He didn’t play, but that doesn't mean that we don't have a recap.
Christian Pulisic vs. Real Madrid
Christian Pulisic's first action was to ignore the artwork on the wall inside the Bernabéu.
That’s the mindset of a champion right there. Why would he focus on the final in Istanbul when he has a big quarterfinal ahead of him? He takes things one step at a time like all winners do.
Next up was getting dressed and killing it in warmups.
The Chelsea warmups weren’t televised, but we imagine he stretched better than any other player out there.
Let’s take a gander at the Pulisic heat map from the 90 minutes at the Bernabéu on Wednesday.
Pulisic heat map vs. Real Madrid
He did everything he could.
Real Madrid comfortably defeated Chelsea 2-0 on Wednesday in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal and Pulisic could only watch.
Caretaker manager Frank Lampard opted for a defensive strategy with Raheem Sterling and João Félix up top as a strike pair. The two couldn’t find the back of the net despite having some dangerous counter attacks.
Pulisic is still seeking for his first goal at the Santiago Bernabéu. When he scored in Madrid during the 2020-21 Champions League campaign the Bernabéu was undergoing renovations. His one goal vs. Los Blancos in his career came at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
Calm and collected from Pulisic! #UCL pic.twitter.com/5mLP23DlvX
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 5, 2022
Perhaps if Lampard gives Pulisic a chance during the return leg on April 18 he can repeat the magic.
