Bundesliga outfit Schalke hammered Inter Milan 5-2 at the San Siro in the first-leg of their UEFA Champions League tie.
The Serie A giants twice took first-half leads but were outclassed by a rampant Schalke side in the second period.
Brazilian striker Edu scored a brace for the visitors while Inter played out the last half an hour with 10 men after Cristian Chivu was sent off.
It was the first time any defending European champion had conceded five goals either home or away.
Inter made a dream start when Dejan Stankovic struck in stunning fashion inside the first minute.
A long ball from Esteban Cambiasso dragged Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer off his line and the shot-stopper momentarily cleared the danger with a diving header.
But Stankovic, with the speed of thought and remarkable execution, volleyed into the empty net from just inside his own attacking half.
Wesley Sneijder had a half chance to double the lead in the eighth minute but he could only head over after Milito used some fancy footwork to free himself down the left.
And the Bundesliga outfit was on level terms after a quarter of an hour thanks to Joel Matip.
Inter failed to clear their lines from a corner and Matip scrambled home the equaliser after Kyriakos Papadopoulos had his header blocked.
Milito then had a penalty shout turned down and Samuel Eto’o had a goal correctly disallowed for offside in quick succession.
But Milito would get the goal to put the Italian giants back in front in the 34th minute.
Sneijder chipped a pass into Cambiasso, who headed back across goal for the unmarked Milito to easily tap in.
Their lead lasted only six minutes however as Schalke opened up the Inter defence to restore parity before the interval.
Edu was played behind but his initial shot was blocked by Andrea Ranocchia and then palmed away by Julio Cesar, but the Brazilian striker followed up to squeeze home at the second attempt.
Inter should have been ahead a minute into the second half when Cambiasso played another pinpoint pass through to Milito.
But despite taking an excellent first touch, the striker put his shot wide in a one-on-one with Neuer.
Instead, it was the visitors who went ahead courtesy of a goal from Raul.
Jefferson Farfan, who will miss the second-leg through suspension, fed the Spaniard through and he made no mistake in beating Cesar.
It was all the visitors from that point on as another swift move led to Jurado cutting a ball across the area, only for Ranocchia to turn the ball into his own net.
Cristian Chivu was given his marching orders in the 62nd minute before Edu completed his brace and the rout with a cracking left-foot strike from outside the area 15 minutes before the end.
Tue 5 April, 2011
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