Real Madrid 5 APOEL Nicosia 2 (agg 8-2): Ronaldo at the double for Mourinho's men

Nicosia 5-2 on the night to set-up a Champions League semi-final clash with Bayern Munich.

Already leading 3-0 from the first-leg the hosts started brightly but had to wait until the 25th minute to open the scoring as Cristiano Ronaldo tapped home Marcelo's cross at the back post.

Kaka doubled Real's lead with a stunning effort from outside the area nine minutes before half-time, but the goal of the night was arguably scored by Gustavo Manduca as he pulled one back for the visitors after a flowing team move midway through the second-half.

Easy does it: Jose Callejon (left) celebrates scoring with Kaka

MATCH FACTS

Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Varane, Pepe, Marcelo (Callejon 46), Sahin, Granero (Albiol 65), Altintop, Kaka, Ronaldo, Higuain (Di Maria 54).

Subs Not Used: Adan,Benzema,Ozil,Alonso.

Goals: Ronaldo 26, Kaka 36, Ronaldo 75, Callejon 80, Di Maria 84.

Apoel Nicosia: Urko, Poursaitides, Paulo Jorge, Kaka, Boaventura, Morais, Pinto (Satsias 78), Charalambidis, Marcinho, Manduca (Adorno 68), Almeida (Solari 69).

Subs Not Used: Chiotis, Elia, Alexandrou, Helder Sousa.

Booked: Poursaitides.

Goals: Manduca 67,Solari 82 pen.

Att: 50,865

Ref: Gianluca Rocchi (Italy).

Ronaldo soon restored the hosts' two-goal advantage and substitutes Jose Maria Callejon and Angel Di Maria added further goals either side of Esteban Solari's 82nd-minute penalty for the visitors.

Jose Mourinho took the chance to rest some of his established stars as Xabi Alonso, Mesut Ozil and Karim Benzema started on the bench, but the Portuguese coach still named a strong side that had far too much for their Cypriot opponents from the off.

APOEL manager Ivan Jovanovic had claimed before the game that his side "never play with fear" but they certainly appeared nervous early on as two defensive errors nearly handed Madrid the opener within the first four minutes.

Firstly, Gonzalo Higuain could only head William Boaventura's misguided clearance wide before Savvas Poursaitides presented Ronaldo with a great chance but the Portuguese fired straight at Urko Pardo.

Ronaldo did eventually get his 48th goal of the season when he bundled the ball home after Higuain had failed to get a telling touch on Marcelo's cross.

Hamit Altintop fluffed his lines after being played in by Higuain and Kaka saw another effort fly just over - but the Brazilian had been the pick of those on show in the first 45 and he deservedly scored the second goal with a brilliant curling effort which bent just inside Pardo's left-hand post.

On fire: Cristiano Ronaldo continued his scoring streak with another two goals

The former Milan playmaker nearly replicated that effort from Ronaldo's clever pass five minutes before the break but this time saw the ball clip the outside of the post.

To APOEL's credit they took advantage of the hosts sloppiness at the beginning of the second half and gave their travelling hordes of fans a moment to treasure with 23 minutes remaining as a wonderful team move ended with Ailton slipping the ball through to Manduca, who slotted calmly past Iker Casillas to record his fourth Champions League goal of the season.

Consolation: Esteban Solari scores a penalty for APOEL Nicosia

Constantinos Charalambides was denied a spectacular equaliser moments later as Casillas produced a fingertip save to divert his drive behind for a corner but Ronaldo soon put an end to any hopes of a heroic comeback as having gone all season without scoring from a free-kick he made it two in two games with a stunning effort from wide on the left.

Callejon then added a fourth as he cut in from the left to finish low beyond Pardo, but the Cypriots responded again and got their second goal when Solari netted from the spot after Aldo Adorno had been upended by Altintop.

Back to his best? Kaka celebrates scoring for Real Madrid

Chelsea 2 Benfica 1 (3-1 agg): Lampard and Meireles set up Barcelona showdown

Damir Skomina and goalkeeper Petr Cech to thank tonight as they clung on against 10-man Benfica to set up a Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.

Card-crazy Skomina, whose performance in Arsenal's last-16 exit against AC Milan led to a three-match ban for Arsene Wenger, was at it again at Stamford Bridge as the Blues reached the last four for the sixth time in nine seasons.

Frank Lampard opened the scoring after Skomina awarded a hotly-disputed penalty, one of several debatable decisions that included the first-half dismissal of Benfica captain Maxi Pereira.

Blue is the colour: Chelsea will play Barcelona in the semi-finals of the Champions League

MATCH FACTS

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Terry (Cahill 59), Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Kalou, Torres (Drogba 88), Mata (Meireles 79). Subs Not Used: Turnbull, Essien, Ferreira, Sturridge.

Booked: Ivanovic, Ramires, Mikel.

