Schalke, Real win big in Champions League

Real Madrid’s Adebayor reacts after scoring against Tottenham Hotspur during their first-leg Champions League match in Madrid, Tuesday. [AP/YONHAP]

LONDON - Schalke and Real Madrid moved to the brink of a place in the last four of the Champions League by recording big wins in the first legs of their quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Schalke, who are struggling in the German league, thrashed reigning champion Inter Milan 5-2, with Raul scoring one of the visitors’ goals to extend his competition-leading tally to 70.

Madrid took full advantage of a red card for Tottenham striker Peter Crouch in the 15th minute to ease past the English side 4-0, with goals by wingers Angel Di Maria and Cristiano Ronaldo adding to Emmanuel Adebayor’s double.

“For a team with 10 men for such a long time, it’s an impossible mission,’’ Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said. “But with the English concept of football, it’s not over.’’

The second leg takes place on April 13 but both ties already look to be over.

Manchester United visit Chelsea and Barcelona hosts Shakhtar Donetsk in quarterfinal first-leg games on Wednesday.

Inter, looking to become the first team in Champions League history to retain the title since the name of the competition changed from the European Cup, took the lead after just 29 seconds. A remarkable volley by Dejan Stankovic, who smashed a stunning effort into an empty net from 50 meters after Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer raced out of his area to head the ball clear, got Inter off on the right foot.

The holders later went ahead for the second time with Argentina striker Diego Milito’s close-range finish in the 34th minute but their deficiencies at the back were laid bare by Schalke after that.

Inter, which was without suspended center back Lucio, wasn’t helped by the red card shown to Romanian center back Cristian Chivu for a second bookable offense in the 62nd minute, when the score was 4-2.

“We started well, but then it all went wrong in the second half,’’ Inter captain Javier Zanetti said.

Joel Matip grabbed Schalke’s first equalizer in the 17th minute before Edu scored the first of his two goals five minutes before halftime.

Former Real Madrid and Spain striker Raul put the visitors ahead for the first time in the 53rd minute before an own goal by Andrea Ranocchia and Edu’s second goal of the night sealed an emphatic win and set up a potential semifinal against Chelsea or United.

“It was a great night for us as not everyone scores five goals against the defending champion,’’ Raul said. “After a difficult start, my team showed its superiority.’’

Mourinho stayed on course to become the first coach to win the Champions League with three different clubs as Madrid scored three second-half goals to sweep aside an increasingly jaded Spurs.

“It’s one of those days where everything that could have gone wrong, did go wrong,’’ said Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, who lost right winger Aaron Lennon to illness a minute before kickoff.

“It’s difficult to come here with 11 men, let alone to come and play with 10.’’

Former Arsenal striker Adebayor took his tally to 10 goals in 10 games against Spurs by opening the scoring in the fourth minute and adding a second in the 57th, both goals coming from headers 10 meters out.

By that time, Crouch had been sent off for two reckless and avoidable tackles in the space of seven minutes, and although Spurs battled well in the first half, the floodgates opened after the break.

Di Maria cut in from the right flank and bent a shot into the far corner in the 72nd minute before Ronaldo, who started after recovering from a hamstring injury, notched his 38th of the season with a volley that Heurelho Gomes fumbled into his own net.

The only negative on the night for Madrid was the yellow card shown to Pepe for a foul on Welsh winger Gareth Bale, ruling the Portugal center back out of the return leg at White Hart Lane.

AP

한글 관련 기사 [경향신문]

샬케와 레알, 챔스 8강 1차전 승리

스페인 레알 마드리드가 잉글랜드 토트넘 홋스퍼의 돌풍을 잠재우고 유럽챔피언스리그 4강진출을 사실상 예약했다. 레알 마드리드는 6일 스페인 마드리드의 산티아고 베르나베우 스타디움에서 열린 8강 1차전서 에마뉘엘 아데바요르가 2골을 넣고 앙헬 디마리아와 크리스티아누 호날두까지 골잔치에 가세하며 토트넘을 4-0으로 크게 이겼다.

2003~2004년 시즌 이후 7년 만에 8강에 오른 레알 마드리드는 1차전 대승으로 4강진출의 유리한 고지에 오르며 통산 10회 우승을 향한 진군을 이어갔다.

16강전에서 이탈리아 AC밀란을 꺾고 8강에 진출하는 파란을 일으켰던 토트넘은 레알 마드리드의 압도적인 저력에 맥없이 무너져 홈 2차전에 큰 부담을 안게 됐다.

토트넘의 역대 최고 성적은 유러피언컵 시절인 1961~1962시즌 4강 진출이 전부이며 챔피언스리그 본선 무대를 밟은 건 팀 창단 이후 처음이다.

2차전은 14일 토트넘의 홈 구장인 영국 런던 화이트하트레인서 열린다.

부상으로 정상이 아닌 호날두를 투입시키는 승부수를 던진 레알 마드리드는 전반 4분 아데바요르가 오른쪽 측면에서 올라온 크로스를 헤딩 선취골로 연결해 쉽게 경기를 풀어갔다.

일찍 선제골을 내준 토트넘은 설상가상으로 크라우치가 전반 14분 경고 누적으로 퇴장당해 업친데 덮친 격이 됐다.

레알 마드리드는 후반 11분 수비수 마르셀루가 왼쪽 페널티지역에서 크로스를 올리자 골문 앞에서 높이 솟구쳐 올라 헤딩 추가골을 터뜨렸다. 26분엔 앙헬 디마리아가 시원한 왼발 중거리 슛으로 세번째 골을 터뜨린 레알 마드리드는 경기 종료 5분을 앞두고선 카카가 왼쪽에서 올려준 공을 호날두가 발리슈팅으로 쐐기포를 터트려 대승을 완성했다.

독일 샬케04는 지난 시즌 우승팀 인터 밀란(이탈리아)을 적지에서 5-2로 대파하고 4강진출의 유리한 고지를 점령했다.

16강전서 독일 바이에른 뮌헨에 기적같은 승리를 거두고 올라온 인터 밀란은 2-2로 맞서던 후반 7분 샬케의 백전노장 라울 곤살레스에게 역전골을 내준 데 이어 후반 12분 수비수 안드레아 라노치아의 자책골, 후반 29분 에두에 추가골을 내주며 완패해 다시 한번 탈락 위기에 몰렸다.