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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Alex Milne

Arsene Wenger highlights Chelsea's "psychological problem" after Real Madrid draw

Arsene Wenger believes Chelsea have been left with a huge dilemma as to how to approach their Champions League semi-final second leg with Real Madrid next week after they drew 1-1 in Spain on Tuesday.

A Christian Pulisic away goal gave the Blues the perfect start to the tie, but Karim Benzema's equaliser ensured there is still all to play for in the return at Stamford Bridge on May 5.

It means that Chelsea only need a 0-0 draw to progress to their first Champions League final since 2012, and there may be a temptation from Thomas Tuchel to adopt a more defensive approach when they meet Los Blancos again.

Christian Pulisic's away goal gives Chelsea the slight advantage in the tie against Real Madrid (REUTERS)

But speaking as a pundit on beIN Sports, Wenger stated his belief that they should go out and try to win the second leg.

"What is interesting in the Champions League is that you always have in the second game a psychological problem to sort out," Wenger said.

"If you’re the manager of Chelsea now you go home tonight and you have to convince your players to adopt a strategy in the second game.

"So I say, will you try to get 0-0 or will you try to win the game? I would try to win the game. Because Madrid is in a different situation psychologically. They go to Chelsea and even if they score a goal it doesn’t change too much, they just play.

"You are always be in trouble when the way to behave is not clear. Because the lack of clarity gets the players in between two [mindsets].

"For Madrid they have one advantage – they are clear, they know what to do for the second leg."

Thomas Tuchel has some big decisions to make ahead of the second leg (PA)

Chelsea are still fighting on three fronts this season, with the side facing a battle to finish in the top four and also with an FA Cup final with Leicester on the horizon.

And it will be intriguing to see to what extent Tuchel decides to rotate his squad in this weekend's West London derby against Fulham ahead of that all-important second match against Madrid.

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