Football: Tired Inter couldn’t stop Raul, admits Leonardo

Schalke set up Champions League semi-final with Man Utd.

GELSENKIRCHEN:

Inter Milan coach Leonardo admitted his plan to contain Spain veteran Raul had backfired as the holders crashed out of the Champions League.

Raul opened the scoring at the Veltins Arena in their quarter-final second-leg clash as Schalke beat Inter 2-1 having shocked the holders with a 5-2 win in the first leg last week at the San Siro. His 45th-minute strike showed he is as sharp as ever and the Champions League’s record goal-scorer has now netted 71 times in the competition.

As Raul also scored in the first-leg, Leonardo said his pre-match strategy involved cutting off the Spain veteran’s supply of possession from midfield, but to no avail.

“I want to congratulate Raul on being an extraordinary player, he is an example for all,” said Brazilian Leonardo. “I tried to put their midfield under pressure by using Thiago Motta rather than [Argentina’s Esteban] Cambiasso.

“I chose based on our physical condition at the moment, but we never managed to control the game and begin a comeback. I think the team believed in causing an upset and we tried everything, but we didn’t achieve our objective.”

‘Inter not in top shape’

Currently third in the Serie A, Inter suffered a 3-0 defeat at the San Siro at the hands of AC Milan in the Italian league just before they were beaten 5-2 at home by Schalke and Leonardo said his side were not in top shape.

“During the last few games, we weren’t at our best level from a physical point of view,” he admitted having succeeded Rafael Benitez as coach in December. “It has been less than four months since I took office. I do not want excuses, but we must not forget that many of our players were injured and absent for 30-40 days.”

Schalke to face Man Utd

Meanwhile, Schalke 04 will face English giants Manchester United in their first appearance in the semi-finals of Europe’s premier club event.

“It was a magnificent victory,” said Schalke chairman Clemens Toennies, who sacked coach Felix Magath last month and replaced him with ex-Hoffenheim handler Ralf Rangnick.

Ronaldo sends Real through

In the other quarter-final, Real Madrid secured a Champions League last-four showdown with Barcelona as Cristiano Ronaldo punished Heurelho Gomes’s blunder to clinch a 1-0 win over Tottenham in the quarter-final second leg.

Jose Mourinho’s side already had one foot in the last-four after romping to a 4-0 victory in the first leg and the 5-0 aggregate success sets up an epic installment of their ‘El Clasico’ feud with bitter rivals Barca.

Mourinho said that he had suffered some nervous moments in the first-half but once Ronaldo scored it was game over. He said that his side had a chance against Barca.

“Lets see what happens,” said Mouringo. “A semi-final is a semi-final. Anything can happen, though, we have not been as fortunate as Barcelona in avoiding suspensions for the match.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th,  2011.