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LONDON — Chelsea might have responded to Thomas Tuchel’s tirade with a 6-0 demolition of Southampton, but the Blues boss knows it will be “very difficult” to stage an epic Champions League escape act against Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Tuchel read the riot act to his players in a crisis meeting last Thursday as he tried to shake them out of an alarming slump that saw Real win 3-1 in the quarter-final first leg at Stamford Bridge.

That damaging defeat, which came just days after Brentford thrashed Chelsea 4-1 in the Premier League, prompted Tuchel to question his players’ desire and focus.

Immediately after the Real loss, an unusually emotional Tuchel claimed Chelsea’s reign as Champions League holders was over.

The German got the response he wanted as Chelsea tore Southampton to pieces at St Mary’s, racing into a four-goal lead before half-time as they eased fears that they might slip out of the Premier League’s top four.

Asked if the Southampton rout could boost Chelsea’s chances in Madrid, Tuchel said: “It was necessary that we turned things around. We came from a long streak of games, then we had the international break and we had five days afterwards where we didn’t feel the same.

“So it was not a huge turnaround, it was not necessary to change everything, but it was the moment for us, I had the feeling, to tell the group the truth, my honest opinion, and tell them as a part of the group this is how I feel.

“And so the message was clear, and obviously everybody took it in the right way, I included myself in the message, and so it was necessary to step up.

“It is on the players to live up to what we play and they did it in an impressive manner.

“So it’s now a time to move on because we’ve found what makes us strong and it was another proof of that and we keep on going.”

‘Different game’

Although Chelsea have restored their equilibrium, Tuchel knows overturning their first leg deficit against La Liga leaders Real at the Bernabeu will still be a huge task.

“It is a completely different game and opponent. The situation does not get easy,” he said.

“That will be a very difficult task and there is no change to it. We did what we wanted against Southampton and that is the good news.”

Timo Werner and Mason Mount both scored twice against Southampton, with Marcos Alonso and Kai Havertz also on target.

It was especially pleasing for Tuchel to see England forward Mount back among the goals after an inconsistent season.

Werner’s rare goals were also encouraging given Chelsea will need all the firepower they can muster to get past Real.

With away goals no longer counting double, Chelsea would at least force extra-time if they lead by two goals at the end of normal time.

Whether their defence can contain red-hot Real striker Karim Benzema, who scored a hat-trick in the first leg, is another matter entirely.

Tuchel believes the chastening first leg showed Chelsea cannot function against the best teams without every player operating at 100 per cent.

“I think it tells us that we are not the team that can escape with results if our input is at 90 per cent or 80 per cent of our energy, commitment and investment,” he said.

“We are a special group when we have the priorities right. If we are committed, if we defend with courage, if we have the attitude right and the hunger right and win challenges.”

MILAN — Inter Milan confirmed that their Serie A title defence was alive and well with Saturday’s straight-forward 2-0 win over Verona which took them to within a point of leaders AC Milan.

First-half goals from Nicolo Barella and Edin Dzeko in front of around 60,000 fans at a sun-dappled San Siro made sure that the champions built on their morale-boosting win at Juventus last weekend by moving into second place.

Inter are level on 66 points with Napoli, who host Fiorentina on Sunday, but ahead of Luciano Spalletti’s side in the table thanks to their superior head-to-head record.

Milan meanwhile are at Torino in Sunday’s late match with their two main title rivals breathing down their necks and seven rounds of fixtures to be completed in an enthralling race for the Scudetto.

“This win has given us some continuity after Turin and although there is still some way to go I saw some good signs out there,” said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi to DAZN.

“We told ourselves that we needed to win otherwise Turin would have been worth nothing and we did it against a team who are very difficult to play against... They’ve made it difficult for a lot of teams.”

The only worry for Inzaghi was a thigh problem for Stefan de Vrij which forced The Netherlands defender off at half-time on his return from a month out with a calf injury, although the coach said it shouldn’t be anything serious.

Verona have never won at the San Siro against either Inter or Milan and were suffocated in a first half which reminded Inter fans why their team were strong favourites for the title right up until early February, when they were four points clear having played one game fewer than their rivals.

