In a game that had all of its drama sucked out three weeks ago, Real Madrid and Schalke gave the Bernabéu’s support and an impressive visiting contingent a look at each club’s future. Yet on a day when a huge part of that future was stretchered off early, the meaninglessness of Tuesday’s game took center stage. Real Madrid, entering the day’s festivities up 6-1, added a 3-1 to their total. After a game in which neither El Real nor Schalke cared too much about the day’s result, the Merengues are still through to UEFA Champions League’s quarterfinals.
Cristiano Ronaldo opened the day’s scoring in the 21st minute when Gareth Bale, on in the eight minute for the injured Jesé, set up first goal of the night. Ten minutes later, a deflection from Sergio Ramos off Tim Hoogland’s long distance shot caught Iker Casillas wrong-footed, allowing Schalke to equalize.
In the 74th minute, Ronaldo added his second, blasting home a shot from beyond the penalty area to make it 2-1. One minute later, Álvaro Morata registered his first Champions League goal, with Bale picking up his second assist of the night.
It’s the fourth straight year Real Madrid has made the final eight, but with early news of a cruciate injury to Jesé circulating by match’s end, the day’s result took on a slightly different context. Though Cristiano Ronaldo ran his season’s goal total to 41, with 13 coming in seven Champions League appearances, the Merengues are left waiting for news on the extend of their 21-year-old’s injury.
The incident occurred early as Schalke challenged the aspiring Spanish international in the right corner. Though Jesé was eventually stretchered from the field, he initially returned and seemed able to continue. By the eighth minute, however, Bale’s number was being raised by the fourth official, signaling the start to worries about the young star’s knee.
It wasn’t long before Bale, originally scheduled to rest, made an impact. Running onto the end of a Morata through ball, Bale get behind the Schalke defense to the right of goal. His square ball into the six for an oncoming Ronaldo allowed the Portuguese star to convert his 12th goal of the competition.
Ten minutes later, Schalke had tied it up, with an unexpected source bringing them to 1-1. Tim Hoogland, allowed to carry the ball to within 26 yards from his right back position, let go of a speculative shot that caught the bottom of Sergio Ramos’s outstretched boot. The deflect gave Casillas no chance to stop Schalke’s second goal of the tie.
In the second half, Ralf Fährmann stops on Ronaldo and Isco gave the impression the Royal Blues could make it to full-time at 1-1. Then, a two-goal outburst just before the 76th minute mark put the game away for the hosts.
The first came from Ronaldo, whose drive from outside the penalty area caught Fährmann’s lower left corner to put Real Madrid in front. A minute later, Bale set up Morata in front of an open net to give the 21-year-old striker his first Champions League goal.
The outburst only added to what was already an embarrassing final score. Schalke, who had entered the day down five, carried no misconceptions about their fate. No matter what, they were going out of Champions League, part of the reason they pulled striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar at half time.
But with their second half capitulation, the Miners leave Spain 9-2 (agg.) losers, with Real Madrid having further established themselves as the team most likely to keep Bayern Munich from a second straight title.
