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Real Madrid 4-0 Tottenham: Adebayor brace & Di Maria stunner leaves 10-man Spurs’ Champions League dreams in tatters
The hosts capitalised on an early Peter Crouch sending off to dominate at the Bernabeu and will travel to White Hart Lane as firm favourites to progress into the semi finals
By Jonathan Birchall
UEFA Champions League : Peter Crouch - Luka Modric, Real Madrid v Tottenham
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Two goals from former Arsenal man Emmanuel Adebayor, a magnificent strike from Angel di Maria and a late killer blow from Cristiano Ronaldo have put Jose Mourinho's side firmly in the driving seat ahead of next week's meeting at White Hart Lane, which now looks little more than a formality.
The team sheets proved to be the opening page on a script worthy of a Champions League quarter-final, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo both returning to Jose Mourinho’s side. Proof, as if it were needed, that the Special One was in no way expecting the easy ride that would be provided to his side in Madrid.
Harry Redknapp also deemed the clash worthy of risk with Gareth Bale and William Gallas, both sidelined for the stalemate at Wigan on Saturday, brought in. A possible gamble too far however left Aaron Lennon, who had looked a little lacklustre at the DW Stadium, unable to start despite being named in the original team sheet. Illness was the cause, as opposed to the hamstring injury that had plagued the winger in recent weeks but Jenas being brought in will have provided cold comfort for the Spurs supporters.
It was a luckless first half for Redknapp's side, conceding to a powerful header from Adebayor after only four minutes and losing Crouch, the man who had been included as the focal point for the entire team to aim for, to a sending off after quarter of an hour. Though it was stupidity on the striker's part, as opposed to ill-fortune, that sealed his fate.
It was a case of going from bad to the worst imaginable for the visitors as Adebayor doubled his lead to send Tottenham into collapse. Di Maria hit a screamer with 20 minutes remaining and it was left to Ronaldo, Tottenham's chief tormentor to make Madrid's lead unassailable.
Lennon's absence looked to have proved instantly damaging and Tottenham, who have made somewhat of a habit of making life difficult for themselves in the Champions League this season, couldn't have wished for a worse start.
A couple of efforts from Ronaldo, offered space by a team seemingly with stars in their eyes threatened early on but it was Adebayor, the former Arsenal man, to give the hosts the lead after only four minutes. The Togolese international had broken free from Jenas to power home from a whipped corner. The visitors needed a response.It came, albeit tentatively, through a corner from the right-hand side. Crouch met the ball before anybody else but it's flightpath was far too high for even the towering target man to reach with any sort of dangerous intent. Certainly a sign of intent for Redknapp's side, whose task was looking ever more difficult.
Difficult was to be replaced by impossible in the eyes of those in dark blue as Crouch, having already been booked in the seventh minute for a lunge on Sergio Ramos, was sent off after a hellish quarter of an hour for the North London outfit following a lunge on Marcelo. The Brazilian could hardly hide his delight following the decision but sympathy will be short in coming from all quarters for the England international, having jeopardised his side's chances in ludicrous fashion. It was the fastest sending off from two yellow cards in the competitions history, befitting a man with the most fouls in the tournament so far this campaign.
Tottenham's woes were not aided by the fact that Madrid were playing some sumptuous football, with Xabi Alonso dictating proceedings in the middle of midfield and Ronaldo, a man for the big occasion, tormenting the Spurs defence. For Bale, the man with the potential to tear the hosts, was merely a spectator, isolated by his side's inability to answer the questions posed to them by Mourinho's men.
Until the half hour mark, when, latching onto a sublime cross field ball by Michael Dawson, the Welshman beat Ramos for pace and darted into the box only to smash a low effort into Iker Casillas' side netting. A warning sign for Madrid and a glimmer of hope for Redknapp, whose side were just about holding on despite a torrent of pressure from the side in white as the tie passed the half hour mark.
Having lost their most obvious outlet in Crouch, the Spurs midfield did indeed look a little stunted but Bale, whose pace looked to have in no way wilted as a result of his recent back injury was being used to exploit gaps at the back down the left hand channel and Tottenham finally looked to have settle with a coherent game plan, however hastily arranged it may have been.
The half ended, as is often the way, on a controversial note as Dawson looked to have handled in the area to block Di Maria's 20-yard strike. The centre-half had been largely imperious for the opening 45 minutes but there can be little doubt that Spurs were fortunate as the referee waved away the hosts vociferous protests.
Marching orders | Crouch sees red as Spurs' dreams are left in tatters by rampant Real
Mourinho's men began the second period in a fashion similar to the first, peppering the goal of Gomes with wave after wave of chances. Ronaldo went close once again from distance but Spurs were showing signs of resilience. It wasn't to last long however and it was Adebayoronce again who doubled the home side's lead only 12 minutes after the interval. Latching on to Marcelo's sublime ball with his head, Tottenham were in dire straits as the hour mark approached. Madrid's supporters waved white flags at the referees whistle, though in truth, it was the visitors that were looking prepared to surrender their Champions League status.
The goal invigorated the hosts and interchange of the ball in the Madrid midfield was a hark back to the Galactico days, and Adebayor was so nearly the beneficiary of their build up, latching on to a pinpoint ball over the top to force a magnificent save from Gomes. It was looking more a case when, rather than if as Tottenham looked lifeless in response.
