It was a fast start on Spanish soil, though not the one Chelsea would have hoped for. The hosts opened the scoring after nine minutes when Daniel Yanez broke the deadlock, his strike from distance taking a deflection on its way into the net to give Real Madrid an early lead.

Despite creating some promising openings and gradually growing into the contest, the Blues were unable to find a response before the break and went into half-time trailing by a single goal.

Chelsea returned for the second half with renewed intensity and greater control on the ball as we searched for an equaliser. However, despite our efforts and late pressure, the breakthrough never came, bringing our journey in this competition to a frustrating end.

Tough opening

The match began at a high tempo with the hosts looking to assert themselves early. Madrid thought they had taken the lead just three minutes in when Alexis Ciria headed home from a corner after Freddy Bernal had produced an initial save, but the assistant referee’s flag was raised for offside to give Chelsea an early reprieve.

However, the pressure from the Spanish side soon resulted in the opening goal. A short corner was worked to Carlos Diez, who spotted Yanez waiting outside the area. His powerful strike took a heavy deflection off a Blues defender and flew beyond the wrong-footed Bernal to hand the hosts the lead.

We looked to respond quickly and came close through Genesis Antwi. The attacking right-back burst forward using his pace to escape his marker before firing a close-range effort from a tight angle, but Illia Voloshyn reacted well to make the save.

The game remained lively as the hosts searched for a second. Ciria attempted to bend an effort towards goal, though Bernal produced an excellent diving save to push the strike away and keep Chelsea within touching distance.

Our keeper was called into action again soon after. A clever back-heeled pass from Diez found Ciria inside the box, but his powerful attempt lacked the accuracy to trouble the goalkeeper as it flew over the crossbar.

We began to settle into the contest as the half progressed and created a promising opening on the counter-attack. Landon Emenalo picked out Jesse Derry out wide and the winger showed quick feet to work his way into the area before driving a low effort narrowly wide of the far post.

As the interval approached, the hosts threatened again when Yanez connected with a close-range volley after the ball dropped kindly in the box, but Bernal reacted sharply to tip the effort over the crossbar.

Derry had the final opportunity of the half with a strike from just outside the penalty area, although Voloshyn got down well to gather. It left the Blues trailing 1-0 at the break, with plenty still to play for in the second half.

Searching for an equaliser

The Blues began the second half with greater control. We came agonisingly close to finding the equaliser just after the hour mark.

A cleverly worked set-piece saw Derry take a short free-kick and slip the ball into Shumaira Mheuka's path on the edge of the area. The striker drove a low effort towards goal, but Voloshyn reacted quickly to parry the strike away, with the ball drifting just wide of the far post to let the hosts off the hook.

Another sharp move soon followed for the Blues. Midfielder Ollie Harrison delivered a corner into the area where Reggie Walsh managed to get a flick on the ball, but his looping effort frustratingly looped over the crossbar.

With just under 10 minutes of normal time remaining, the hosts pushed forward again and forced our defence deeper. Ciria created the next opening, striking a powerful effort that looked destined for the top corner, but the shot lifted over the crossbar to keep the Blues within touching distance heading into the closing stages.

Real Madrid threatened once more in the final minute when substitute Jacob Ortega drove forward and fired a low strike towards goal, only to see his effort rebound back off the post.

Our Under-19s continued to push during five minutes of added time, giving everything in search of a late equaliser, but it wasn’t to be. Madrid’s first-half goal proved the difference as the final whistle confirmed a narrow defeat, bringing the Blues' involvement in this season's UEFA Youth League to an end.

What is next

Defeat means the end of our Under-19s' campaign, but many of these players will be back in action for the Blues early next week. Chelsea Under-21s travel away to Manchester United in a top-of-the-table Premier League 2 clash at 7pm on Monday 2 March, before we host neighbours Fulham in the Under-18 Premier League the following day, with kick-off at Cobham at 1.30pm on Tuesday 3 March. Both games will be shown live for free on the Chelsea Official App and website.

The teams

Chelsea (4-3-3): Freddy Bernal; Genesis Antwi, Harrison Murray-Campbell, Olutayo Subuloye, Landon Emenalo; Ollie Harrison, Harrison McMahon (Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli 73), Reggie Walsh (Mathis Eboue 79); Ryan Kavuma-McQueen, Shumaira Mheuka (c), Jesse Derry
Unused subs: Toby Bell, Dante Waite, Lewi Richards, Calvin Diakite, Isaac Badu, Kobe Barbour, Sol Gordon
Booked: Derry 61, Murray-Campbell 90+4

Real Madrid (4-3-3): Illia Voloshyn, Jesus Fortea (Melvin Ukpeigbe 85), Diego Aguado, Daniel Yanez, Roberto Martin (Marcos Viega Vadillo 72), Carlos Diez (c), Mario Rivas, Diego Martinez (Ignacio Gascon 62), Alvaro Lezcano, Alexis Ciria (Liberto Navascues 85), Adrian Arnucio (Jacobo Ortega 72)
Unused subs: Alvaro Gonzalez, Gabriel Valero, Adrian Perez, Ariel Nkoghe
Scorer: Yanez 9
Booked: Aguado 60, Viega Vadillo 89