They still have that game in hand, at Bologna later this month, and will have been further boosted by the way they beat one of the league’s most troublesome teams.

Juve bounce back

Italy midfielder Barella gave the hosts a deserved lead in the 22nd minute, nipping in at the back post to poke home a beautifully clipped cross from Ivan Perisic. 

Eight minutes later Croatia winger Perisic then laid on Dzeko’s 13th Serie A goal for Inter by flicking Federico Dimarco’s corner for the Bosnian to tap home from practically on the goal line.

Goalkeeper Samir Handanovic then made sure that Inter went in at the break two ahead by charging out to stop Giovanni Simeone from scoring his 17th league goal of the season. 

From there the home side shut up shop and left the stage for Napoli and Milan to have their say in another eventful weekend.

Four points behind Inter in fourth are Juve who came back from a goal down to win 2-1 at relegation-threatened Cagliari thanks to Matthijs de Ligt and Dusan Vlahovic.

Dutchman De Ligt levelled the scores on the stroke of half-time in Sardinia after Joao Pedro had given the hosts a shock 10th minute lead with what turned out to be their only shot on target and a previous Juve equaliser was ruled out for an odd handball.

Luca Pellegrini’s 23rd minute shot clipped off Adrien Rabiot’s left elbow while the Frenchman’s back was turned and flew past Cagliari goalkeeper Alessio Cragno only for the VAR officials to disallow the goal.

Giorgio Chiellini then had his close-range finish rightly chalked off for offside just after the restart before Vlahovic got the better of the impressive Cragno with 15 minutes remaining. 

The Serbia forward toed in his 22nd league goal of the campaign to move top of the Serie A scoring charts and condemn troubled Cagliari to a fifth straight defeat.

“Going into the dressing room after scoring in the last minute of the first half gives you a great feeling, and the from the first minute of the second half we pressured them, we created some chances and finally Dusan scored a good goal,” said De Ligt.

Juve are now eight points ahead of fifth-placed Roma and nicely placed to take advantage of a any slips from Milan or Napoli.

LONDON — Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said facing Manchester City is the toughest task in football and hailed Pep Guardiola as the world’s best coach.

Klopp’s side visit City on Sunday in a crucial clash in the Premier League title race.

Second placed Liverpool are one point behind leaders City with eight games left for both teams.

A win for Liverpool would put them in pole position to lift the Premier League trophy for a second time in three seasons.

But a Liverpool defeat or even a draw would leave reigning champions City as the favourites to retain the title. 

That would be a bitter blow for Liverpool, given their superb form of late, but it would not be the first time they were unable to catch City despite playing at the peak of their powers.

In 2018-19, City pipped Liverpool to the title by a point despite the Reds’ record points haul for the runners-up.

Klopp knows City are by far the toughest opponent his team will face as they chase an unprecedented quadruple.

“There is no game in world football you can compare to play against City because they are good in pretty much all areas. There are no real weaknesses,” Klopp told reporters on Friday.

“You have to show the respect they deserve, especially against City as they are pretty good with the ball.

“We know it is tough. What’s changed this last four years is everyone else thinks it is tough when they face us, and that’s really good.

“Nothing to worry about the mentality of my boys. After the [Benfica] game immediately the boys were clear ‘Now it’s City time’. We will be prepared.”

‘Best in the world’

City have won the title three times since Guardiola arrived in 2016, yet there are still some who question the Spaniard for his failure to win the Champions League since 2011, when he was in charge at Barcelona.

Klopp has no such doubts about Guardiola’s qualities however.

“Pep is the best coach in the world. I think we would all agree on that and it might be a coincidence that it didn’t work out in the Champions League so far,” he said.

“If anybody doubts him, I have no idea how that could happen.”

Klopp believes City’s consistent quality in the Guardiola era has forced Liverpool raise their own standards.

“We pushed each other to incredible points tallies. Madness. I would have never thought these kind of things were possible, especially not in this league,” he said.

“The consistency both teams showed in that period was absolutely crazy.”

