Real Madrid will decide their fate in the Champions League quarter-finals tonight at the Santiago Bernabeu after earning a goalless draw at Vicente Calderon stadium. Los Blancos have moved into the next round in seven of the eight occasions in which they got that result in the first leg.
The only time in which they failed to qualify dates back to 1990/91 season, when Spartak Moscow knocked Los Merengues out at Chamartin Stadium after bringing a 0-0 draw from Russia in the first leg.
Just like this time against Atletico Madrid, Los Blancos were facing Spartak in the quarter-finals of the European Cup. However, at that time the competition had a different format, since there were only knock-out rounds and no group stage.
Madrid had beaten Danish club Odense in the first round and Austrian side Swarovski Tirol in the last-16 round. The draw determined they would face Spartak Moscow in the quarter-finals. Both teams failed to score in the first leg and everything seemed set for Alfredo di Stefano’s men to earn a ticket for the semi-finals at their stadium, having the support of the Santiago Bernabeu crowd.
It all seemed very straightforward when Emilio Butragueno opened the score for Los Merengues in the ninth minute. However, the Madridistas’ dream turned into a nightmare when Radchenko scored twice and completed the comeback. Shmarov sealed the victory scoring the third and teaching Los Merengues an important lesson they will have to remember next Wednesday when they face Atletico.
