Real Madrid into the Champions League Semifinals Despite Losing 3-2 at Galatasaray

Real Madrid have reached the Champions League semifinals for the third straight season on Tuesday despite losing 3-2 following a second-half revival of Galatasaray by scoring 3 goals. This will be Madrid's 24th semifinal appearance in Europe's top-tier club competition, although the team has been eliminated at that stage the past two years.
 

Madrid’s Ronaldo looked to have wrapped up the quarterfinal series by scoring in the seventh minute for a 4-0 overall lead, requiring Galatasaray to score at least five goals to advance. The Portugal forward scored his second of the match in stoppage time for his 48th goal of the season, which includes a Real Madrid record of 11 in the Champions League. 

Madrid completely dominated the match until Eboue's 57^th minute equalizer, which awakened Galatasaray's attack and was the start of a 16 minute span in which Galatasaray scored 3 goals transforming the match from a mild stroll to a frantic contest largely played in Madrid's last third. Forward Wesley Sneijder scored in the 71st, before Didier Drogba added another goal a minute later.

Madrid is feared for its deadly pace and firepower on the break, but its opening goal was a product of a passing combination, as Ronaldo slipped along the six yard box to redirect Sami Khedira's cross into the far side of the net with his right foot after Mesut Oezil had played his fellow Germany midfielder clear on the side.

Eboue equalized with a blast from the edge of the area into the top corner of the net following a pass by Sneijder.  Sneijder not done there made another beautiful touch to tap a pass beyond Raphael Varane, rounding the defender before slotting the ball home. Drogba expertly flicked in Nordin Amrabat's low cross with the back of his right heel while facing away from goal and fending off Varane to send the home fans wild.

Ronaldo polished off his team's qualification to the next round three minutes into injury time by converting substitute Karim Benzema's pass. That goal sealed the match for Real Madrid and its places into the semifinals with a 3-2 loss to Galatasaray

 

Real Madrid Cruise to a 3-0 win over Galatasaray in Champions League Quarter-Final

Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid have put themselves in great position for the Champions League semi-finals after a 3-0 win over Galatasaray at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg of their quarter-final clash. Madrid seldom looked in any real danger by the Galatasaray attack and was two goals up before the half-hour mark through Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. The match was put away by a second-half header from substitute Gonzalo Higuain which made the win for Madrid a greater deficit for Galatasaray ahead of next week's second leg in Istanbul.

Galatasaray started off the match reasonably well, with their squad suggesting an aggressive attacking formation with Wesley Sneijder, Hamit Altintop and Selcuk Inan all pushing forward to try and join Didier Drogba and Burak Yilmaz. At the nine minute mark the deadlock was broken flowing Mesut Ozil thru ball sending Ronaldo free down the left hand side as he chipped the ball over Fernando Muslera in clinical fashion.

Madrid's continued pressure in the second half lead to Real extending their advantage as Xabi Alonso curled a free-kick into the box that Higuain headed into the corner to score. Galatasaray did have a late call for a penalty denied when Sergio Ramos stepped on Yilmaz's foot but the striker was booked for embellishment instead. Ramos later picked up a strategic booking that ruled him out of the second-leg when he kicked the ball away with just minutes left leaving him eligible for the semi-finals with no yellow card accumulation. 

Another real positive from Madrid’s 3-0 victory over Galatasaray in the Champions League quarter-finals was the fact that this was their first clean sheet in the competition. 

Real Madrid eliminates Manchester United from Champions League Play

Real Madrid came into Old Trafford, and walked out with a 2-1 victory courtesy of a astonishing goal by Luka Modric, and a routine winning goal from United’s former hitman, Cristiano Ronaldo, to advance to the Champions League’s quarterfinals stage  though Manchester opened the scoring via an own goal by Real’s Sergio Ramos. 

 

This was a game that won’t be remembered for spectacular goals and intriguing tactics by both managers, it will be remembered for a call made by Turkish referee Cuynet Cakir, who sent off Manchester’s Nani early in the second half for a charge, studs high, into the midsection of Madrid’s Alvaro Arbeloa.

Both managers expressed regret that the game did not play out with both teams full complement of players. With Madrid manager Jose Mourinho saying, “[United] were playing very well, they were aggressive and they were compact, I am not speaking about the decision as I am not sure of it. I do think the best team lost.”

The fact is that the decision distracted from what was a riveting match, filled with some awe-inspiring play. Luka Modric’s goal, a brilliant shot off the post, past a sprawling David de Gea. While United’s goal came after a blistering spell of pressure that forced two stops from a frazzled Madrid keeper Diego Lopez.

Some recognition, however, should go to Modric. Coming on in the second half replacing Arbeloa immediately turned Real into a threat combined with Kaka replacing the injured Angel di Maria. Gonzalo Higuain was used to fine effect to pry United’s back line apart with Mesut Ozil, working off Modric, proved to be too slick for United to handle.

Real Tie Man U 1-1 in Champions League Play

Cristiano Ronaldo was able to score against his former team but Manchester United will be the happier after a 1-1 draw with Real Madrid in their Champions League last-16 first-leg tie at the Bernabeu. Real began the match by pressing Manchester’s defense and if not for a Fabio Coentrao effort onto the far post, Real would have taken the early lead.  History shows that a team under duress will take advantage of their limited opportunities and that’s exactly what Danny Welbeck was able to do for Manchester on its first corner kick of the match.  Although Ronaldo netted a first-half equalizer climbing over the defender for an uncontested free header from a Di Maria delivery and that is how it stayed to set up a fascinating second leg.

Jose Mourinho's side continued to dominate the ball after the break and Manchester’s keeper De Gea saved well with his feet from Coentrao on the hour mark.  Despite heavy pressure from Madrid, United remained a threat on the break as striker Van Persie had two consecutive chances to put United in front only to see his first shot hit the crossbar and the second cleared off the line by Xabi Alonso.

After a series of conservative substitutions from both managers in order to help ensure there teams did not concede the go ahead goal it sets up for an intriguing second leg at Old Trafford in three weeks' time.

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