Real revenge on Bayern

Real revenge on Bayern

Vicente del Bosque's men got off to a flying start on the night with former Arsenal star Anelka racing clear as the Germans appealed for offside to clip Raul's pass high into the stunned Oliver Kahn's net with his right foot.

For a moment, it looked like it was 2-0 on 22 minutes as sharp passing from England international winger Steve McMananaman and Raul gave Morientes an uncontested tap-in from six yards but the linesman's flag cut the celebrations short. The home side suffered what could yet prove to be a telling blow six minutes later when defender Aitor Karanka picked up a dubious booking for a challenge on Bayern winger Paulo Sergio, ruling the 26-year-old out of next Tuesday's second leg.

The second goal came on 33 minutes and it was the stuff of nightmares for the Germans' sweeper Jens Jeremies.

There seemed little danger as Raul played a subtle through-ball into the box for raiding full-back Michel Salgado, but a neat first touch took him around the advancing Kahn and, before he could tap in himself, Jeremies' clumsy attempt to boot the ball clear skidded off his own shin and into the empty net.

Del Bosque lost a second defender for next week's second leg in the sixth minute of the second half when Salgado picked up a needless caution for pulling back Bayern's Bosnian midfielder Hasan Salihamidzic.

The visitors hardly threatened as an attacking force for the first hour of the match, their first opportunity worthy of the name coming on 62 minutes when Sergio crossed deep from the left wing and his fellow Brazilian Giovane Elber headed well over from six yards.

Bayern pressed forward searching for an away goal but, although Real's teenage keeper Iker Casillas was kept busy, there were no real clear-cut scoring opportunities. And their frustrations appeared to boil over with 15 minutes to go when Real's Brazilian full-back Roberto Carlos was cautioned for an off-the-ball trip on Thorsten Fink. Bayern skipper Kahn sprinted 30 yards from his goal to remonstrate with the shaven-headed free-kick specialist and was greeted with a hail of missiles thrown from the stands when he returned to the penalty area. It looked as if it could blow up into an unsavoury incident as Kahn loitered 20-plus yards from goal, watching bottles and who knows what else sail through the Spanish night but thankfully the football resumed quickly.

On 77 minutes, Bayern's Ottmar Hitzfeld opted for substitutions bringing on lanky subs Carsten Jancker and Roque Santa Cruz for Elber and Salihamidzic. Del Bosque responded by removing Anelka and sending on a straight replacement in Elvir Balic.

For all the Germans' reshuffling in attack it was Raul who came closest of all to scoring the first goal of the second period, sending Kahn sprawling to tip over an impudent 80th minute chip from 20 yards and sounding a warning of what could await the Germans if they push too far forward in search of a goal of their own.

Four minutes from time, Bayern should have got the away goal that would have made them favourites to progress to Paris. A right wing corner found defender Thomas Linke completely unmarked eight yards out, but the man whose last minute goal beat Porto in the previous round sent a stooping header flashing across goal and wide.

Real saw off the remaining moments with ease and will fancy their chances of completing the job in Munich. But you have to wonder whether the suspensions of Karanka and Salgado - and the possible return from injury of Bayern's midfield playmaker Stefan Effenberg - will tip the balance in the Germans' favour.