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Real Madrid defeated Galatasaray 3-0 on Day two of the Champions League quarter-finals played at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, on Wednesday.
Real Madrid get off to a terrific start in the game with both teams getting equal scoring opportunities but Real displayed tact and strenght to outmatch big-spending Galatasaray in the first half with sheer strenght.
These two sides met at the same stage in the competition back in 2001, with Real Madrid winning the game at the Bernabeu 3-0 to overturn a 3-2 home win from Galatasaray after the Turkish outfit had come from two behind.
Galatasaray also picked up a win against Real Madrid in the Super Cup final a year before having one the UEFA Cup, with two goals from Brazilian Jardel enough to secure a 2-1 win in Monaco.
But in today's game they simply had themselves to blame. Mesut Ozil fed the Portuguese maestro with a lovely through-ball, and he produced a glorious chip from about 12 yards to beat Fernando Muslera in the ninth minute.
The hosts rested some of their key players at the weekend, while Galatasaray fielded almost their strongest XI and Madrid looked to put this tie beyond doubt with a comfortable home win.
Karim Benzema doubled the lead resulting ofa poor defending from Galatasaray, but Michael Essien's cross and Karim Benzema's finish were still of the highest quality.
Essien was given time and space to cross from the right, and Emmanuel Eboue was caught napping in front of Benzema who finished coolly to make it 2-0.
Real have not won the Champions League since Zinedine Zidane's stunning volley beat Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden in 2002 and are searching for a record 10th title this season after seeing off Manchester United in the last round.
With Sneijder withdrawn at half-time, the Turkish side were a more solid outfit - but lacked gained in defence, they lost in attack as they posed little threat in the second-half.
Real extended their advantage shortly thereafter.
Xabi Alonso curled a teasing free-kick into the box and Higuain headed into the corner to score and seal any hopes Galatasaray had of a second-leg come back.
Another real positive for Mourinho will be the fact that this was Real's first clean sheet in the Champions League this season.
Portugal forward Ronaldo became the tournament's highest scorer with nine goals when he burst away on to Mesut Ozil's pass to lob the opener after nine minutes at the Bernabeu.
Benzema slotted the ball inside Fernando Muslera's near post for the second after 29 minutes and substitute Higuain flicked a header into the top corner at a freekick in the 73rd.
Galatasaray, backed by raucous support, rarely threatened but when they did keeper Diego Lopez was on hand for the hosts, who remain well on course for a shot at a tenth European Cup.
After taking an early lead, Real looked dangerous every time they broke forward, and Michael Essien's cross evaded two defenders to find Benzema unmarked for the second.
Higuain replaced the Frenchman midway through the second half and flicked Xabi Alonso's whipped in freekick past Muslera for the third.
Ivorian striker Didier Drogba, up against his former coach Jose Mourinho, provided the main threat for the visitors, blazing one effort wide, and setting up Emmanuel Eboue for their clearest chance before the break, which Lopez parried with his foot.
The return leg is in Istanbul next Tuesday.
FULL TIME
Result
Champions League Quarter-Final first leg
Real Madrid 3 (Ronaldo 9' Benzema 29' Higuain 72')
Galatasaray 0
Real Madrid Yellow cards
Galatasaray Yellow cards
91" Real Madrid emerge winners at the blow of the whistle.
90" Galatasaray press forward with semifinal advantage in sight for Real madrid.
88" The ball gets deflected for a corner and now Modric issued a yellow card.
88" Ref Oddvar Moen is kept busy in the second half with booking for both teams. Drogba on a freekick at the edge of the box.
85" Galatasaray labour hard for a goal but Real Madrid stub off any moves in the box.
84" Real now strongly poised for win and charge along in anticipation of more goals.
83" Quick substitutions for Madrid. Pepe brought in replacing Ángel Di María.
82" Nordin Amrabat replaces Albert Riera in who looks like a man on mission.
78" Luka Modric comes in for Ozil in anticipation to drill home some more goals as manager Mourinho looks upset from the bench over some very potential misses.
77" Yellow card for Ramos for a dangerous tackle on Riera.
74" Higuaín in the thick of action with Ronaldo getting onto the ball drilling it to the left of the post.
72" GOAL! Real get a free kick taken by Alonso who glides the ball in the wall with Gonzalo Higuaín rising above the rest to head home the match clinching goal.
67" Melo yellow carded for ugly slide against Ozil. Win a free kick but dismmised to the centre forward.
66" Real press on winning a corner kick but the ball is well shot away in the midfield. Drogba latches on and darts towards the post.
65" Real Madrid in complete command and look to stretch their lead with the lurking Ronaldo in the strike zone.
