Schalke and Real Madrid each took giant steps toward the UEFA Champions League semifinals after their respective first-leg routs over Inter Milan and Tottenham. Now all that's left to do is finish the job against two desperate, sure-to-be-attack-minded opponents.
Inter and Tottenham each face daunting tasks in order to keep their European dreams alive. After yielding a shocking five goals to Schalke at the San Siro in a 5-2 defeat, the Italian side and defending European champion needs to conjure up a miracle comeback in Germany (2:45 p.m., Fox Soccer Plus/FoxSoccer.tv).
Tottenham fell at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, 4-0, and returns home where it needs a victory of the same magnitude to have a chance of advancing past Jose Mourinho, Cristiano Ronaldo and the rest of Real Madrid (2:45 p.m., Fox Soccer Channel).
If you will be watching any of Wednesday's UEFA Champions League quarterfinal action, please feel free to share any thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the games.
I forgot to mention Manuel Almunia!
Possibly a few more as well
Consecutive shutouts for Madrid, and sheer domination.
Lovely little chipped pass for a breakaway Schalke goal which should put Inter to rest.
He should do more of that and less analysis of soccer in the US.
Anti-americanism. Or was your question rhetorical?
How come someone like Brad Guzan can’t get any interest from Premeir League teams when guys like Robert Green and Heurelho Gomes, who don’t even know how to properly catch and hold on to a soccer ball, are able to find employment?
largest loss of integrity…Diving while down 5 goals. EPIC FAIL
Man I like Real but I don’t see this weekend going well for them. Barca just seems so much better than everybody else right now.
Madrid isn’t even trying, heck they are barely running, and they are dominating possession.
leander writes good stuff
There are four American keepers that would be better than Gomes is for Tottenham.
1. Howard
2. Freidel
3. Guzan
4. Hannamen
That was lulzy!
With Real and Barca this weekend I would think Real wouldn’t even try to score again
Tim Howard to Spurs. What an awful goal to let in by Gomes. I know it was hit hard but wow.
Hahaha
Why did Gomes try to catch that? Horrible goalkeeping blunder to end the game.
Tim Howard to Tottenham anyone?
Schalke home first
Off topic but David Ferreira made team of the week as a sub for FIFA Ultimate Team. He’s rated as a 79 overall. Not bad
for a really good read on the gooch:
http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6331518/oguchi-onyewu-new-lease-life
For the Man U v. Schalke tie – who at home first?
Stuck out of a game at the World Cup. I’d be furious.
The rule literally makes no sense at all.
Viva Espana!
Tell that to Thomas Mueller who has the most to rant about
Wow Raul still has a lot left in him. Too bad RBNY bought Henry instead
Here comes a rant…
Yellow card accumulation from round to round is the dumbest thing in professional sports.
Maybe, maybe the third one could have been called. But the other two were blatant dives.
But after the first two, there was little chance the official was going to give that third one. It would have been soft even without the dives.
Bale is actually a great player wont be surprised if he get snatched by a “big team” this summer. Spurs deserve at least 1 penalty.
Ouch!
Madrid on Madrid crime. That looks horribly painful.
Spurs could have gotten a penalty out of that one had the Tottenham player not embellished it AGAIN.
This official has to be furious with Tottenham right now with the constant attempts to trick him. Doubt he’ll give them even a legitimate PK unless its blatant at this point. He clearly doesn’t trust them.
Huddlestone is having a stinker and a half…bale brilliant
I think that if Tottenham didn’t go looking for the first two penalties, they might have got the third one. It would have been soft, though.
Jeez, is Bale made of glass?
Agreed. And they started the game with a flying kick to Ronaldo’s back. Sending a message maybe?
There have been some shameful embellishments and outright dives so far.
Just did, looks like Modric tried to “earn” one there.
Redknapp has sent them out to get any advantage possible, never seen an English team dive like this…
What’s with the Spurs diving? Pretty shocking how easy they are going down for being such a large team.
Did they ever replay the 2nd penalty claim? The Bale one was definitely not a penalty, but I didn’t see the other on replay.
link for spurs?
Verizon Fios added FSC HD. 😛
Maybe 15 seconds into the game and a Tottenham player kicks Ronaldo in the back.
And then Bale with a huge dive that he should have been carded for.
Kinda Wish J. Jones was playing in these Champion League games
yeah me too. I would be able to watch from my phone if they were on ESPN. I also hate the fact that FSC isn’t HD yet.
i need to switch my working from home to tues/wed during champions league weeks