TUESDAY 8TH APRIL 2014 – LAST 8 SECOND LEG

BORUSSIA DORTMUND 2-0 REAL MADRID

Real Madrid win 3-2 on aggregate

A Marco Reus brace was not enough to seal his side a memorable comeback against Real Madrid, as they fell 3-2 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday evening.

The omission of Cristiano Ronaldo gave Klopp’s team more hope of that unlikely comeback, and they were right up for it from the off, Mkhitaryan and Reus the two having much of the ball early on.

Reus was causing problems, and was shocked not to be given a free-kick when he was scythed down by Pepe 20 yards out.

Di Maria began to find space on the right, and he won a corner just afterwards which came to nothing. BVB were defending well, but were dealt a hammer blow when the referee adjudged that Piszczeck handled in the area.

In Ronaldo’s absence, Di Maria stepped up, and although his penalty was toward the corner, it was a great height for Weidenfeller who palmed it away in front of the famous yellow wall. That restored belief, and they should’ve lead shortly after.

An attack down the left looked to have gone out, but the ball was squared back, and Casillas was frozen as he watched Mkhitaryan side foot just wide. However, just a few minutes later, they got the breakthrough. Marco Reus read a simple back header by Marcelo, and he got their first, poked it round Casillas, before slotting through Ramos’ legs and into the net.

If the ground was rocking after that, then five minutes later the fans were in dreamland. Lewandowski found space in the box, and his shot came back off the post, only to land straight at Reus’ feet, who spanked it home from eight yards.

Half Time: Borussia Dortmund 2 Real Madrid 0 (Aggregate: 2-3)

Isco joined the fray second half, but still no Cristiano, leaving the Spanish contingent just a little closer to the edge of their seats. They were aware they couldn’t concede though, and Gareth Bale nearly managed that, stinging Weidenfeller’s fingers with a 25 yard drive.

Another key moment just seconds later, when the referee was given a huge decision when Xabi Alonso looked to have taken Mkhitaryan down, stopping a counter attack. He didn’t go to his pocket for the second yellow, instead asking the home side to return the ball to the visitors, to everyone’s bemusement.

Real were always dangerous on the break, and twice the defence rode there luck, Bale rolling a shot just wide before Benzema rounded the ‘keeper but was superbly tackled before he could roll it in.

Summer signing Mkhitaryan then had the game in his grasp twice. First, he latched onto a superb through ball, rounded Casillas, before striking the post from a tight angle. The Madrid defence had barely recovered from that before he received the ball again, but this time the ‘keeper got to his effort from 10 yards, tipping it wide.

Ancelotti responded, Casemiro coming on for Di Maria, but the tempo didn’t change. Piszczek swung in a brilliant ball towards Reus, and on a hat-trick, he took the ball down, then went to ground, only to see the referee blow for a dive, as the German shuffled away in shame.

In a last throw of the dice from Klopp, Aubemeyang came on for Piszczek, and the Spaniards had 10 minutes to hold on at the Signal Iduna Park to make it into the last four.

The fight was all in vein though. They pressed and pressed, but a leaky Madrid defence stayed firm when it mattered, and they squeezed through into the semi-finals.

Full Time: Borussia Dortmund 2 Real Madrid 0 (Aggregate: 2-3) 

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