UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Real Madrid 3 Olympique 0:NICE TO have you back. The draw for the Champions League quarter-finals will be made tomorrow and for the first time in seven years Real Madrid will be there.
The nine-time winners of this competition, the club upon whom this competition exercises a special hold, finally found their way through a knock-out tie here. With the psychological barrier overcome with a certain degree of comfort thanks to goals from Marcelo, Karim Benzema and Angel Di Maria, now they dare to look beyond.
With 15 minutes to go Di Maria dashed on to Ozil’s header to clip beyond Hugo Lloris to complete a 3-0 victory. It was the first time Madrid had beaten the French side in eight attempts, including at the same stage last season, and completed a 3-1 aggregate score which sends them into the quarter-finals at last.
Lyon were complicit in their demise but Madrid will not care. This is what they live for and this is what Mourinho came for.
It was what Cristiano Ronaldo came for, too. There had been doubts over his participation after he missed 10 days through injury but he was in the starting line-up.
At full back Mourinho was bold – Marcelo and Sergio Ramos, attacking threats that are often defensive ones too, were included. Alvaro Arbeloa, that steady pair of feet and cool head, was on the bench.
Mourinho had smiled at Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas’ accusation that he would seek a goalless draw. “Perhaps he’s right,” he said. “After all, 0-0 would put us through.”
That, though, did not appear to be his game plan. The decision would take a while to pay off but the intent appeared to have a rapid effect.
Madrid began at pace, direct and aggressive, springing sharply from deep and finding ample space. Mesut Ozil, Ronaldo and Marcelo all had shots in the opening five minutes. Lloris pushed Marcelo’s shot round the post; from the corner, Sami Khedira pushed him back. The goalkeeper was weak. The header came back off the post.
Madrid continued to press but they were wasteful and, as the minutes passed, so Lyon grew into the game, thriving in the space between Madrid’s midfield and front three. Iker Casillas saved from Cesar Fabian Delgado and Lisandro set up Cris for a shot that would have made him wince in embarrassment, his flailing foot scuffing at the ball.
It was a loose ball that Madrid took advantage of to take a vital lead before half-time, Xabi Alonso stepping in to win possession and finding Marcelo on the left. The full back dashed inside, got a swift return ball from Ronaldo and continued into the area. With Cris coming across to block, he cut back smoothly on his right foot, a soft touch shifting the ball and his weight back to the left and sending the centre-back skidding by, helpless. His finish went in off Lloris.
Madrid continued to attack after the break. Benzema stole the ball from a dozing Gourcuff and exchanged slick passes with 0zil. The German’s shot was blocked, looping over the bar. From the corner, Ronaldo’s header bounced over, wrongly winning another corner from which Ramos’ header went straight at Lloris. Still, there were nerves. Madrid did not have complete control. Not yet, at least.
Soon, it was over. Again, Lyon assisted in their demise, though Madrid finished in style. An awful pass from Anthony Reveillere looking for Gourcuff allowed Marcelo to spear a diagonal ball forward. Ozil leapt for it, Dejan Lovren missed it and Benzema was rushing through, all alone. Lloris came to meet him but Benzema beat him, low and true.
So often questioned, including by his coach, Benzema had got the vital goal in France against his former side; now he had the goal that virtually sent Madrid through. It was his sixth in seven Champions League games. There were 25 minutes left but a seven-year wait was over.
Di Maria’s goal, beautifully finished in the 76th minute, rounded off the night. But the tie had ended before. So, too, had the curse.
Guardian Service
REAL MADRID: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Marcelo, Khedira, Alonso, Di Maria (Granero 78), Ozil, Ronaldo (Adebayor 74), Benzema (Diarra 84). Subs not used: Adan, Canales, Arbeloa, Albiol. Booked: Pepe, Carvalho.
OLYMPIQUE LYON:Lloris, Reveillere, Cris, Lovren, Cissokho, Briand (Gomis 46), Gourcuff (Pied 69), Toulalan, Kallstrom, Delgado (Pjanic 81), Lopez. Subs not used: Vercoutre, Diakhate, Kolodzieczak, Gonalons. Booked: Gourcuff, Cissokho.
Referee: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).
