Madrid,Schalkein semis

LONDON (AP):

Real Madrid and Schalke easily avoided any miraculous comebacks in the Champions League quarter-finals yesterday, following up their massive first-leg victories with more modest wins to advance to the last four.

Schalke beat defending champions Inter Milan 2-1 at home, advancing 7-3 on aggregate following their stunning victory last week in Italy.

Madrid never looked likely to give up their 4-0 advantage over Tottenham from the first leg and a second-half howler from Spurs goalkeeper Huerelho Gomes allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to score the only goal in a 1-0 win for the Spanish club at White Hart Lane.

Arch-rivals

Madrid will face arch-rivals Barcelona in the semi-finals, while Schalke take on Manchester United.

While United are heavily favoured against the German club, the matchup of the two Spanish powers is far more intriguing. It also sets up four 'clasico' matches in 18 days, with Madrid and Barcelona also squaring off in the league and Copa del Rey final.

"Let's see what happens," Madrid coach Jose Mourinho said. "A semi is a semi and anything can happen."

While Inter may have held out faint hope of overturning their deficit, Raul Gonzalez all but snuffed it out when he gave Schalke the lead in the 44th minute, leaving the Italians needing five goals to advance.

While Thiago Motta equalised for Inter in the 49th, Benedikt Hoewedes completed the surprising rout by netting the winner in the 81st as Schalke reached their first Champions League semi-final.

"What can you say, we really won it last week," Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick said. "We defended very well tonight, we allowed maybe two chances. We could have won (bigger) again if you count all the chances."