On the same night a Glaswegian gave Scotland’s Euro 2016 Group D play-off rivals a boost in Tbilisi, how Gordon Strachan could have done with Aiden McGeady’s wizardry against World champions Germany.

Germany 2 Argentina 4

I read The Circle this week, Dave Eggers’ novel about an internet company that has taken over Google, Facebook, Twitter and the rest.

USA 0 Germany 1

WORLD CUP GROUP G:

Nico Rosberg has expressed his shock after a driving event he was involved in left two people in hospital following an accident at the German football team’s training camp in northern Italy.

Schalke 1 Real Madrid 6

Schalke 0 Chelsea 3

Skipper Robbie Keane was missing as the Republic of Ireland attempted to upset the odds by denying Germany World Cup qualification in Cologne.

Germany 3 Austria 0

Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez and Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes have both pulled out of the Germany squad for tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan.

Ireland’s Group C rivals Germany eased past lowly Kazakhstan 3-0 last night without deploying any strikers for the first time in a competitive match under coach Joachim Loew as they stayed top of the group.

Schalke 2 Arsenal 2

Schalke 04 2 Arsenal 2

Schalke captain Benedikt Howedes hopes tomorrow’s Champions League clash with Arsenal will help him forget Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Hoffenheim.

Arsenal 0 Schalke 2

Seamus Coleman has been handed his first competitive start as a much-changed Republic of Ireland attempt to halt Germany's charge towards World Cup qualification tonight.

The Republic of Ireland have suffered a significant injury worry ahead of next Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Germany with the news that Kevin Doyle is considered a major doubt after incurring a thigh injury in training at Wolves.

ONE suspects that if Darron Gibson is still seen as an enemy within at Manchester United after a performance that booked his team a place in the Champions League final, then he really does have no future at Old Trafford.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson made eight changes for this Champions League semi-final against Schalke at Old Trafford tonight.

ALEX FERGUSON admits he still gets envious when he compares Manchester United’s European record to that of the continent’s other heavyweights.

SCHALKE will face Manchester United in the Champions League semi-final after beating Inter Milan for the second time in eight days last night.

Schalke 2 Inter Milan 1 (agg 7-3)

SCHALKE defender Benedikt Howedes is expecting a busy 90 minutes when Inter come to the Arena AufSchalke tonight looking to overturn a 5-2 deficit from the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

A MATCH which began with Inter Milan scoring one of the great Champions League goals ended with their Champions League ambitions all but dead as Schalke twice came from behind in the San Siro to claim a sensational advantage in last night’s quarter-final.

JEFFERSON FARFAN struck twice as Schalke fought back from an early deficit to progress to the quarter-finals of the Champions League at the expense of Valencia last night.

RAUL scored his 71th goal in European competition as Schalke recovered from a goal down to force a draw in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Valencia at the Mestalla last night.

MARK HUGHES hailed Manchester City’s “excellent” night after their 2-0 UEFA Cup victory at Schalke put them into the knockout stages.

MANUEL NEUER was FC Schalke 04’s hero, capping an outstanding performance with two penalty saves as the Bundesliga side won through to the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals at the expense of ten-man FC Porto.

Chelsea recalled Claude Makelele for their Champions League, Group B clash with Schalke in Gelsenkirchen.

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan makes four changes to his side for their Champions League clash with Benfica at the Stadium of Light tonight.

Wayne Bridge makes his first start of the season in Chelsea’s Champions League clash against Schalke at Stamford Bridge.

AFTER a 1-0 defeat which left something of a sour taste in the mouths of the hosts, the Republic of Ireland U-19s will be looking for Bulgaria to do them a favour when they play Germany on Saturday while Sean McCaffrey’s men will be hoping to get their qualification ambitions back on track with victory against Hungary.