Schalke vs. Real Madrid: Score, Grades, Reaction from Champions League
Real Madrid are firm favourites to advance following a 2-0 win at Schalke in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie on Wednesday evening at the Veltins-Arena.
Cristiano Ronaldo put the visitors in front with a 26th-minute header, a goal that ended a personal three-game drought. Schalke improved in the second half, hitting the bar through substitute Felix Platte, but Marcelo doubled Real's lead with a rocketed finish 11 minutes from time.
The result puts Real Madrid decidedly in control of the tie and likely sets up a comfortable return leg, which will be held in three weeks at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.
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Indeed, Carlo Ancelotti's side remains one of the favourites to win the competition despite going through an uneven run of form recently. Having won the competition last season, Madrid have shown glimpses of their top form again this season—especially during a 22-match winning run that closed out 2014.
Up next, both teams return to domestic action at the weekend.
Real Madrid, who top Spain's La Liga by one point, play at Elche on Sunday. Schalke, who are currently fourth in the Bundesliga and chasing another Champions League berth, host Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Real Madrid enjoyed plenty of possession from the opening kick-off but failed to create many openings in the early stages.
The first good opening for either side fell to Schalke in the 25th minute, with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar trying his luck with a rasping shot from distance. Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas saved, parrying the ball away to safety.
One minute later, Real turned their first clear chance into the game's first goal. Holding possession on the right flank, Daniel Carvajal carved out a yard of space and crossed into the middle. Unmarked, Ronaldo powered in his header for a 1-0 Real Madrid lead.
From that point until the end of the first half, Real Madrid were in firm control.
In the 31st minute, Toni Kroos slid a pass through to Karim Benzema, who had been played onside by Atsuto Uchida. Benzema shot low on target, but 19-year-old Schalke goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther made a good kick save and then smothered the ball as it trickled toward the goal line.
Schalke received a blow in the 33rd minute as Huntelaar, the team's best-known striker, limped off with an injury. He was replaced by 19-year-old Platte, who only made his Bundesliga debut at the weekend against Eintracht Frankfurt.
In the 35th minute, Wellenreuther did well to punch away a Ronaldo free-kick.
Four minutes later, the younger goalkeeper came off his line quickly to force Ronaldo out wide after the Real Madrid superstar ran onto a lofted pass on the right. Ronaldo touched the ball toward the byline but was unable to keep it in play.
Schalke improved in the second half but found clear chances hard to come by.
Seven minutes after the interval, Real Madrid's Raphael Varane made a well-timed interception to stop Platte from shooting. In the 67th minute, Marco Hoger shot into the side netting from a tight angle on the right following good work from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting.
Two minutes later, Kevin-Prince Boateng sent a long-range effort straight at Casillas, who saved comfortably.
Real Madrid had an opening at the other end in the 72nd minute after Gareth Bale and Isco combined well along the edge of the box. The chance fell to Isco, who curled his shot over the bar.
Schalke came within inches of scoring the equaliser in the 74th minute. Boateng started the move with a long ball over the top for Uchida, who had slipped the attention of Marcelo on the right. Uchida knocked the ball down for Platte, who hit the crossbar with a powerful shot from outside the box.
The rebound fell to Uchida, whose shot was partially blocked into the arms of Casillas.
Marcelo made up for his error in some style just moments later, scoring the all-important second goal for Real Madrid in the 79th minute. Ronaldo served as provider, creating space on the left before laying off for Marcelo, who launched an unstoppable blast into the top corner at the far post.
The second goal effectively killed off Schalke's resistance. With a two-goal victory in hand from the first leg, Real Madrid appear headed for a comfortable return leg back at the Bernabeu.
"Real Madrid has won 10 straight Champions League games, tying the record set by Bayern Munich in 2013.
— Paul Carr (@PCarrESPN) February 18, 2015"
Grades
| Timon Wellenreuther | 5.8 |
| Atsuto Uchida | 6.1 |
| Joel Matip | 6.3 |
| Benedikt Howedes | 6.6 |
| Matija Nastasic | 6.5 |
| Dennis Aogo | 6.7 |
| Marco Hoger | 6.7 |
| Roman Neustadter | 6.3 |
| Kevin-Prince Boateng | 6.6 |
| Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting | 5.9 |
| Klaas-Jan Huntelaar | 6.2 |
| Felix Platte (for Huntelaar, 32') | 6.1 |
| Jan Kirchhoff (for Neustadter, 57') | 6.0 |
| Max Meyer (for Hoger, 80') | 6.0 |
| Iker Casillas | 7.1 |
| Daniel Carvajal | 8.2 |
| Raphael Varane | 8.8 |
| Pepe | 7.4 |
| Marcelo | 8.8 |
| Lucas Silva | 6.7 |
| Toni Kroos | 7.2 |
| Isco | 8.3 |
| Gareth Bale | 7.6 |
| Karim Benzema | 6.6 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 8.0 |
| Javier Hernandez (for Benzema, 78') | 6.1 |
| Alvaro Arbeloa (for Carvajal, 82') | 6.2 |
| Asier Illarramendi (for Isco, 85') | No rating |
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