14th March, 2012
Nine-time champions Real Madrid booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals after a 4-1 win over CSKA Moscow at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday gave them a 5-2 aggregate success.
Goals from Gonzalo Higuain, Cristiano Ronaldo and substitute Karim Benzema put Jose Mourinho’s side in control of the tie, with Ronaldo adding a second goal in injury time after Zoran Tosic had replied for the visitors.Madrid’s progress means that Mourinho remains on course to become the first coach to win the tournament with three different sides, after his earlier successes with Porto and Inter Milan.
The Spanish league leaders, who lost to eternal rivals Barcelona in last season’s semi-finals, will discover the identity of their quarter-final opponents in Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland at UEFA headquarters. The ceremony will kick off around noon.
According to UEFA website, the draw will be open, meaning Madrid and Barcelona can be matched against each other, with the ties to be played on 27/28 March and 3/4 April. The semi-final pairings will also be determined and those games take place on 17/18 and 24/25 April. The 2011/12 UEFA Champions League final will be held on Saturday 19 May at the Fußball Arena München, and a draw will determine the ‘home’ team for administrative purposes.