Real Madrid predictably ousted Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday to set up a European Champions League semi-final with arch-rivals Barcelona, and there was also Spanish flavour in Schalke's completion of their upset job against holders Inter Milan.
Real added a 1-0 victory at White Heart Lane from Cristiano Ronaldo, with lots of help from goalkeeper Heurelho Gomez, after thrashing Spurs 4-0 at home last week.
Coming off a stunning 5-2 at San Siro, Schalke also won the second meeting with Inter, 2-1, to make the semi-finals of the elite event for the first time.
Former Real star Raul Gonzalez scored his 71st Champions League goal after nice work from fellow-Spaniard Jose Manuel Jurado and then set up Benedikt Hoewedes for the late second, Thiago Motto levelled for harmless Inter, who crashed out 7-3 from two quarter-final dates.
Schalke now run into Manchester United, who completed an overall 3-1 in a Premier League duel with Chelsea by winning 2-1 at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
The same day Barcelona won 1-0 from Lionel Messi at Shakhtar Donetsk 6-1 from both matches.
As a result, Real and Barca will now meet for four "Clasicos" in 18 days, starting with Saturday's league date at the Bernabeu. They meet again in the Spanish cup final four days later, and the Champions League semi-final dates are April 27 in Madrid and May 3 in Barcelona.
Schalke host United on April 26 and visit Old Trafford May 4 in the bid for a place in the May 28 Wembley final.
"Let's see what happens against Barcelona. A semi is a semi and it can happen. We will fight. It's not time to think of the semis yet. I expect Man United to beat Schalke because they have a better team and different status," said Real coach Jose Mourinho, who was in charge of Inter last year.
Tottenham, four behind from the first leg, needed something if not miraculous then certainly unprecedented if they were to progress but it never looked like happening against Real.
Luka Modric might have had an early penalty when he seemed to be clipped by Xabi Alonso, and Roman Pavlyuchenko - in for the suspended Peter Crouch - had a half shout for a penalty after a coming-together with Raul Albiol, but clear chances were rare.
Any thought Spurs might get back into it disappeared five minutes after the break as a Ronaldo shot squirmed through Gomes's grasp and dribbled over the line for the winner.
It was the Portugal international's 40th goal of the season in all competitions.
"We knew before the game it was going to be a difficult challenge," said Spurs winger Gareth Bale. "We've had a great run in the Champions League and we're all proud of it, but in a way we lost to a better team.
In Gelsenkirchen, under the eyes of United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Inter lacked inspiration again.
Schalke opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time when Jurado threaded the ball between two defenders to Raul, who ran into the penalty area, rounded Julio Cesar and slotted into the empty net.
Motta got the equalizer four minutes into the second half in a goalmouth scramble, but Raul then set up Hoewedes, who blasted a low shot past Julio Cesar for the final 2-1 scoreline in the 81st and a perfect 5-0 home record in the current European campaign.
"We showed our potential in both games. We did the first job in Milan, but also wanted to win today," said Schalke defender Christoph Metzelder.
Looking ahead at the first ever meeting with United, Schalke's Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said: "We are not the favourites. But we will try our best."
Real added a 1-0 victory at White Heart Lane from Cristiano Ronaldo, with lots of help from goalkeeper Heurelho Gomez, after thrashing Spurs 4-0 at home last week.
Coming off a stunning 5-2 at San Siro, Schalke also won the second meeting with Inter, 2-1, to make the semi-finals of the elite event for the first time.
Former Real star Raul Gonzalez scored his 71st Champions League goal after nice work from fellow-Spaniard Jose Manuel Jurado and then set up Benedikt Hoewedes for the late second, Thiago Motto levelled for harmless Inter, who crashed out 7-3 from two quarter-final dates.
Schalke now run into Manchester United, who completed an overall 3-1 in a Premier League duel with Chelsea by winning 2-1 at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
The same day Barcelona won 1-0 from Lionel Messi at Shakhtar Donetsk 6-1 from both matches.
As a result, Real and Barca will now meet for four "Clasicos" in 18 days, starting with Saturday's league date at the Bernabeu. They meet again in the Spanish cup final four days later, and the Champions League semi-final dates are April 27 in Madrid and May 3 in Barcelona.
Schalke host United on April 26 and visit Old Trafford May 4 in the bid for a place in the May 28 Wembley final.
"Let's see what happens against Barcelona. A semi is a semi and it can happen. We will fight. It's not time to think of the semis yet. I expect Man United to beat Schalke because they have a better team and different status," said Real coach Jose Mourinho, who was in charge of Inter last year.
Tottenham, four behind from the first leg, needed something if not miraculous then certainly unprecedented if they were to progress but it never looked like happening against Real.
Luka Modric might have had an early penalty when he seemed to be clipped by Xabi Alonso, and Roman Pavlyuchenko - in for the suspended Peter Crouch - had a half shout for a penalty after a coming-together with Raul Albiol, but clear chances were rare.
Any thought Spurs might get back into it disappeared five minutes after the break as a Ronaldo shot squirmed through Gomes's grasp and dribbled over the line for the winner.
It was the Portugal international's 40th goal of the season in all competitions.
"We knew before the game it was going to be a difficult challenge," said Spurs winger Gareth Bale. "We've had a great run in the Champions League and we're all proud of it, but in a way we lost to a better team.
In Gelsenkirchen, under the eyes of United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Inter lacked inspiration again.
Schalke opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time when Jurado threaded the ball between two defenders to Raul, who ran into the penalty area, rounded Julio Cesar and slotted into the empty net.
Motta got the equalizer four minutes into the second half in a goalmouth scramble, but Raul then set up Hoewedes, who blasted a low shot past Julio Cesar for the final 2-1 scoreline in the 81st and a perfect 5-0 home record in the current European campaign.
"We showed our potential in both games. We did the first job in Milan, but also wanted to win today," said Schalke defender Christoph Metzelder.
Looking ahead at the first ever meeting with United, Schalke's Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said: "We are not the favourites. But we will try our best."
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire