Chelsea’s reign as European champions came to an agonising end despite beating Real Madrid on a night of high drama at the Bernabeu Stadium.
Mason Mount’s wonderful finish and Antonio Rudiger’s powerful header wiped out Real’s 3-1 first-leg advantage and brought the quarter-final tie level in Spain’s capital.
Thomas Tuchel’s side was within sight of a spot in the semi- finals when Timo Werner’s clever finish from an angle put them ahead for the first time on aggregate but substitute Rodrygo forced extra time with a volleyed finish after a stunning pass from Luka Modric.
Karim Benzema, a hat-trick hero in the first leg at Stamford Bridge six days earlier, headed the decisive goal in the 96th minute to send Real through 5-4 on aggregate.
However, Tuchel says there are “no regrets” after holders Chelsea were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in a classic clash.
“These are the kinds of defeat we can digest and swallow as we left nothing to regret out there,” said boss Tuchel.
“It was not meant to be. We were simply unlucky.”
Social media reacts to Chelsea’s Champions League exit in epic return leg:
Villareal stun Bayern Munich to qualify for semi finals
Bayern Munich were sent crashing out of the Champions League as Samuel Chukwueze’s 88th-minute strike secured a dramatic 2-1 aggregate victory for underdogs Villarreal.
Substitute Chukwueze, finished off a rapid counter-attack when he converted Gerard Moreno’s cross to silence the Allianz Arena as Bayern were eliminated at the quarter-final stage for the second year in a row.
They will face the winner of Liverpool versus Benfica in the last four, a contest Jurgen Klopp’s side currently leads 3-1 on aggregate.
Some fans reacted following Villareal’s outstanding effort: