Real Madrid vs Roma match report: Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez goals seal Champions League quarter-final spot
Real Madrid 2 Roma 0 (aggregate: 4-0)
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Your support makes all the difference.Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 40th goal of the season to send Real Madrid into the quarter-finals of the Champions League here.
There was nothing new about his personal milestone – he has broken the 40-goal barrier in each of the last six seasons – but he may feel there is less chance of it counting for a major trophy this season.
Madrid did not impress for long periods against a wasteful Roma, who had the chances to make more of a contest of a tie that ended 4-0 on aggregate.
But Madrid will be in the draw on 18 March and there is still time for Gareth Bale to find his rhythm again after six weeks out with a calf strain and for James Rodriguez to build on scoring the second of the night.
Bale was impressive in the first hour before being taken off by Zinedine Zidane and it was that substitution which brought the breakthrough, Lucas Vazquez coming on and crossing for Ronaldo to poke home in the 64th minute.
Rodriguez scored the second from a Ronaldo pass as Roma finally gave up the ghost in a game they might have sent in a different direction had they not been so profligate.
The first half belonged to the goalkeepers. Arsenal loanee Wojciech Szczesny saved well from Toni Kroos, got down well to save from Luka Modric and pushed away several Ronaldo shots.
At the other end Keylor Navas was busy for Real Madrid, coming for crosses and watching former Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko’s shot go safely into the side-netting after he had connected with a cross from former Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah.
Salah’s pace was testing Marcelo and Casemiro was struggling to keep possession in his defensive midfield role. Playing him there frees up Kroos but he looked less than comfortable in the first 20 minutes.
Bale was Real Madrid’s best player, pulling into space and shooting just over Szczesny’s bar. He was then played in by his former Tottenham team-mate Modric, who nutmegged Miralem Pjanic before releasing the pass.
Bale’s shot was saved and Real finished the half the stronger but Ronaldo was increasingly frustrated by the lack of end product.
He had to do his best not to rollick Kroos publicly when he made a lung-busting run into the area only for the German to overhit his pass. Ronaldo threw his hands up in the air but then recovered his composure to clap his team-mate.
The Portuguese had seven shots at goal in the first half without beating Szczesny, who started the second half by denying Rodriguez.
With Salah missing another chance and Kosta Manolas and Alessandro Florenzi both forcing fine saves from Navas, Zidane threw on Vazquez, who crossed for Ronaldo to break the deadlock.
Ronaldo’s incredible efficiency in front of goal remains Real’s greatest strength and, with Bale back on the pitch and Rodriguez back in the goals, they will feel their season – as disastrous as it has been in the domestic cup and the league – is not yet over.
Real Madrid: Navas; Danilo, Sergio Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Modric (Jese, 76) Casemiro (Kovacic, 84), Kroos, Bale (Vazquez, 61), Rodriguez, Ronaldo. Substitutes not used: Casilla, Varane, Carvajal, Isco.
Roma: Szczesny; Florenzi, Manolas, Zukanovic, Digne; Pjanic (Vainqueur, h-t), Keita (Maicon, 86), Perotti, Salah, El Shaarawy (Totti, 74), Dzeko. Substitutes not used: De Sanctis, Leandro, Falque, Torosidis.
Referee: S Marciniak (Poland)
A late goal from former Chelsea midfielder André Schürrle was enough to take Wolfsburg through to the last eight of the Champions League for the first time, their 1-0 home victory over Gent cementing a 4-2 aggregate victory.
Schürrle followed up a hat-trick in a Bundesliga win at Hannover last week with a close-range finish at the Volkswagen Arena, touching into an empty net after Julian Draxler pulled the ball back from the byline.
Draxler scored twice in the German side’s 3-2 first leg success three weeks ago and was again the inspiration against an out-of-form Gent.
Schürrle went close in the opening minutes and Max Kruse fired narrowly wide as the hosts dominated, before visiting keeper Matz Sels parried an effort from Joshua Guilavogui.
Danijel Milicevic headed over for the Belgians but Wolfsburg held on to make next week’s quarter-final draw.
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