Liverpool have won 10 successive Premier League matches and have one foot in the Champions League semifinals after Tuesday’s 3-1 win against Benfica in the quarter-final first leg.

That was the ideal preparation for the seismic showdown with City, who also face Liverpool in the FA Cup semifinals at Wembley on April 16.

Sunday’s game is being billed as a title decider but Klopp insists the race will be far from over whatever the outcome.

“I can’t decide what people think. But if you go through the possible results: If we win we are two points ahead and if everyone thinks that’s done and dusted with the league then I cannot help,” he said.

“If we lose we are four points behind. And if anyone thinks ‘That’s it’ then I cannot change it but I know no-one from a City point of view would think like that.”

NEW YORK — Jaylen Brown scored 25 points on Wednesday as the Boston Celtics kept up their push for the No. 2 play-off seed in the Eastern Conference with a 117-94 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

With the identity of the six automatic play-off teams in the East already settled, the only issue remaining is to determine the final play-off seedings.

Boston sits behind leaders Miami with two games remaining in the regular season.

With Miami poised to lock up the top spot, needing just one win from their games against Atlanta and lowly Orlando, all eyes are on the battle for second seed where Boston, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers are in a three-way tussle.

Milwaukee and Philadelphia’s wins on Tuesday left all three teams locked on 49 wins apiece, meaning the Celtics’ 50th win of the season on Wednesday allowed them to move one game clear of their rivals.

Brown spearheaded a dominant performance for the in-form Celtics, who led from start-to-finish and had five players in double figures.

Al Horford weighed in with 17 points and 10 rebounds while Jayson Tatum finished with 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as the Bulls — occupying the sixth and final automatic play-off spot in the East — fell to a third straight defeat.

“We just came out with a lot of energy,” Horford said, revealing the team is determined to maintain their form after centre Robert Williams sustained a serious knee injury last month. 

“We understood it was an important game for us, we wanted to get back to the way we’ve been playing before Rob went down. We came out with a lot of good energy tonight and were able to sustain it for the whole game.

“For the past month we’ve been playing play-off-level basketball. This is what I expect from our guys.”

The Celtics’ victory marks the first time since the 2017-2018 campaign that the franchise has posted 50 wins — a source of pride for Boston coach Ime Udoka after his team’s sluggish start to the season.

“When I signed on here it was pretty much a given that we were going to win 50 games, that’s the expectation,” Udoka said. “It’s a good thing to get back to where we expected to be.”

Durant spurs Nets revival

Elsewhere in the East, the Brooklyn Nets overturned a 21-point third-quarter deficit to down the New York Knicks 110-98 at Madison Square Garden, outscoring their city rivals by 38-16 in the final quarter to clinch victory.

Kevin Durant led the way back for Brooklyn with a 32-point triple double that included 11 assists and 10 rebounds while Kyrie Irving tallied 24 points with eight rebounds and seven assists. 

Brooklyn, who are assured of a place in the play-in tournament next week, improved to 42-38.

But for Nets star Durant, Brooklyn’s thrilling comeback was too close for comfort.

“It’s risky, I hate being down like that,” Durant said. “I hate being that team, you know, get down, and we fight back. I don’t want that to be a part of who we are. 

“But that situation may come and for us it’s about sticking together, making the right play regardless of the score. That’s what we leaned on tonight. We had a good spirit in that second half.”

In the Western Conference, the play-off-bound Dallas Mavericks brushed aside the eliminated Detroit Pistons with a 131-113 win.

Luka Doncic finished with 26 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds in just under 34 minutes on court, with Jalen Brunson adding 24 points.

In the late game, the Western Conference-leading Phoenix Suns, already assured of top seeding, suffered a 113-109 reverse on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Suns rested stars Devin Booker, Chris Paul, Jae Crowder and Deandre Ayton for the defeat. 

Norman Powell led the Clippers scorers with 24 points.

LONDON — Carlo Ancelotti hailed Karim Benzema’s “fantastic” hat-trick as he fired Real Madrid to a 3-1 win against Chelsea that put the Champions League holders on the brink of elimination after Wednesday’s quarter-final first leg.

