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Football London
Football London
Sport
George Smith

Chelsea dressing room react ahead of Champions League semi-final vs Liverpool or Real Madrid

Despite going down 1-0 to Portuguese heavyweights FC Porto in the second-leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday evening, Chelsea's hopes of laying their hands on the famous old trophy for a second time remain in tact.

After winning the first-leg 2-0 in Seville last week, the Blues progressed to the semi-finals of the competition for the first time since 2014, winning the tie 2-1 on aggregate.

Although a second defeat of the Thomas Tuchel era will have no doubt left the players and coaching staff disappointed, Chelsea can still revel in the fact that they are now just two games away from the final of European club football's biggest tournament.

On progressing to the semi-finals of the competition, head coach Tuchel, speaking to the media following Tuesday's reverse to Porto, said: "It is a very big achievement. You see when Chelsea was last in the semi final. We are not used to being there. Once you are there, you play for the final. This is clear.

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"We take every minute to learn and grow. You cannot improve without these experiences so we are doing it now during the process, while we are playing it. Yes, it is nice being on the sideline because you see all the effort.

"These games against Porto may not be the best to watch on TV but believe me it is a tough, tough side to play against.

"It is very physical, they hassle for every ball, they never let you turn or think for two seconds for other solutions. They put pressure on you, they are emotional so it is a lot to deal with and we went through.

"I am super happy, we will enjoy this evening."

But who the Blues will face in the last-four is still yet to be decided, with Liverpool and Real Madrid, who were drawn against the winners of Chelsea's tie with Porto when the quarter-final and semi-final draws were made last month, poised to play each other in the second-leg of their respective quarter-final this evening at Anfield.

Madrid are 3-1 up on aggregate following last week's first-leg, meaning they are strong favourites to book a semi-final date with the Blues later this month.

However, as Liverpool have proven many times in the past when it comes to staging European comebacks, the Reds cannot be ruled out of setting up an all-English semi-final, with Barcelona having discovered just how dangerous Jurgen Klopp's side can be when it comes to overturning deficits in European action.

But regardless of who Chelsea end up facing, they will not be afraid of anyone, having already got the better of Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in the last-16.

And it is fair to say that the Blues' players are most certainly looking forward to the semi-finals, with no shortage of them taking to social media following the defeat in Seville on Tuesday evening.

Here, football.london has taken a close look at how some of them have reacted on social media.

Regardless of whether the Blues do end up facing Madrid or Liverpool, the first-leg of their semi-final will take place on April 27 or 28 and the second-leg will be staged on May 4 or 5.

But before the Blues can put plans in place for that semi-final duel, they must face Manchester City in their FA Cup semi-final this Saturday.

And they also have two league fixtures before then, facing Brighton & Hove Albion and West Ham United in the Premier League.

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