• Champions League

Chelsea dig deep to book Barca semi

Chelsea are into the last-four of the Champions League for the sixth time in nine seasons © PA Photos

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Raul Meireles scored a late winner as Chelsea booked their place in the Champions League semi-finals with a 2-1 win over ten-man Benfica at Stamford Bridge.

Javi Garcia's late equaliser cancelled out Frank Lampard's first-half penalty to make for a nervous finish, but Meireles' late strike clinched a 3-1 aggregate victory as the Blues booked a semi-final clash with defending champions Barcelona.

Benfica were left with a mountain to climb after captain Maxi Pereira was sent off for a second bookable offence five minutes before half-time, but despite threatening to make a late fightback, they were unable to turn the result in their favour.

With Chelsea leading 1-0 on aggregate thanks to Salomon Kalou's goal at the Estadio da Luz, Benfica needed a victory if they were to progress. Having scored in every away game of the current Champions League campaign, the visitors started with intent.

After clearing a dangerous-looking attack from Nicolas Gaitan, the Chelsea defence were called upon to block two efforts from Pablo Aimar as they held off a determined start from the Portuguese side.

As Chelsea began to settle into their rhythm, Juan Mata threaded the ball through the Benfica defence, but it was too far ahead of Fernando Torres. Mata had the ball in the net moments later, but his effort was disallowed for offside.

But with both first-choice centre-halves Jardel and captain Luisao out, Benfica were vulnerable in defence, and stand-in centre-half Garcia was guilty of conceding a penalty after a clumsy challenge on Ashley Cole. And Frank Lampard tightened Chelsea's grip on a semi-final spot, slotting the ball low to Artur's right in the 21st minute.

In what would have been a near-identical goal to Kalou's effort in the first leg, Chelsea had the chance to double their advantage. Torres raced down the right and attempted to find Kalou, but the ball fizzed dangerously across the box, evading his Chelsea team-mates.

Needing two goals for victory, Benfica's hopes of progressing were in tatters when Pereira was given his marching orders. Having already been booked for dissent, the Benfica captain was shown a second yellow after a lunge on John Obi Mikel.

As Benfica desperately searched for a way back into the match after the break, Oscar Cardozo's first-time effort from the edge of the area forced a diving save from Petr Cech after some neat interplay from Gaitan and Pablo Aimar.

Down the other end of the pitch, Kalou beat Artur to slip the ball enticingly across the Benfica goal, only for Ramires to stumble; the ball bouncing off his heel and dribbling off the post.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Real Madrid cruised into the semi-finals © PA Photos

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Chelsea had a number of efforts to add to their lead, Kalou and Torres squandering decent opportunities to put the game to bed. Garcia's 85th-minute header made for a nervous finish, but substitute Meireles lashed home in the second minute of added time as the Blues held on to book their place in the last four for the sixth time in nine seasons.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid eased to a 8-2 aggregate victory over Apoel Nicosia to set up a semi-final with Bayern Munich after a 5-2 win at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Already leading 3-0 from the first-leg the hosts started brightly but had to wait until the 25th minute to open the scoring as Cristiano Ronaldo tapped home Marcelo's cross at the back post.

Kaka doubled Real's lead with a stunning effort from outside the area nine minutes before half-time, but the goal of the night was arguably scored by Gustavo Manduca as he pulled one back for the visitors after a flowing team move midway through the second half.

Ronaldo soon restored the hosts' two-goal advantage and substitutes Jose Maria Callejon and Angel Di Maria added further goals either side of Esteban Solari's 82nd-minute penalty for the visitors.

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