Benzema produced a masterclass at Stamford Bridge as the France striker netted twice in the first half with two perfectly-taken headers.

Kai Havertz reduced the deficit before the interval, but Benzema punished a woeful mistake from Chelsea keeper Edouard Mendy in the second half to complete his treble.

It was the sublime Benzema’s second successive Champions League hat-trick after he single-handedly inspired their epic comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16 second leg.

Ancelotti’s side are in pole position to advance to the semifinals as they return to Madrid for the second leg on April 12.

After losing to Chelsea in last season’s Champions League semifinals, Real will have the opportunity to exact revenge at the Bernabeu.

“We had a fantastic performance up front from Benzema,” Ancelotti said. 

“He’s getting better every day like wine. We played well. It was a good night.

“We have an advantage but we have a lot of respect for this team who were the winners of the last Champions League.”

Real won the last of their 13 Champions League titles in 2018 and, while they may not be favourites in this year’s tournament, their ruthless victory in west London was a significant statement of intent from the La Liga leaders.

With 11 goals this term, Benzema has scored more times than any other Frenchman in a single European Cup campaign, moving past Just Fontaine’s 10-goal haul in 1958-59.

“They’re magic nights. Today we came out to win, to show we’re Real Madrid,” Benzema said.

“We played well from the first minute to the last. They’re very important goals.”

Chelsea were a shadow of the supremely organised side that marched to their second Champions League crown last year and won six successive games in all competitions before the recent international break.

Blues boss Thomas Tuchel had dismissed Saturday’s 4-1 home defeat against Brentford in the Premier League as nothing to worry about.

But in truth that shock loss had exposed some major flaws in Chelsea’s defence that Real gleefully exploited.

“The first half was a repetition of the second half against Brentford. We were so far off our level in every aspect that this game demands,” Tuchel said.

“The game was killed off with a big mistake in the second half. We gave it away in a moment that is simply impossible. 

“The individual decisions were far from our level and our standards. It is on all of us. I’m included in this.”

Rapier thrust

Benzema put Real ahead in the 21st minute at the end of a rapier thrust.

Vinicius Junior’s cross was perfect for Benzema and he looped a superb header over Mendy into the top corner from 10 yards.

Benzema was proving Madrid’s maestro once again and three minutes later he doubled Real’s advantage.

Showing all his experience, the 34-year-old peeled away from Thiago Silva before planting a clinical header into the far corner from Luka Modric’s pin-point cross.

Five minutes before half-time, Jorginho’s deft cross caught Dani Carvajal ball-watching and Havertz glided behind him to bury a powerful header past Thibaut Courtois.

Tuchel sent on Mateo Kovacic and Hakim Ziyech at half-time, but Mendy’s nightmare moment arrived just one minute after the break.

There should have been no danger when Mendy intercepted a long pass outside his area, but the Senegal keeper horribly miscued his ball towards Antonio Rudiger.

Benzema punished Rudiger’s surprising reluctance to commit to the tackle, stealing possession to slot into the empty net as Tuchel looked on in disbelief.

Benzema is the first player to score hat-tricks in consecutive Champions League knockout ties since Cristiano Ronaldo for Real in 2017.

Chelsea tried to hit back and Courtois made a brilliant tip-over from Cesar Azpilicueta’s strike.

But Romelu Lukaku’s wretched headed miss summed up a night to forget for Chelsea.

AMMAN — The Jordan Professional League kicks off on Friday as the football season gets into full swing with two competitions having been played so far.

With Wihdat having recently won the title of Al Quds Tournament, the recent results of Ramtha and Faisali underlined that the season’s top prize might not be a one sided competition.

In two of the 2022 competitions played so far, Faisali won the 35th Jordan Football Association (JFA) Shield title when they beat Ramtha in the season opener.

In the match played after Iftar late Tuesday evening, reigning league champs Ramtha upset Jordan Cup titleholders Faisali 2-0 in the 39th Jordan Super Cup. Coaches leading most teams have been replaced, with Faisali’s coach being the first to get the thumbs down following their Super Cup loss to Ramtha. “Our team was ready, but the coach was not. The way we played we will not be able to win this season,” noted a Faisali official who preferred anonymity.

