Spurs were all but eliminated from the Champions League on Tuesday evening in the Santiago Bernabeau thanks to a horrendous opening 15 minutes that saw them go a goal down and lose Peter Crouch as the striker seemed to forget his brain. Two pathetic attempts at tackles and Crouch received his marching orders leaving the rest of the players a near impossible task. Madrid dominated the match from start to finish, the match ending 4-0 to Madrid (Adebayor x 2, Di Maria and Ronaldo) and few would expect the return leg at White Hart Lane to be anything but a formality for Jose Mourinho’s men.

Elsewhere current kings of Europe Inter Milan were given a sound beating at home by Schalke, the away team scoring 3 goals in the second half to run away with a 5-2 victory that leaves Inter on the brink of a Champions League exit.

Wednesday night saw Chelsea pit their wits against Manchester United – Fernando Torres again looking jaded and a mere shadow of the player we all know him to be. The match finished 0-1 to United with the goal coming from Wayne Rooney (who else?) after some fine work by Ryan Giggs. Chelsea looked to have a strong case for a penalty in the dying moments but the Spanish referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco was unconvinced despite Patrice Evra’s challenge on Ramires looking very much like a clear cut penalty claim.

Champions League favourites Barcelona crushed Shakhtar Donetsk at the Camp Nou with a 5-1 victory that should see them cruise through to the semi finals. Barcelona’s goals coming from Iniesta, Alves, Pique, Keita and Xavi.

Lots of goals in the first leg games but unfortunately most of the ties looking over with the second legs effectively becoming dead rubbers. We’d be very surprised if the semi finals didn’t consist of…

• Real Madrid
• Schalke
• Manchester United
• Barcelona