The first two quarter final first legs took place as Apoel Nicosia hosted Real Madrid and Chelsea visited Benfica. There was no surprise to see Real Madrid take an advantage back to the Bernabeu but all credit to Apoel as it took 73-minutes before Karim Benzema finally broke the Cypriot hearts. Kaka then added a second nine minutes from time before Benzema added his second in the final minute of normal time. It looks very likely that Jose Mourinho's side have booked their place in the last four.
Chelsea will also take an advantage back home with them, although it's much tighter than Madrid's. The only goal of the game came with 16-minutes remaining, Salomon Kalou scoring a vital away goal for the English side. Chelsea could have potentially one foot in the semis but the job is definitely not complete just yet.
Back in England, there was the matter of two FA Cup quarter finals to be settled. Everton travelled to Sunderland to contest their replay with Tottenham once again hosting Bolton in the rearranged tie. Everton were very much the better team throughout the match with Martin O'Neill's men falling short in their defensive and creative capacities. Nikica Jelavic made it three goals in five starts, tapping home a Magaye Gueye low cross after 23-minutes. Substitute David Vaughan failed to clear a ball and as he trapped it with his attempted clearance, his trailing came through and somehow managed to put the ball into his own net to set up the Merseyside derby in the semis just 11-minutes into the second half.
It was an emotional White Hart Lane as Bolton returned to contest the quarter final after that shocking Fabrice Muamba collapse. Unfortunately, the heart didn't rule over the football and Tottenham took the lead 17-minutes from time, Ryan Nelsen heading a corner home for his first Spurs goal. Gareth Bale then made it 2-0, slotting a one-on-one past Adam Bogdan just three minutes later. Kevin Davies did pull a goal back for Bolton in the final minute of normal time, but any hopes of a miracle comeback were dashed when Louis Saha made it 3-1 in injury time. Tottenham now set up a London derby against Chelsea at Wembley.
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