Since it kicked off in 1981, the Super Cup has been won by Faisali a record 17 times out of 25 final appearances, Wihdat have won 14 times, Ramtha three times, Shabab Urdun twice while Jazira, Hussein and Ahli won once each.

In the 2021 season, Ramtha won the Jordan Pro League title for the third time in their history ending a 39 year drought. Newcomers to the Pro League, relatively unknown Jalil, overcame Wihdat to win the 34th JFA Shield. Wihdat beat one-time winners Jazira in the 38th Jordan Super Cup, while Faisali beat Salt to win the Jordan Cup. 

While Ramtha won their third league crown last season, Wihdat were second, Salt third, and Faisali fourth. Hussein, Shabab Urdun, Jazira, were trailed by Ma’an, Aqaba and Sahab who managed to hold on to their spot among the top teams as Baqa’a were relegated in their worst season yet and were accompanied by Jalil. Mugheer Sarhan and Sarih have been promoted from the First Division.

Since the league kicked off in 1944 with only Faisali, Ahli, Urdun and Homenetmen competing, Faisali are 34-time record league champs while Wihdat won 17 times since they joined in 1980. Although Faisali are the all-time record titleholders, Wihdat’s record is quite impressive. After four years in the Pro League, Wihdat won their first title in 1980 and have gone on to win the majority of titles since then. Ahli won eight times, Ramtha and Jazira three times each, Shabab Urdun twice, Amman and Urdun clubs once each.

LISBON — Liverpool took charge of their Champions League quarter-final against Benfica on Tuesday as Sadio Mane, Ibrahima Konate and Luis Diaz gave them a 3-1 lead after the first leg in Lisbon.

Konate nodded in his first Liverpool goal from a corner before Mane tapped home to put the visitors in command at the Estadio da Luz.

Benfica made a game of it early in the second half when a Konate error allowed the lively Darwin Nunez to pull one back, but Diaz, who was superb all night, added a third to put Liverpool in sight of the semis.

“They fought for their lives. We opened the door a little bit for them,” said Jurgen Klopp. “We scored a third one and I think everyone agrees we could and should have scored more.”

Liverpool will be confident of finishing the job at Anfield next week, with Klopp comfortable enough to take off Mohamed Salah, Mane and Thiago Alcantara after an hour.

Salah, in particular, was surely being preserved for Sunday, when Liverpool face Manchester City in what could prove to be the decisive match in the Premier League’s neck-and-neck title race.

The only disappointment was that Salah was unable to get on the scoresheet, with the Egyptian missing a handful of chances.

“Every player in that situation wants to score and it’s clear Mo wants to score as well,” said Klopp. “It’s a tough period, the boys came back from Africa and that’s really not easy. Massive pressure. They need some time to settle, everything will be fine.” 

Benfica are dotted between a Liverpool-City league and cup double-header, with the FA Cup semifinal at Wembley coming after the second leg next week, before Klopp’s team continue a crunch period with league games against Manchester United and local rivals Everton.

Liverpool’s convincing victory may offer Klopp the luxury of rotating players again for the return leg next week.

Klopp has been downplaying suggestions Liverpool could yet win an historic quadruple this term. 

“We are not favourites in one of the competitions we are in, but who cares? We will give it a try,” he said in a press conference on Monday.

But this contest demonstrated the gulf between the Premier League’s heavyweights and some of the old, European elite. Despite a 20-minute surge in the second half, Benfica were clearly second best.

They came into the tie dreaming of inflicting another upset, having already seen off Barcelona in the group stage and Ajax in the last 16, and they began with the intent of under-dogs, as Alex Grimaldo stirred the crowd with a thumping, sliding challenge.

But the initial exertion soon faded and Liverpool took control, the chances coming with increasing regularity as the first half wore on.

Salah was just short of a Diaz cross from the left and then had a poked finish saved after a sumptuous Mane backheel.

The goal in the 17th minute was straightforward, Konate towering over Everton Soares at a corner and heading into the bottom of the net.

