UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals: Real Madrid Advances With Crown at Stake?

For five consecutive times now, Real Madrid FC will be battling it out at the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, after edging out FC Schalke 04 in a tense competition on March 10.

Schalke seemed like the better team in the first half of the action, making two lead changes happen through Christian Fuchs and ex-Madrid forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, noted UEFA.com.

But Cristiano Ronaldo rallied his team to a 3-5 for an aggregate of 5-4, it added. He produced his 77^th and 78^th goals against Schalke -- to surpass Madrid hero Raul Gonzalez' record at the UEFA.

According to ESPN FC, his goals also put him at odds with Lionel Messi as the Champions League's highest scorer, with 75. Messi can break that tie if he produces a score for Barcelona against Manchester City next week.

Karim Benzema also produced a point eight minutes into the second half.

Ronaldo did his goals at the 25^th and 35^th minutes, while Benzema contributed at the 53^rd minute.

Fuchs and Huntelaar broke into the opponent's defense at 20, and 40 and 84, respectively. Leroy Sané managed a point at 57.

The opponent's first score came with a powerful left-foot strike. Five minutes later, Madrid equalized. Another Ronaldo attempt ten minutes later paid off, only to be equalized by Huntelaar just after an earlier failed attempt.

Benzema contributed 13 minutes later for Madrid, only it was responded to four minutes later. A late 84^th minute goal was made by Huntelaar.

According to the report, the 19-year-old Sané and Huntelaar put up a fight in the last minutes to give a legitimate threat to the other team. To think it was Sané's ninth senior appearance, per ESPN FC.

UEFA.com commented that the losing team was very energetic all throughout the contest -- making an attempt ten minutes into the match and following with Leroy Sane.

BBC.com noted that the possessions were fairly equal, although Schalke led at 52 percent, so it could be right to describe the night as "tense."

For ESPN FC, it was the shocking defeat that needed highlighting for the Champions League titleholders, because they could have easily been dropped in the dying minutes of the match.

It was unfortunate for the German side that they did not manage a score a goal in the last six minutes of the faceoff, the report said, explaining that it was a cliff-hanger ending for the fans.

For the audience, it noted, Ronaldo's records took a backseat as white handkerchiefs waved to signal an atmosphere of displeasure.

The defending champions' defense just wasn't good enough that night, ESPN FC said. It also commented that goalkeeper Iker Casillas was just slacking at the net.

All that gave Huntelaar's team gaping holes and a possible win, the report noted.

According to the same report, Schalke also had its defensive shortcomings, but Madrid just was not in its element.