Uefa Champions League last 16: Schalke 0-2 Real Madrid - Basel 1-1 Porto - as it happened
Full time: FC Basel 1-1 FC Porto
Full time: Schalke 0-2 Real Madrid
Full time in both of our Champions League knock-out matches tonight. Real Madrid will take a two-goal lead to the Bernabeu after dispatching a spirited Schalke with their 10<sup>th straight European win. Meanwhile, Porto have the upper hand in their tie after they drew 1-1 with Basel, with Danilo's penalty enough or the Portuguese giants.
Well that is all we've got time for on our Champions League coverage for this week but we're back tomorrow will all the news from the Europa League. Until then, goodbye.
Goal: FC Basel 1-1 FC Porto (Danilo)
Controversy in Switzerland as Porto are awarded a penalty after Samuel is adjudged to have intentionally handled a cross while sliding on the pitch. It looks very harsh from Mark Clattenburg but Porto are unperturbed and Danilo steps up and slots into the corner. A deserved equaliser it must be said.
I know I said at the top football really needs football tonight, well it's not exactly been a vintage display from our sport in our two games tonight. Both sides who lead look comfortable with their lead and though Porto are threatening occasionally, Jackson Martinez putting the latest chance onto the roof of the net, our four teams aren't showing too much ambition. Typically low key first legs so far.
Drama in Switzerland. Porto think they have grabbed a critical away goal through Casemiro after some horrible positioning and handling from the goalkeeper Vaclik, but Mark Clattenburg and his assistants have chalked the goal off for offside. The corner from the right is headed goalwards, and such was Vaclik' awkward position he was actually being impeded ans the goal does not stand. That decision coming via those odd officials behind the goal.
Not a classic night of Champions league football but at least we have goals. One each in Switzerland and Germany where Derlis Gonzalez has Basel ahead against Porto and Cristiano Ronaldo's first goal in three games has broken the deadlock for Real Madrid at Schalke. Little else to report it might be said.
Goalscorer Gonzalez, who collided with Fabiano after scoring the opening goal and suffered a head injury, has had to go off in Switzerland is replaced by Davide Calla after just 25 minutes. In Germany, we see the first save of the night as Casillas denies Huntelaar from range with a fine diving stop.
Schalke will definitely be the happier of the two sides after the first quarter of an hour at the Veltins-Arena, holding off the European champions and possessing a threat of their own. A good night to have poacher-extraordinaire Klass Jan Huntelaar in your team. Game made for an instinctive finish from the Dutchman but as yet a chance is yet to fall his way.
So what of tonight's two ties. Well despite being in wretched recent form, Real Madrid represent a daunting task for Schalke tonight, particularly after last season's 9-2 aggregate win for Ancelotti's side. It should be closer tonight however, though Cristiano Ronaldo will be eager to break a run of three games without a goal.
In the other side in Switzerland, we have two of the most unfancied sides left in the competition. Porto might be 2004 winners but they continue to surprise people with their regular appearance in the knock-out stages, while Basel has become the giant-killers of the continent, this time seeing off Liverpool in the group stage on their way to reaching the last 16.
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So the teams for both matches have been confirmed but it would be wrong to proceed without taking a look at the fall out from the events in Paris yesterday evening. Chelsea fans have been widely condemned for their actions which saw them push a black man off a Paris metro train while singing racist songs. Tonight, the club's search for the perpetrators is intensifying.
The backlash has been ferocious. A 17-year-old fan who was on the train claims the man involved was pushed off because he was a Paris Saint Germain fan. Meanwhile the first black player to play for Chelsea, Paul Canoville, has expressed his disdain for the incident. And finally, Home Office statistics have revealed Chelsea have had more supporters arrested for racist chanting than any other Premier League club during a 13-year period.
Teams:
Schalke 04 v Real Madrid
Schalke 04: Wellenreuther; Uchida, Howedes, Matip, Nastasic, Aogo; Neustadter, Hoger, Boateng, Choupo Moting; Huntelaar.
Real Madrid: Casillas, Carvajal, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo, Kroos, Lucas Silva, Isco, Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema
FC Basel v FC Porto
FC Basel: Vaclík, Samuel, Suchý, Safari, Zuffi, F Frei, Elneny, Xhaka, Streller, Gashi, Gonzalez
FC Porto: Fabiano, Danilo, Maicon, Marcano, Alex Sandro, Casemiro, Brahimi, Herrera, Óliver Torres, Martínez, Tello
The Champions League's return continues for the second night of first leg last 16 clashes. Tonight we have the holders Real Madrid travelling to Schalke, managed by two Italians in Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto di Matteo, while in the other tie two unfanced teams Basel and Porto square off for a place in the last eight. One thing is for sure, we are unlikely to experience the unsavory events that occurred in Paris last night. So sit back and let's enjoy some football, my goodness we need it.
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