Chelsea and Real Madrid will do battle in the Champions League for the second consecutive season.

The two heavyweights of European football will lock horns over two legs in the quarter-final stage of club football's biggest competition.

Their encounter is arguably the pick of the bunch from Friday's draw and it's hard to pick a clear favourite from the pair.

Chelsea won last season's semi-final tie 3-1 on aggregate, a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge thanks to goals from Timo Werner and Mason Mount securing a place in the final.

But Real Madrid have improved since then under Carlo Ancelotti and it's worth remembering that both of the games in 2020/21 were played behind-closed-doors.

So it's likely to be a very different tie this time around and there are certainly a number of intriguing sub-plots that only add to the narrative.

MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 27: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid chats with Mason Mount of Chelsea FC at the end of the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea FC at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on April 27, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty

Ancelotti will be taking on the team he guided to a Premier League and FA Cup double in 2009/10, while Eden Hazard will return to the place where he is idolised.

Whether the Belgian will actually play is another matter entirely, but if he's not injured, the former Chelsea man should make the squad at the very least.

Hazard actually started for Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge last season and it's safe to say his performance was average at best.

MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 27: Eden Hazard of Real Madrid controls the ball towards Reece James of Chelsea FC during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea FC at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on April 27, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Denis Doy

But it was what the former Lille man did at full-time that angered certain Madridistas.

After Chelsea had booked their place in the final, Hazard was spotted sharing a laugh with a number of his former colleagues on the pitch.

And those images of the Belgium international resulted in Spanish journalist Josep Pedrerol having a quite extraordinary meltdown on the famous El Chiringuito show...

Video: Pedrerol's reaction to Hazard at full-time

Now that is Box Office television! The eerie music, Pedrerol rubbing his hands together in menacing fashion, the pure anger in his voice and the unexpected call for Sandra right at the end of the video, it was just too funny.

Fan reaction

Hazard's struggles at Real Madrid have certainly continued into the 2021/22 campaign.

In 22 appearances across all competitions, he's scored just one goal and only assisted a further two.

For a player who cost upwards of €100 million, that really is a diabolical return. Will Hazard ever come good at Real Madrid? Given he's now 31, it's starting to look unlikely...

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