Goals: Lampard 21 pen, Meireles 90.

Benfica: Artur Moraes, Maxi Pereira, Javi Garcia, Emerson, Capdevila, Witsel, Matic, Bruno Cesar (Rodrigo Moreno 72), Aimar, Cardozo (Nelson Oliveira 57), Gaitan (Djalo 61). Subs Not Used: Eduardo, Nolito, Saviola, Andre Almeida.

Sent Off: Maxi Pereira (40).

Booked: Cardozo, Maxi Pereira, Bruno Cesar, Aimar.

Goals: Javi Garcia 85.

Att: 37,264

Ref: Damir Skomina (Slovenia).

The depleted visitors laid siege to the Chelsea goal at times and Javi Garcia set nerves jangling with an 85th-minute equaliser, but substitute Raul Meireles blasted home on the breakaway to seal a barely deserved home win in what was arguably the Blues' worst performance under Roberto Di Matteo.

They gave away the ball so often, it was almost as if they were practising for being without it for the upcoming clash against Barca.

Chelsea have been a bogey team for the European champions down the years, but Pep Guardiola's all-conquering side will hardly be concerned about facing them again on the basis of tonight's performance.

After winning 1-0 in Lisbon last week, the Blues' task looked all more simple after captain Luisao and Jardel were ruled out for the visitors, who were forced to play Javi Garcia and Emerson as makeshift centre-backs.

But despite caretaker manager Di Matteo warning of complacency, Chelsea made the most sluggish of starts and needed desperate blocks from Lampard and John Terry to keep their opponents at bay.

Spot on: Frank Lampard was the match-winner with a penalty in the first half

They finally got going and Joan Capdevila had to put his own body on the line after an eighth-minute corner fell to David Luiz, who had shaken off an ankle injury to start.

Terry vented his fury at more slack Chelsea play as Benfica continued to perform like the side that had caused Manchester United so many problems in the group stage.

But after Oscar Cardozo was booked for going through the back of Luiz, Chelsea were gifted a penalty midway through the half.

Helping hand: Maxi Pereira was dismissed for two silly yellow cards - one for decent

Ashley Cole beat Garcia to a long ball forward and went down after a legal-looking shoulder challenge from the Benfica man, Skomina immediately pointing to the spot and booking Perreira and Bruno Cesar for protesting.

Artur got a hand to Lampard's penalty but could not keep it out.

Pablo Aimar joined Cardozo in the book before the latter almost equalised on the half-hour mark, Terry clearing his half-volley off the line after a superbly-worked free-kick routine.

Commiserations: Maxi Pereira was comforted by former team-mate David Luiz as he left the pitch

Branislav Ivanovic was the latest player cautioned for tripping Nicolas Gaitan, and when Skomina got his yellow card out again for Pereira's foul on John Obi Mikel, a red followed.

Ramires incredibly became the seventh player cautioned before the end of the first half, which finished with Benfica boss Jorge Jesus almost confronting the referee on the pitch.

On the spot: John Terry showed quick thinking in the first half to clear one off the line

The visitors were predictably fired up at the start of the second half and only a superb Petr Cech save from Cardozo's first-time shot kept Chelsea ahead.

It should have been 2-0 in the 50th minute when Ramires somehow let Salomon Kalou's cross run under his foot with an empty net gaping.

Close, but no cigar: Juan Mata had one ruled out for offside, which was the right decision

Emerson got a block on Torres' finish after being bamboozled by the rejuvenated striker, who then flicked a rebound wide after Artur saved from Mata.

Cardozo was withdrawn for Nelson Oliveira, with Terry soon following for Gary Cahill and Gaitan for Yannick Djalo.

Blotch: Terry was forced off in the second half and headed straight down the tunnel

Djalo soon had what looked a goalbound shot blocked behind, while Kalou shot straight at Artur on the break as an increasingly-irate Jesus was ordered to calm down by Skomina.

The Benfica fans, who were ironically chanting the name of UEFA president Michel Platini, were almost silenced when Mata drilled wide.

Battle: Chelsea had to scrap for their lives at times, especially at the end after Javi Garcia's goal

Djalo nodded over after Cesar was replaced by Rodrigo, Kalou fired another shot wide and Oliveira shot straight at Cech.

Mikel was the first player booked in the second half after tripping Rodrigo before Raul Meireles came on for Mata.

Getting the jitters: Javi Garcia gave Benfica a glimmer of hope in the dying minutes

Cech came to the rescue again to tip Djalo's header behind but was completely powerless to prevent a completely unmarked Garcia heading in Aimar's corner.

Benfica poured forward and Oliveira wasted a great chance to dump Chelsea out before Didier Drogba came on for Torres to help see the game out, which Di Matteo's men did in stoppage-time when Meireles ran 40 yards and drilled home, the visitors' bench already on their feet in collective fury.