Source: Daily_Mail
Tottenham 0 Real Madrid 1 (agg 0-5): Spurs Euro adventure ends after Gomes gaffe
And so Heurelho Gomes brought Tottenham's first Champions League campaign to a close with a classic example of comedy goalkeeping, straight from the Big Top. Adios Spurs. It has never, not for one minute, been dull.[LNB]Forty-four goals in a dozen games, feeble collapses and epic fight-backs, sometimes in the same match. Controversial dismissals and one almighty hammering at the hands of a team who have won the European Cup more than any other club.[LNB]If there really are such things as UEFA conspiracies then the Swiss bureaucrats should be red-taping Harry Redknapp's team back into their premier competition as quickly as possible.[LNB] Touch of fortune: Ronaldo is congratulated after his shot was fumbled into the net by Gomes[LNB] [LNB] Not even this game, which wasessentially over before it began thanks to Real Madrid's 4-0 lead fromthe first leg, proved to be boring. White Hart Lane was in raucous mood.[LNB]No-one had arrived expecting amiracle and no-one went home disappointed. Except Gomes, that is, whoregressed a couple of years as he let Cristiano Ronaldo's wobbling30-yarder slither from his hands and spin over the line five minutesinto the second half.[LNB]It was a terrible goal to concedebut it is impossible to dispute Real's right to progress into the lastfour and a mouth-watering semi-final with their arch-rivals Barcelona.Jose Mourinho could yet be back at Wembley next month as his talentedteam chase another European title.[LNB]Enlarge [LNB] In Ronaldo they possess one of thegreatest players in world football and a genuine showman. It was greatto see him back. He was, somewhat inevitably, booed on his first returnto England since Manchester United sold him for ?80million. Equallyinevitably, within seconds of the kick-off, he was jerking around onthe floor gripping his leg in pretend pain.[LNB]Booing intensified as he sprang tohis feet and hot-stepped down the wing. Then a spot of ball juggling,followed by a flick with his heel while looking the other way.[LNB]Denied: Bale (centre) finds the back of the net but his strike was ruled out for offside[LNB] [LNB] After his goal, he stood on thetouchline, facing the crowd as a member of Real's coaching staffcrouched before him, tying a lace on one of his purple and green boots.For once, the winger seemed to appreciate the absurdity of the scene.He laughed with the fans, nodded and made an obscene gesture.[LNB]Ronaldo has now scored 72 goals in79 games for Real. Regardless of views on his preening and posturing,this is an astonishing rate, proof of what the Barclays Premier Leagueis missing and a clue to what Gareth Bale must aspire to.[LNB]When Bale started the game with adive, it seemed he had already been scrutinising Ronaldo's style.Ducking in from the touchline and easing away from Sergio Ramos, Balewaited for Xabi Alonso to arrive and fell into the penalty area. He waslucky to avoid a booking. It was a move of desperation and he was notalone. Others tried the same tactic with the same result.[LNB]Moments later came a palatablecomparison as the Wales international pulled the ball out of the skywith exquisite touch. Twelve minutes in and he produced his signaturemove: a sprint from halfway past three purple shirts and a low cross,teased into the goalmouth.[LNB]Real hacked it clear withoutfinesse. Mourinho spun towards his coaching team, opened his eyes wideand blew out his cheeks. The Real manager said before the first legthat he had no intention of signing Bale. If he ever goes back on hisword, this might have been the moment his mind changed.[LNB] When the teams left the pitch at theend, Mourinho stood and waited for Bale, the last Spurs player totrudge in and minus his shirt. As he reached out his hand, the formerChelsea boss offered him the slow nod of approval and whisperedsomething 'special' in his ear. [LNB]Bale is one reason Tottenham can claimthey belong in such exalted company. Another is Luka Modric, who looksbuilt for this stage. Redknapp's team performed with energy andimagination.[LNB]Aaron Lennon, too ill to play inMadrid last week, relished his duel with Alvaro Arbeloa and the chanceto hit back at anyone who questioned his bottle. Lennon's pace servedup the clearest opening of the first half for Roman Pavlyuchenko,preferred up front to Jermain Defoe with Peter Crouch banned.[LNB]Pavlyuchenko swept the chance intothe top tier of the stand not a good omen for a team requiring fiveto win. Bale netted a volley only to see it ruled out for offside.[LNB] Mad about the boyo: Jose Mourinho extends a handshake to potential target Gareth Bale after the final whistle[LNB][LNB]Ricardo Carvalho was booked for afoul on Huddlestone, which rules him out of the first leg of the semiand once they were ahead on the night, Mourinho replaced Ramos andRonaldo, both just one booking away from a ban.[LNB]Emmanuel Adebayor was subdued butReal threatened, mainly through Ronaldo, Marcelo and Mesut Ozil. Gomesmade one marvellous save to paw a Ramos header out of the top corner.[LNB]For Real, four derbies withBarcelona will unfold over 19 days. Saturday's clash in La Liga at theBernabeu is followed by the Copa del Rey final in Valencia and thetwo-legged Champions League semi-final.[LNB]For Spurs, a north London clasicoagainst Arsenal next week. They need to win it if they are seriousabout delivering more nights of European glamour.[LNB] Let's do it again: Harry wants another crack at the Champions League White Hart Lane match zone: Spurs count the cost of Gomes' errorCHAMPIONS LEAGUE LIVE: Tottenham v Real Madrid - the action from White Hart Lane as it happenedNot for sale! Redknapp insists Bale, Modric and co won't be leavingTottenham seeking High Court case over Olympic Stadium decisionAll the latest Tottenham Hotspur news, features and opinion[LNB] Explore more:People: Gareth Bale, Jose Mourinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, Xabi Alonso, Harry Redknapp, Emmanuel Adebayor, Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe, Alvaro Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Peter Crouch, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Luka Modric Places: Barcelona, London, Wales, United Kingdom