64" Benzema comes off with Gonzalo Higuaín taking his position.
63" Michael Essien gets throw in but fails to get hold of the ball. Drogba looks on for the right ball in his direction.
60" Melo attempts to go alone and takes a rasping shot from the edge of the box missing the target closely.
59" Ángel Di María almost had a goal to his name but the slamming shot was collected by Lopez.
58" Melo gets off with a warning in a tussle with Alonso from behind.
55" Real Madrid move the ball along with Benzema, Xabi, Ozil coordinating along the right flank.
54" Ronaldo on the attack with Galatasaray now defending strongly with substitute Gokhan Zan and Emmanuel Eboué cordinating well to setup Drogba in the front.
49" The official flags Cristiano Ronaldo offside. Fernando Muslera takes the free kick.
48" All Real Madrid in the early stages of the second period.
Cristiano Ronaldo has a low free kick blocked, Mesut Ozil and Karim Benzema torment and tease with skill, and Angel Di Maria doesn't quite get on the end of a Xabi Alonso ball over the top.
47" Ozil on the ball after Real fails to convert a free kick taken by Ronaldo at the edge of the box.
46" Second half play resumes with Fatih Terim sacrificing Wesley Sneijder to bring on a defender in the form of Gokhan Zan for Galatasaray.
Real Madrid looking good at half time with a 2-0 lead.
HALF TIME
45" Drogba gets a ball and muscles his way to the goal post but Raphael Varane snatches the ball away at the end of half time.
44" Last minute to the first half with Real firmly in the lead. Ronaldo and Benzema tormenting the defence.
43" Galatasaray now playing more than their potential and attitude. A tactical game but lose again a best chance with Drogba's long range shot well saved by the onrushing López.
42" Ronaldo sends the ball curling over the wall missing the mark narrowly.
41" Dany Nounkeu yellow carded for bringing down Benzema earning a free kick with Ronaldo gearing up for it.
38" Poor defending from Galatasaray is definitely to blame, as Real surge ahead in a bid to increase their tally.
35" Galatasaray hover around the danger zone with Snider and Drogba in the attack. But the Real defence read well the move to win the ball over.
33" Drogba makes a move for a cross but is blocked by Fabio Coentrão.
32" A corner kick for Real well dismissed by Drogba to the centre.
31" Real press on with renewed vigour, with Ronaldo and Özil stepping up the attack.
30" Drogba looks frustrated appealing for a handball against Sami Khedira
28" GOAL! number two for Real! Benzema finishes a Michael Essien cross slamming in the ball into the right of the net to take a 2-0 lead.
26" Emmanuel Eboué sprints along from the right flank chipping in the ball over the defence failing to get the ball anywhere close to Drogba in the centre.
25" Drogba gets a good pass and shoots but was punched out by Diego López.
23" Throw in for Real, but fail to latch on to the ball.
21" Real move around the ball with Benzema, Xabi Alonso and Ángel Di María building up moves towards the rival end.
20" Insignificant move by Galatasaray and Real on the ball once again.
19" FREE KICK! for Galatasaray
17" Galatasaray on the attack, but lose the ball with Ronaldo and Özil darting towards the keeper.
Ronaldo taps a pass to Ozil who shoots but well collected by Fernando Muslera.
16" Drogba on the offensive in a swift counter attack brought down with no harm done.
14" Mesut Özil brought down on contact but referee signals to continue.
12" Real Madrid on the ball with Ronaldo darting towards the opposition goal but the defence crowds him blocking any scoring opportunity.
10" Galatasaray regroup to counter attack with Drogba shooting on top of the crossbar.
Former England striker Gary Lineker tweets: Wonderful finish from Ronaldo, improving his goal scoring ratio to 1.0107438 goals per game (@GaryLineker)
8" GOAL! Ronaldo scores in the fourth consecutive match.
6" FREE KICK! for Galatasaray
3" Galatasaray on the defence as Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo move up.
2" Karim Benzema shoots wide off missing a Ángel Di María pass in the danger zone.
1" KICK-OFF! with Real Madrid on the attack.
Real Madrid and Galatasaray now warm up at the Bernabeu Stadium.
Both teams have arrived at the Bernabeu looking calm and composed.
Real Madrid are aiming for a 24th Champions League semifinal appearance.