Benfica’s belief seemed to drain instantly and Naby Keita should have made it two almost immediately, only to head Mane’s cross into the ground.

Nicolas Otamendi did have a chance from a corner but failed to connect and in the 34th minute, Liverpool scored again, Adel Taarabt’s sloppy touch punished by Alexander-Arnold’s chipped ball forward towards Diaz, whose smart header across give Mane a tap-in.

Salah should have made it three before half-time but the tie seemed all-but over, the only question how many Liverpool would score in the second period.

Instead, Benfica pulled a goal back shortly after the restart as Konate air-kicked Rafa Silva’s cross and Nunez pounced.

Benfica were transformed, as Nunez twice went close before the Uruguayan wanted a penalty for being stopped by Konate.

While the fans were bouncing, urging their team on, Klopp took Salah, Mane and Thiago off, an indication of the superiority he felt his team still held in the tie.

The substitutions knocked Benfica out of their stride and as the game drifted towards the finish, Liverpool snatched a third, Keita slipping in Diaz, who rounded the goalkeeper and slid into an empty net.

BERLIN — He only turned 19 in February, but Jamal Musiala is proving to be the versatile teenage jewel in Bayern Munich’s midfield who turned down Chelsea in favour of a return to his native Germany.

When Bayern face Villarreal away in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie Wednesday, Musiala could be deployed either as an attacking or defensive midfielder.

“He can enrich any team — including Bayern Munich and the national team,” said Germany head coach Hansi Flick.

“He knows how to assert himself, creates space, is very good in one-on-ones and can dribble at speed.”

Musiala broke into Bayern’s first team last season as an attacking midfielder with an eye for a defence-splitting pass.

He was born in Stuttgart, but moved with his family to England as a child and rose through Chelsea’s academy before joining Bayern in 2019.

Despite playing for England U-21s in 2020, he opted to play senior football for Germany.

His full debut for the four-time world champions followed in March 2021.

Last September, Germany legend Lothar Matthaeus said Musiala can become “a second Neymar”, after the teenager dazzled with a goal and assist off the bench as Bayern hammered RB Leipzig.

Nicknamed ‘Bambi’

The lanky teen has been dubbed “Bambi” by teammates, but he’s shown a more combative side since switching to a deeper role for both Bayern and Germany in recent weeks.

“He pinched a lot of balls,” Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann said after Musiala came on to help Bayern to a 4-1 win at Freiburg on Saturday.

“They call him ‘Bambi’, but he has good aggressiveness.”

Nagelsmann revealed that Musiala “thought I was joking” when suggesting before Christmas that he try playing in a more defensive position.

It has turned out to be an inspired move with Musiala slotting in when a hip injury sidelined Leon Goretzka for four months.

Flick started Musiala as an attacking midfielder in Germany’s 2-0 friendly win over Israel, then dropped him back down the pitch, where he stayed for last week’s 1-1 draw with The Netherlands.

Musiala is humble enough to know he has much to learn from both Flick and Nagelsmann.

“In the number six role, I have to be a bit more clever with more discipline,” said Musiala.

“I’ve done well recently, but I still have much to improve on.”

Musiala got stuck into the central midfield battle in Amsterdam against an experienced Oranje side and held his own against Barcelona star Memphis Depay.

“He can keep hold of the ball in the tightest of spaces,” said Ilkay Gundogan, who partnered Musiala against the Dutch.

“Although he looks lanky, he is so intelligent to always use his body in the right way.”

‘Ball magnet’

For Bayern, Nagelsmann rates Musiala as the first choice to operate just behind Robert Lewandowski whenever Thomas Mueller is unavailable.

Yet, the Bayern boss sees Musiala as the perfect hybrid midfielder, a “ball magnet with technical skills only a few have” in defence or attack.

Nagelsmann says Musiala must still go through a “maturing process” and can still be “a bit too playful” with the ball.

He hinted Musiala could start at Villarreal with Goretzka, who scored at Freiburg on Saturday, only just back after a long spell out.

“There are no guarantees he [Musiala] will play, but Leon can’t play every three days,” said Nagelsmann, “so I am happy we have the alternative and that we can switch.”