Monday, April 4, 2011

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05.04. (Tue) 20:45 Real - Tottenham Hot.

DID YOU KNOW?

* Real Madrid have a flawless home record in the Champions League this season. They have won all four games so far, scoring 11 times in the process and are yet to concede a goal at the Bernabeu.

* The Spanish side may have won Europe’s premier club competition nine times but they have not reached the semi-finals of the Champions League since 2003. This is also the first time in seven years that they have qualified for the last eight.

* Madrid's on-loan striker Emmanuel Adebayor possesses a superb goalscoring record against Spurs. During his time at Arsenal the Togolese played in nine north London derbies and scored eight times.

* Blancos coach Jose Mourinho has a perfect record against Harry Redknapp, having beaten him five times during his spell in England - once when Redknapp was the manager of Southampton and four times when he was at the helm at Portsmouth.

* On Saturday evening Mourinho lost his nine-year unbeaten home league record as coach after Madrid suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Sporting Gijon at the Bernabeu.

* Tottenham Hotspur have been intrepid travellers in Europe this season. The north Londoners have scored 11 goals away from home this season in just five games.

* Aaron Lennon jointly tops the Champions League assists chart. The England international has five assists, alongside Carlos Martins of Benfica.

* Rafael van der Vaart signed for Spurs from Real Madrid in August. He bagged 11 goals in 58 league appearances for the Spanish team and has gone on to make 21 Premier League appearances, scoring 10 times.

* Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate spent two years with Real Madrid, but managed just nine appearances in an injury-ravaged tenure, including an unforgettable debut scoring an own goal and then being sent off against Athletic Bilbao.

* Spurs have not won since their 1-0 win against Milan in mid-February. Redknapp’s men have also drawn their last three games 0-0 (against Wigan Athletic, West Ham United and Milan).

LAST MEETING

March 20, 1985: Real Madrid 0-0 Tottenham Hotspur

The only previous encounter between the two sides was in the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 1985. Madrid won the first leg at White Hart Lane 1-0, courtesy of a Steve Perryman own goal after the defender deflected an Emilio Butragueno cross into his own net.

The second leg at the Bernabeu was goalless as Spurs crashed out of the competition whilst Madrid went on to claim the title with victory over Inter in the semi-finals and a 3-1 aggregate win over Videoton of Hungary in the final.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Real Madrid: Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Arbeloa; Alonso, Khedira; Di Maria, Oezil, Ronaldo; Adebayor.

Tottenham: Gomes; Corluka, Dawson, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon, Sandro, Modric, Bale; Van der Vaart; Crouch.

Prediction
Real Madrid lost to Sporting Gijon at the Bernabeu on Saturday evening but have a formidable record at home in the Champions League this season. However, Tottenham’s performance at San Siro against both Inter and Milan will have injected in them a healthy dose of confidence. A comprehensive victory for the Blancos does not look a very feasible result but the Spanish giants should eke out a win nevertheless.

Real Madrid 1-0 Tottenham

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05.04. (Tue) 20:45 Inter - Schalke 04

DID YOU KNOW?

* Inter have won seven of their last eight Champions League matches at San Siro.

* The Nerazzurri have picked up 10 victories in 16 home games against German opposition in Europe (W10, D1, L5).

* Samuel Eto'o is tied with Lionel Messi and Mario Gomez for the most goals in the current CL campaign (eight).

* The Beneamata have conceded 14 goals in the tournament so far.

* Inter have won eight of their past 11 quarter-finals ties in the competition.

* Schalke beat Inter on penalties to win the 1997 UEFA Cup.

* Peer Kluge and Mario Gavranovic have been ruled out of the encounter on Tuesday.

* Schalke have one win in four games on Italian soil.

* The Koenigsblauen have been shown 19 yellow cards in the tournament to date.


LAST MEETING

March 17, 1998: Schalke 1-1 Inter

Inter took a 1-0 aggregate advantage into the second leg of the UEFA Cup quarter-final clash against Schalke in Gelsenkirchen. Michael Goosens sent the match into extra-time with a goal in the 90th minute before Taribo West fired the Nerazzurri into the semi-finals.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS

Inter: Julio Cesar; Maicon, Chivu, Ranocchia, Zanetti; Stankovic, Cambiasso, Thiago Motta; Sneijder; Milito, Eto’o

Schalke: Neuer; Uchida, Hoewedes, Metzelder, Sarpei; Jurado, Matip, Draxler, Farfan; Raul, Edu

Prediction
Inter are coming off a devastating 3-0 loss to city rivals Milan but should be able to regroup and dispose of Schalke on Tuesday evening at the Giuseppe Meazza. Samuel Eto'o will lead the charge as the champions put one foot into the semi-finals.
Inter Milan 2-0 Schalke 04