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Journalism of Courage
Chelsea manager Avram Grant and his Schalke 04 counterpart Mirko Slomka can sleep a little easier after both their sides reached the Champions League quarter finals.
Grant – who has been under fire for his selection policy at the League Cup final defeat by Spurs which saw The Blues produce an insipid display – was never in trouble yesterday as Chelsea breezed to a 3-0 win over Greek side Olympiakos to win 3-0 on aggregate.
While Grant has not been publicly criticised by his club owner Roman Abramovich – the two are close friends – Slomka has not been so lucky with club president Josef Schnusenberg being his biggest critic.
However, Schalke’s penalty shootout victory over former champions Porto in Oporto – the match ending 1-1 on aggregate after the hosts scored in the dying minutes to ‘win’ the second leg – and making the last eight of the competition for the first time in their history will earn Slomka some breathing space.
However, Schalke apart from heroics by 21-year-old ‘keeper Manuel Neuer, will have earned few new friends as their negativity in extra-time against a 10-man Porto was in stark contrast to the attacking football of the 2004 Champions League winners.
Scoresheet
Real Madrid 1-2 (Agg 2-4) AS Roma
Raul Gonzales (75) Taddei (73)
Mirko Vucinic (90)
Chelsea 3-0 (Agg 3-0) Olympiakos
Michael Ballack (5)
Frank Lampard (25)
Solomon Kalou (49)
Porto 1-0 (Agg 1-1) Schalke
Lisandro Lopez (86)
Schalke won tie 4-1 on penalties
