Harry Redknapp and Jose Mourinho
In one of his previous trips to Madrid to see some of the Atletico Madrid players earlier this year, Spurs Manager Harry Redknapp was robbed outside the Estadio Vicente Calderon by a few locals as he left the ground on his way to his hotel.
There must have been a similar feeling in the air with Tottenhams UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu when the Londoners challenge fell apart before a ball was kciked when Aaron Lennon cried off after the warm up, then once the game started Real Madrid scored within four minutes, follwoed by the loss of Peter Crouch after a quarter of an hour.
Often considered a manager with much good fortune over the years, he certainly won't be planning any more weekend breaks in Madrid for a while, as Real Madrid ran his ten men ragged for 75 minutes and will now head to London with a comfortable 4-0 victory in their pockets.
With the Madrid squad asking fans to turn out in force to the Bernabeu to support the the team practically sealed their place in the semifinals when Adebayor met Oezil’s cross to put the first score on the board in the fourth minute.
With Crouch sent off ten minutes later, after a rough tackle on Marcelo, the English side then retreated into their own half with Gareth Bale their only line of attack.
Just past the fifty five minute mark Cristiano put the ball in play from the corner with a short pass to Marcelo, who curled a cross into the box. Adebayor met the ball, headered into the back of the net past Gomes, who did not have a memorable night
Di Maria scored on 71’ with a thundering shot into the top corner from an acute angle to set Madrid closer to the semi finals with Cristiano Ronaldo adding another three minutes from time.
Harry Redknapp, Tottenham manager
"It was a difficult night full stop. We lost Aaron Lennon as the team walked on, he was not well enough to play, then we go down to ten men. You need a miracle to play here with ten men. It was an uphill and impossible task. In the first half we played fantastically with ten men but we ran out of legs. Then Gareth Bale cramped up and we lost [Vedran] Ćorluka, so we ended up with people struggling; it was one of those nights.
We've come back with ten before but for that long here it was impossible. Lennon had not been feeling great all day and he had the look that he was not fit to play. He did not feel he had the strength and energy to run. He felt rough, had a warm-up and then did not feel well. There was nothing we could do. He did not look happy and said he might not last five minutes so it was not worth risking.
It could not be much more difficult than to be 4-0 down to Madrid. It's not over until it's over but we've got a mountain to climb. It's been a great experience so far and there is still a game to come."
José Mourinho, Madrid coach
"At this level it is very difficult for a team to play for so long with ten men. I played Barcelona with ten and you can only defend. They couldn't really do much more. We fully deserved this score but I feel sorry because I know the situation when a team plays with ten and they are unable to play the match they want; it is mission impossible. We are not in the semi-finals yet.
It's very important to have players returning. Injured players and suspensions are important. With suspensions you cannot win cups. Kaká coming back is good because he has good experience of the Champions League and these sort of matches. [Gonzalo] Higuaín is a goalscorer and we need him. Let's see the reaction of Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo, but at the moment it looks like they are fine.
I have complete sympathy for Redknapp. I have experience of playing with ten men in the Champions League. If you have an advantage you defend but when you are losing it is an impossible job. They will try everything in the second leg and will give everything at White Hart Lane. They will fight, that is for sure."
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