LINE-UPS
Real Madrid
Diego López 41, Michael Essien 15, Raphael Varane 2, Sergio Ramos 4, Fabio Coentrão 5, Sami Khedira 6, Xabi Alonso 14, Ángel Di María 22, Mesut Özil 10, Cristiano Ronaldo 7, Karim Benzema 9
Substitutes
Kaká 8, Álvaro Arbeloa 17, Pepe 3, Gonzalo Higuaín 20, Marcelo 12, Luka Modric 19, Adán 13
Galatasaray
Fernando Muslera 25, Emmanuel Eboué 27, Dany Nounkeu 13, Semih Kaya 26, Albert Riera 11, Hamit Altintop 4, Felipe Melo 10, Wesley Sneijder 14, Selcuk Inan 8, Burak Yilmaz 17, Didier Drogba 12
Substitutes
Gokhan Zan 5, Nordin Amrabat 53, Hakan Balta 22, Sabri Sarioglu 55, Yekta Kurtulus 35, Umut Bulut 19, Eray Iscan 67
Referee: Oddvar Moen
Real Madrid has a fully fit squad.
And there's no absence of youthful local talent in the Galatasaray side, with Burak Yilmaz shining in this season's competition to be current joint-top scorer with eight goals alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
They will surely take their game up a level on a more glamorous stage tonight.
Needless to say Galatasaray are top of the Turkish Super Lig domestically with a four-point lead over arch-rivals Fenerbache, as they come into this game on the back of three consecutive wins.
Svein Oddvar Moen is overseeing proceedings tonight. The Norwegian referee has been quick to reach for his pocket in his last couple of outings in the Champions League.
Day two of the Champions League quarter-finals is here following an exhilarating evening of entertainment last night.
Nine-times winners Real Madrid welcome big-spending Galatasaray to the Bernabeu tonight in what is a foregone conclusion in the eyes of many, but with some big names in the Galatasaray line-up and a second-leg to come in front of an intimidating Istanbul crowd, Jose Mourinho's men know that maximum concentration is required to see them through to the semis.
Xabi Alonso, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria are expected to return for Real Madrid tonight after being rested against Real Zaragoza.
Raphael Varane and Fabio Coentrao have recovered from injuries that forced them out of that game but Iker Casillas remains sidelined with a hand injury.
Galatasaray forward Johann Elmander has travelled with the team following two months out with a foot injury. Engin Baytar and Aydýn Yýlmaz have not made the trip.
Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is hoping his goal-shy team rediscover their goal-scoring form in the first-leg of their Champions League quarter-final in Madrid against Turkish giants Galatasaray.
Cristiano Ronaldo kept up his imperious form with his 43rd goal of the season in Saturday's 1-1 draw away at Real Zaragoza, but the lack of goals from other areas of the pitch concerns Mourinho.
Indeed since the turn of the year, Ronaldo has nearly outscored his team-mates single handedly with 21 goals to their combined 23.
However, Mourinho is particularly concerned about the form of strikers Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain.
Mourinho, though, is determined his side take a lead to Istanbul rather than living on their nerves as they did in the previous round against Manchester United where they drew the first leg in Madrid 1-1.
Mourinho said while some might have felt Galatasaray were one of the easier teams to draw he was not of that opinion.
This is a team used to the Champions League and have two former winners of this competition, (Didier) Drogba and (Wesley) Sneijder and also players who have played for other top clubs.
Both Drogba and Sneijder have played under Mourinho at Chelsea and Inter Milan respectively and Sneijder has said he enjoyed the best time of his career under the Portuguese at Inter Milan.
STAT ATTACK
European Champions League quarter-final first leg
Real Madrid (ESP) vs Galatasaray (TUR)
PROBABLE LINEUPS
Real Madrid Galatasaray
4-2-3-1 4-4-2
HEAD TO HEAD
Real Madrid Galatasaray
Won 60% 40%
MATCH FACTS
Real Madrid are undefeated in 30 of their last 33 matches in the Champions League (including qualifiers).
There have been over 2.5 goals scored in 11 of Real Madrid's last 13 games in the Champions League (including qualifiers).
Real Madrid have scored at least 2 goals in their last 3 matches against Galatasaray in all competitions.
TEAM NEWS
Real Madrid
Raphael Varane and Fabio Coentrao should both recover from knocks to line-up in Madrid's back four having missed the league game at the weekend.
The likes of Alonso, Khedira, Ozil and Di Maria were all rested during the 1-1 draw with Zaragoza and should return to the starting XI.
Alonso and Ramos are one booking away from a suspension.
Galatasaray
Tomas Ujfalusi remains the only long term absentee for the visitors, who are likely to name an unchanged side from the win over Schalke.
Wesley Sneijder played at the weekend despite picking up an injury on international duty and Terim must decide whether to keep him out on the left in a slightly unbalanced formation or play him in a free role.
Dany Nounkeu, Albert Riera, Selcuk Inan, Nourredine Amrabat and the competition's joint top scorer Burak Yilmaz are all one booking away from a suspension.
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