Allen Hamilton
What: UEFA Champions League Semi-final (first leg)
Who: Schalke vs Manchester United
When: Tuesday 26th April, 2011, at 19:45 UK time
Where: Veltins Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
This Season’s Surprise Package
Schalke are an unlikely side to make the Champions League semi-finals. Starting the season in appalling fashion, the Ruhr giants looked set to be relegated from the Bundesliga at one point. Europe became a welcome break from the constant, unrewarding league grind – but Schalke started to win on their travels, and it was a habit that simply wouldn’t die. Events domestically became no less turbulent as the season progressed as despite climbing to mid-table, Schalke sacked coach Felix Magath, bringing in Ralf Rangnick.
Shocking Inter in the quarter-finals, mainly due to a superb 5-2 win in Italy, the Germans are well and truly this season’s surprise Champions League package. Led by the goals of Champions League all-time top scorer Raul, the prospect of the Spaniard meeting his old side Real Madrid in the final is being uttered on the streets of Germany.
"It’s fun to play alongside a great player like Raul", said Schalke striker Edu. "Despite all the achievements in his career, Raul has kept his feet on the ground."
Schalke might have lost on Saturday, but their eyes are very much on the Champions League, so much so that even the news goalkeeper Manuel Neuer wants to quit the club in the summer will not distract them.
Treble Gone But Double Still Possible
The FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester City ended talk of a treble for Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United almost as soon as it had begun. A dawning realisation that the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League were all within their grasp proved a little too much for the Red Devils, but the side will still fancy their chances of booking a return journey to Wembley by beating Schalke over two legs.
Just as in the quarter-final against Chelsea, United’s fortunes look set to be dictated as much by the old guard as the new. Whilst Javier Hernandez’ impact up front is raved about and Nani’s development lauded, Rio Ferdinand has returned to marshalling a tight defence, Edwin van der Sar belies his years between the sticks, and Ryan Giggs threads balls through holes the size of a needle in opposition defences. This Champions League know-how, of the sort which saw the club lift the trophy in Moscow in 2009, will be a major driver behind any repeat success.
However, to progress United will have to break a hoodoo against German clubs. In four knockout ties the English side have exited to Bayern Munich twice as well as Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen respectively.
Recent form
Schalke:
Schalke 2-1 Inter
(13/04; Champions League)
Werder Bremen 1-1 Schalke
(16/04; Bundesliga)
Schalke 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
(23/04; Bundesliga)
Manchester United:
Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United (16/04; FA Cup)
Newcastle United 0-0 Manchester United (19/04; Premier League)
Manchester United 1-0 Everton (23/04; Premier League)
Key absences
Schalke: Klaas-Jan Huntelaar; Mario Gavranovic; Christian Pander; Peer Kluge; Christoph Moritz; Tim Hoogland
Manchester United: Dimitar Berbatov (doubt); Owen Hargreaves; Darren Fletcher (doubt)
Players to watch
Schalke – Christoph Metzelder: A former Real Madrid defender, Metzelder knows all about big games and pressure. And though the 30-year-old never reached this stage of the Champions League with Los Blancos, his experience of the unremitting expectation that bears down on every player in the Bernabeu make him well equipped to handle this situation. For Schalke, denying Manchester United an away goal is crucial – and that is why a big night from Metzelder is needed.
Manchester United – Ryan Giggs: The Welshman has been simply superb this season and his vision and feel for the big occasion will be greatly needed by United here. Giggs is well aware of what it takes to go all the way and the 37-year-old can boss the midfield in Germany, setting the tempo and creating chances. One of Sir Alex Ferguson’s most trusted players, Giggs can help United grab the away goal they will feel they need.
Match Prediction
Schalke have surprised the whole of Europe by reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League, but if the adventure continued to the final itself then the footballing community would be astounded. The Germans have struggled domestically and even with the evergreen Raul leading the way, there has to be a limit to how long they can arrest domestic disappointments on the continental stage. Manchester United will be a threat here and should leave with a win. Schalke 0-1 Manchester United.
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