Real are now all but guaranteed a quarter-final place even with the return leg to come in Madrid on March 18 after goals from Benzema, Bale and Ronaldo. PHOTO: AFP
Real are now all but guaranteed a quarter-final place, even with the return leg in Madrid to come on March 18, after Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale both scored two goals apiece.
Real’s Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo also scored twice in the rout on his return from a three-match Spanish league suspension.
“I am satisfied about everything, because the team played a perfect game,” said Ancelotti, whose side are now unbeaten in their last 27 games dating back to October.
“After the early goal, we started getting a lot of room, which was the reason for our perfect night. It was fantastic, everything went well for us.”
Despite the massive advantage, Ancelotti said the Spanish league leaders will be taking nothing for granted for the return leg.
“There is a return leg to come and football is strange,” he said. “The advantage is big, but we want to make sure we go through.
We need to have respect for Schalke and our fans, so we will be putting out our best possible side for the return leg.”
This was only Real’s second win in 26 visits to Germany after 18 defeats, including their 4-1 drubbing at Borussia Dortmund in last season’s Champions League’s semi-final.
“We didn’t think about the curse in Germany, but in doing as much as we could to win the game and take control of the tie as quickly as possible,” added Ancelotti.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo also applauded the club’s performance.
“The team has played a lot of good games and this is one more,” said Ronaldo.
“We played well and didn’t allow Schalke to play at their best. We are happy and a step away from the next round.”
Mourinho rues chance missed as Gala remain alive
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho acknowledged that Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Galatasaray in Istanbul in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie had to go down as ‘an opportunity missed’.
The London club took an early lead through Fernando Torres at the Turk Telecom Arena, but they failed to capitalise on their good start and Galatasaray came back to equalise midway through the second-half courtesy of Aurelien Chedjou.
That means the tie remains open ahead of next month’s return at Stamford Bridge, when it could have been over after half an hour in Istanbul.
“The first-half was an opportunity missed,” said Mourinho. “The second-half was a fair result.
“We were comfortable defensively but conceded a goal at a corner, which I don’t like [but] I think it was a fair result.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2014.
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