UEFA Champions League Preview 6th April 2011

Real Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur preview

Tottenham's fairytale UEFA Champions League campaign continues as the Santiago Bernabeu provides the setting for one of the biggest nights in their history.

Spurs have scripted a remarkable story on their maiden voyage in Europe's premier club competition, having defied the odds just to finish fourth in the Premier League last season.
An early exit loomed large after falling 3-0 behind to Young Boys in the play-off round way back in August, but from that moment on there have been considerably more highs than lows on a rollercoaster ride for supporters.
Having finished above Inter Milan, FC Twente and Werder Bremen in the group phase, Spurs overcame AC Milan 1-0 on aggregate in the last 16.
The draw for the quarter-finals pitted Tottenham against the mighty Real Madrid but, despite being underdogs, Harry Redknapp has taken his men to the Spanish capital with no fear.
Peter Crouch's away goal at the San Siro proved decisive in the previous round and Spurs will be aiming for similar heroics in Tuesday's first leg at the Bernabeu.
Recent form suggests victory is unlikely, with Tottenham having not won since that famous night in Italy and failed to score in virtually a month.
Some observers have argued that they are running out of steam after such an exhausting campaign, with injuries taking their toll on Redknapp's squad and those players that remain fit struggling for freshness.
Tottenham's bid for a second straight top-four finish has certainly suffered a setback, following back-to-back goalless draws in the Premier League.
A more optimistic outlook, however, would be to consider the three consecutive clean sheets Spurs have kept as an encouraging sign going into such a tough away game.

Inter Milan v Schalke 04 preview



After ousting FC Bayern München in dramatic fashion in the round of 16, UEFA Champions League holders FC Internazionale Milano now face another Bundesliga side, FC Schalke 04, in a rematch of the 1997 UEFA Cup final.
• Schalke emerged victorious then, prevailing 4-1 on penalties at San Siro after each team had won 1-0 at home. This great stadium holds less happy memories for the visitors' new coach, Ralf Rangnick, however, as it was here that his Schalke team suffered UEFA Champions League group stage elimination via a 3-2 defeat by AC Milan in December 2005 – his last game in European competition.
Inter are bidding to become the first team to successfully defend the European crown in the UEFA Champions League era. This is their 12th quarter-final appearance and they have won eight of their previous 11.
• Schalke, by contrast, are hoping to make it to their first semi-final after previous defeats at this stage in 1958/59 and 2007/08.
• Inter will look to get back to winning ways at San Siro after going down 1-0 to Bayern in the last round, a defeat they reversed with a 3-2 second-leg victory in Bavaria. They had previously won seven consecutive home games in the UEFA Champions League, including a 4-0 success against Germany's SV Werder Bremen in the group stage.
• Inter's overall home record against German visitors is: W10 D1 L5.
• Since their Matchday 1 loss at Olympique Lyonnais, Schalke have been unbeaten on their travels in this season's competition, winning at SL Benfica in the group stage and drawing at Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC and Valencia CF, their last-16 victims.
• Schalke's most recent visit to Italy came in the 2005/06 UEFA Cup round of 16, when they lost 1-0 at US Città di Palermo before winning the return 3-0.
• Schalke's record in Italy is one win and four defeats – and the former was a 3-0 forfeit victory against ACF Fiorentina in the 1977/78 UEFA Cup first round.