Fernando Torres finally found some form to help Chelsea to a comfortable 3-1 win over Rubin Kazan in the first leg of the Europa League quarterfinals, while Tottenham fought back from two goals down to hold Basel at White Hart Lane.
Newcastle have it all to do to qualify for the semifinals, after they suffered at the hands of Benfica, going down 3-1 in the first leg, while Fenerbahce put in an impressive performance to blank Lazio 2-0.
At Stamford Bridge, Torres was the star of the night, bagging a brace in a 3-1 win. The much-maligned Spaniard prodded home from close range, while on the floor, to open the scoring just past the 15-minute mark, before Victor Moses made it 2-0 with a brilliant half-volley in the 32nd minute.
However, Rubin got a precious away goal nine minutes later when referee Gianluca Rocchi pointed to the spot for a harsh handball on skipper John Terry. Bebars Natcho stepped up, and calmly slotted it in, sending goalkeeper Petr Cech the wrong way.
Chelsea, though, grabbed the stranglehold in the tie with Torres heading home his second on 70 minutes.
At White Hart Lane, Spurs had to stage a dramatic fightback to eke out a 2-2 draw against Basel in the first leg, but the result was tempered by an injury to their talisman Gareth Bale, who had to be stretchered off late in the game with an ankle injury.
Valentin Stocker and Fabian Frei gave the Swiss side a shock 2-0 lead, before Emmanuel Adebayor, in the 40th minute, and Gylfi Sigurdsson, just before the hour, gave Spurs hope going into the second leg next week.
At the Stadium of Light, Newcastle got off to the best possible start with Papiss Cisse scoring from six yards out off a cross from Moussa Sissoko. The scores were level on 25 minutes, when Rodrigo reacted to a rebound quickest to slot home.
The goal gave Benfica confidence, and after putting Newcastle under pressure, they found a way through with two goals in six minutes via Rodrigo Lima in the 65th minute and an Oscar Cardozo penalty in the 71st.
Lazio, who had to play with ten men for much of the second half following Ogenyi Onazi's dismissal, have it all to do at their home ground, after seeing Pierre Webo and former Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt score in the final ten minutes to hand Turkish side Fenerbahce the advantage.
