Azpilicueta (c); Mount, Havertz, Pulisic (Lukaku 64).Unused subs Kepa, Alonso, Kenedy, Chalobah, Sarr, Saul, Werner.Scorer Havertz 40Booked Rudiger 19

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Courtois; Carvajal, Militao (Nacho 64), Alaba, Mendy; Kroos (Camavinga 74), Casemiro, Modric; Valverde (Ceballos 86), Benzema (c) (Bale 86), Vinicius Junior.Unused subs Lunin, Toni Fuidias, Lucas Vazquez, Vallejo, Marcelo, Mariano, Rodrygo, Asensio.Scorer Benzema 21, 24, 46Booked Militao 14

Referee Clement Turpin from FranceCrowd 38,689