The inevitable came soon after and it was a moment of class befitting the occasion and the performance of the hosts with Di Maria, darting in from the right-hand lashing in an unstoppable strike in to the top corner. The lead was beginning to look unassailable and the gulf in class was clear, under the harsh floodlights of the Bernabeu.
It was becoming a nightmare in Spurs' dream fixture as Ronaldo and Ramos caused havoc in the Spurs half and hopes of Wembley soon became even beyond the wildest hopes of the travelling Tottenham fans as Ronaldo, arguably the visitor's tormentor-in-chief rubbed salt in the wounds of Harry Redknapp's side with only three minutes remaining, hitting a limp volley beneath Gomes.
It was a fitting way to end a devastating defeat for Tottenham, who with a four goal deficit to make up, look dead and buried ahead of next week's clash at White Hart Lane.
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The Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo looks set to miss next Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final first-leg match againstTottenham Hotspur at the Bernabéu. The Portugal international has been suffering from a thigh injury, which kept him out of his country's recent friendly fixtures.
Real have more injury problems with the winger Karim Benzema and right-back Marcelo also out of the game. The manager, José Mourinho, referring to a domestic fixture that comes after Tuesday's Champions League match against Spurs, said: "Medical staff have told me that Ronaldo, Marcelo and [Karim] Benzema can only play in Bilbao."
On a brighter note for Real, Gonzalo Higuain could make an earlier-than-expected return, following back surgery. The Argentina striker has been included in the squad for tomorrow's game, and Mourinho said: "His recovery is a positive surprise because we thought he may miss up to the final 15 games of the season and having him is important."
Spurs also have injury problems, with only two first-choice central defenders fit and their own star attacker, Gareth Bale, struggling with a hamstring injury sustained while training with Wales. Spurs are away to Wigan on Saturday.
The Spurs manager, Harry Redknapp, said: "Gareth is not fit for tomorrow. William Gallas as well – his knee has been giving him problems so they are both certainly not fit."
Asked if Bale would be ready to face Real, Redknapp said: "We will have to see. His hamstring is still a little bit tight. You never know with those injuries. Until he pushes it we wouldn't be sure. I wouldn't be sure also with William at the moment. He can't kick a ball. He feels his knee is sore. He has had two scans this week. He has been out this morning and done some running but when he looks to strike the ball he has problems."
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Lionel Messi
Messi, Was He Injured Or Rested? Costa Rica Demands To Know
Was Lionel Messi tired or injured? That is the question that the Costa Rica soccer federation wants answered and is considering demanding for medical tests, furious that the Argentina star sat was sidelined before a capacity crowd at the new National Stadium on Tuesday.
Univision reports that Costa Rica's soccer federation is adamant that the Messi was rested and not injured, which would contravene the commercial agreement the Argentina team have in place with friendlies that states Messi must play when fit.
The decision to sideline Messi was made by Argentina coach Sergio Batista hours before the game, ending speculation of will he play or net, a decision that drew heat from fans in Costa Rica, including former Costa Rican president Oscar Arias, who was quoted in the Spanish language media, "it would have not done any harm to play him for a few minutes".
The daily Al Día said "[Messi] came for a holiday in Costa Rica, like the rest of the team", while the Diario Extra accused Argentina of "disrespecting Costa Rica by leaving Messi on the bench."
Messi sat on the sidelines for the entire game, giving autographs to the Costa Rican team members afterwards.
Though on Tuesday he was said to injured, Messi is expected to play for Barcelona this weekend.
Barcelona or the Asociación del Fútbol Argentino or AFA (English: Argentine Football Association) has yet to respond to Costa Rica's charges.
Argentina's deal have never been made public, but could be forced to pay compensation to Costa Rica if they are found to be in breach of contract.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lionel Messi
Messi, Was He Injured Or Rested? Costa Rica Demands To Know
Was Lionel Messi tired or injured? That is the question that the Costa Rica soccer federation wants answered and is considering demanding for medical tests, furious that the Argentina star sat was sidelined before a capacity crowd at the new National Stadium on Tuesday.
Univision reports that Costa Rica's soccer federation is adamant that the Messi was rested and not injured, which would contravene the commercial agreement the Argentina team have in place with friendlies that states Messi must play when fit.
The decision to sideline Messi was made by Argentina coach Sergio Batista hours before the game, ending speculation of will he play or net, a decision that drew heat from fans in Costa Rica, including former Costa Rican president Oscar Arias, who was quoted in the Spanish language media, "it would have not done any harm to play him for a few minutes".
The daily Al Día said "[Messi] came for a holiday in Costa Rica, like the rest of the team", while the Diario Extra accused Argentina of "disrespecting Costa Rica by leaving Messi on the bench."
Messi sat on the sidelines for the entire game, giving autographs to the Costa Rican team members afterwards.
Though on Tuesday he was said to injured, Messi is expected to play for Barcelona this weekend.
Barcelona or the Asociación del Fútbol Argentino or AFA (English: Argentine Football Association) has yet to respond to Costa Rica's charges.
Argentina's deal have never been made public, but could be forced to pay compensation to Costa Rica if they are found to be in breach of contract.
