Champions League at the quarter-final stage is serious business. The veterans will tell you that if you slip just an inch you will be punished severely. This occurred to all four teams that participated tonight in their 2º leg return games. In the Spanish case, the experienced & Champions League regular Real Madrid CF suffered & received a good scare, while the never before into quarter-final stage Malaga FC experienced the above old man´s wisdom in the cruellest of fashions that will leave scares.
Here are brief summaries of both events, final results ( scores ) & goalscorers in tonight's Champions League games.
The above photo is a momentary instant of the Real Madrid starting 11 against Galatasaray in their 2º leg return clash. A historical photo as they helped once again to get the Spanish Football Club into a semi-final of the Champions League. Real Madrid lost 3 - 2 to Galatasaray tonight but won with an overall 3 - 5 aggregate result.
This match was suffered for Real Madrid as it complicated itself mid-way through the second half that put a real scare throughout the Spanish teams body. With a difficult & uneasy surface that made things difficult, the Turks had less Football but was more aggression & this unbalanced their initial objectives. Real Madrid via Cristiano Ronaldo took advantage of the Turkish erratic play & scored first in the 8th min from a Khedira pass that served as the important calming away goal & seemed to shut firmly the door on the Turks.
However, the pressure & the aggressive attitude slowly grind down Real Madrid which missed goal opportunities that did not allow for the final knock-out. The contender picked itself up & surprised Real Madrid with a Eboue "screamer" in the 57th min that lifted & gave hopes to Galatasary. So much so, that Real Madrid was put onto the back foot & lost the ball to concentrate on only defending. Then in the 71st min Sneijder put the Turks ahead & this allowed Galatasaray to "dream on". With Real Madrid discoordinated the alarm bells rang when a minute later Galatasaray got the third goal thanks to Drogba & this turned the almost impossible into a real possibility.
Real Madrid Coach Mourinho, put on Benzema & defender Albiol with the latter to contend the Turkish offensives. The plan worked, Benzema stabilized the forward-line & the midfield was reconquered. A Benzema attack down the right flank found Cristiano Ronaldo & he scored in the 90+2 min to shut the door this time & knock-out any hopes for the Turks.
Madrid won but they felt the Champions League oath of "to get far you have to suffer". Real Madrid lost Arbeloa to a red card in the last minutes & Essien was taken off earlier with leg muscle problem. Real Madrid sweated blood, but every European Champion has had to pass this "test of fire" its part of the road.
A worthy mention to Galatasaray which nearly pulled it off. Brave & spirited they made proud their Clubs name & was unlucky not to have gone further.
Borussia Dortmund rose from the dead, while Malaga FC already making history tasted the sweet nectar of the semi-finals to see it disappear in minutes & in extra-time in front of their faces. Here the Spanish Football Club lacked experienced & was severely burnt tonight by the cruelness that is European Football. Perhaps the bright lights blinded & allowed the opponents the opportunity to snatch the victory & a semi-finals berth at their expense. So close, yet so far maybe are the words for Malaga, but they are just one of a long list of past contenders that fell at the doors of glory. Final result 3 - 2
Fierce match as expected with an almighty Malaga playing as never before & perhaps never again. In the 25th min Malaga player Joaquin scored a magnificent away goal that rattled the Germans & allowed the Spaniards to dream.
Like a wounded animal Dortmund reacted & Lewandowski equalized in the 39th min, but with this scoreline Malaga was still qualified & further rocked the Germans with a 83rd min goal by Malaga player Eliseu that had them into the semi-finals. The Spanish goal was off-side but the tragedy was to came later in minutes in an ironic twist of Soccer fate.
Into extra-time & with Malaga qualified Dortmund scored in the 91st min by Reus. Malaga was still in the semi-finals until 2 minutes later Borussia Dortmund scored a third via Santana that was off-side & knocked out Malaga to put the Germans into the semi-finals of the Champions League. A miracle.
Unbelievable if your Spanish , a miracle if your German. The cruel lesson was learnt with fire for Malaga; the mistakes in Champions League are paid in elimination blood.
As for the Germans, outstanding for their "never say never" attitude which alone was worthy of being qualified. Simply superb by Borussia Dortmund.
Tomorrow another Spanish Football Club enters the arena. FC Barcelona will face Paris St Germain equalled in aggregate.
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