Three games without scoring
constituted a slump for Cristiano
Ronaldo. But the drought is now over
for the three-time world player of the year.
Ronaldo netted the opener and assisted on Marcelo's thunderbolt as Real Madrid
mo
ved closer to a place in the
quarterfinals of the Champions League
by defeating Schalke 2-0 in Germany on
Wednesday.
The result couldn't match Real's 6-1
thrashing of Schalke in the first leg in
the same round last year but the home
side still faces an uphill task of
eliminating the defending champion.
"It was good," Real Madrid manager
Carlo Ancelotti told Sky Sports. "I think
we started well with a good rhythm in
the game and a good attitude and then
after the first goal the game was easier.
"We didn't need to push to score and
we controlled the game well. At the end
the victory was good for us."
Real Madrid -- bidding to become the
first club to retain the title in the
Champions League era -- won for a 10th
straight time in the competition to
equal Bayern Munich's record, although
the early stages of the contest favored
Schalke.
Indeed in the battle of Italian coaches
who have lifted the Champions League
trophy, Roberto di Matteo and his team
bettered Ancelotti's troops for the first
25 minutes.
Schalke neutralized the attacking trio of
Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim
Benzema, with Iker Casillas forced to
dive to keep out Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's
long range effort.
Real Madrid took the lead in the 26th
minute when Ronaldo headed Daniel
Carvajal's cross past an out of position
Timon Wellenreuther -- and was never
really troubled thereafter.
Buoyed by his goal, Ronaldo attempted
a bicycle kick moments later and then
saw the inexperienced Wellenreuther
soar to his right to repel his free kick. A
vital interception from the 19-year-old
Wellenreuther foiled Bale's bid to set up
Ronaldo.
"It is clear that Cristiano Ronaldo lives to
score goals," Ancelotti was quoted as
saying by UEFA. "It's never a problem
for us when he doesn't score for a
couple of games. But he, of course,
minds."
Not one to sit back and protect a lead,
Real Madrid continued to race forward
in the second half.
A poor touch from Ronaldo near the box
prevented a chance but Isco should
have done better when Bale's clever
flick sent the Spanish international in all
alone in the 72nd minute.
Having barely tested Casillas, Schalke
caught the Real Madrid defense napping
in the 74th minute and almost
equalized.
A long ball over the top found its way to
Atsuto Uchida, whose layoff fell perfectly
to Felix Platte. Platte -- in for the
injured Huntelaar -- struck the crossbar.
Marcelo settled the affair -- and
probably the tie -- when he sent a
rocket into the top corner with his right
foot, not his favored left, in the 79th
minute. He exchanged a hug with a
joyous Ancelotti.
"We are not used to seeing Marcelo
score with the right foot, so for this I
was really surprised," Ancelotti told Sky.
Ancelotti then laughed when it was
suggested to him that Real Madrid was
under less pressure in the Champions
League this season because it captured
a 10th title -- or 'Decima' -- last year.
"The pressure is the same," he said.
"Last year we spoke of the 'Decima.'
This year it's about (an 11th title) so the
pressure is the same."
In Wednesday's other game, Basel and
Porto played to a 1-1 draw in
Switzerland. Basel scored with its lone
shot on target in the 11th minute
thanks to Derlis Gonzalez but Porto --
which had a goal disallowed for offside
in the first half -- earned a valuable
away goal through Danilo's penalty in the 79th.
constituted a slump for Cristiano
Ronaldo. But the drought is now over
for the three-time world player of the year.
Ronaldo netted the opener and assisted on Marcelo's thunderbolt as Real Madrid
mo
ved closer to a place in the
quarterfinals of the Champions League
by defeating Schalke 2-0 in Germany on
Wednesday.
The result couldn't match Real's 6-1
thrashing of Schalke in the first leg in
the same round last year but the home
side still faces an uphill task of
eliminating the defending champion.
"It was good," Real Madrid manager
Carlo Ancelotti told Sky Sports. "I think
we started well with a good rhythm in
the game and a good attitude and then
after the first goal the game was easier.
"We didn't need to push to score and
we controlled the game well. At the end
the victory was good for us."
Real Madrid -- bidding to become the
first club to retain the title in the
Champions League era -- won for a 10th
straight time in the competition to
equal Bayern Munich's record, although
the early stages of the contest favored
Schalke.
Indeed in the battle of Italian coaches
who have lifted the Champions League
trophy, Roberto di Matteo and his team
bettered Ancelotti's troops for the first
25 minutes.
Schalke neutralized the attacking trio of
Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim
Benzema, with Iker Casillas forced to
dive to keep out Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's
long range effort.
Real Madrid took the lead in the 26th
minute when Ronaldo headed Daniel
Carvajal's cross past an out of position
Timon Wellenreuther -- and was never
really troubled thereafter.
Buoyed by his goal, Ronaldo attempted
a bicycle kick moments later and then
saw the inexperienced Wellenreuther
soar to his right to repel his free kick. A
vital interception from the 19-year-old
Wellenreuther foiled Bale's bid to set up
Ronaldo.
"It is clear that Cristiano Ronaldo lives to
score goals," Ancelotti was quoted as
saying by UEFA. "It's never a problem
for us when he doesn't score for a
couple of games. But he, of course,
minds."
Not one to sit back and protect a lead,
Real Madrid continued to race forward
in the second half.
A poor touch from Ronaldo near the box
prevented a chance but Isco should
have done better when Bale's clever
flick sent the Spanish international in all
alone in the 72nd minute.
Having barely tested Casillas, Schalke
caught the Real Madrid defense napping
in the 74th minute and almost
equalized.
A long ball over the top found its way to
Atsuto Uchida, whose layoff fell perfectly
to Felix Platte. Platte -- in for the
injured Huntelaar -- struck the crossbar.
Marcelo settled the affair -- and
probably the tie -- when he sent a
rocket into the top corner with his right
foot, not his favored left, in the 79th
minute. He exchanged a hug with a
joyous Ancelotti.
"We are not used to seeing Marcelo
score with the right foot, so for this I
was really surprised," Ancelotti told Sky.
Ancelotti then laughed when it was
suggested to him that Real Madrid was
under less pressure in the Champions
League this season because it captured
a 10th title -- or 'Decima' -- last year.
"The pressure is the same," he said.
"Last year we spoke of the 'Decima.'
This year it's about (an 11th title) so the
pressure is the same."
In Wednesday's other game, Basel and
Porto played to a 1-1 draw in
Switzerland. Basel scored with its lone
shot on target in the 11th minute
thanks to Derlis Gonzalez but Porto --
which had a goal disallowed for offside
in the first half -- earned a valuable
away goal through Danilo's penalty in the 79th.
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