position heading into the return leg onMarch 5, but Ronaldo is unconcernedabout the challenge in front ofJose Mourinho's men."We created but did not

finish off our chances, andthis is wide open for thereturn match."We go there to score

goals and go through.No big deal."We shouldn't change

the plan we have be-cause we always havethe initiative and we willtry to win at Old Trafford."This 1-1 is not perfect but

it's a good result. Bring onthe return leg.”

CRISTIANO Ronaldo scored a stunning header to giveReal Madrid a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu but despite theimportance of the last-16 clash, he declined to celebrateagainst his former employers.The 28-year-old's allegiance is not in question and he

remains confident the Primera Liga side can progress,but he was keen to show Manchester United his respectafter cancelling out Danny Welbeck's goal."I didn't see the replay of my goal but I will. They told

me it was a beautiful goal," he told reporters."I didn't celebrate the goal because Old Trafford is a

home where I played for six years, and I arrived there al-most as a kid.."It's not about not celebrating. I want to win but I re-

spect the people of Manchester. It was beautiful andemotional to play against my family."If I left Madrid for another team one day, I would not

celebrate against Real."An away goal means United have a marginally better

Welbeck, a boyhood United fan, ran to the corner and saluted the away contingent cel-ebrating up in the Gods.A rather more established name than took centre-stage. Ronaldo was fouled by

Jones, allowing him a free-kick opportunity 30 yards out.His kick flew into the wall, and his left-footed follow-up went wide.Just before the half-hour, Ronaldo equalised. Di María’s delivery was excellent, the

ball lifted across towards Ronaldo, who jumped higher than Patrice Evra toscore with a powerful header.

Both sides kept going for it. Rooney and Xabi Alonso went inhard but fairly on each other. A quick touch of the hands con-firmed their respect. Old troubles resurfaced. Rafael panickedand pulled down Özil, earning a booking from Felix Brych.On the hour, De Gea made an astonishing save, albeit un-

conventional keeping out Coentra’s effort with his feet when itseemed easier to use his hands.United were now coming under sustained attack but Ferdi-

nand was superb. gifting They almost scored a second awaygoal. Van Persie’s shot was pushed on to the bar by Diego Lopez.

Van Persie then had a golden opportunity to score but scuffed hisshot. Ryan Giggs, whose arrival was greeted with respectful applauseby the Real fans, then squandered a chance, strangely deciding not to

shoot first time, even though the ball was sitting up nicely for his left foot.He took an extra touch and Real slammed the door.Ronaldo then sent a dipping 40-yard free-kick just over but United could

have won it but Lopez saved from Van Persie. Brych, strangely, did not allowUnited the time to take the corner even though there were a few seconds re-

maining. United voiced their frustrations but departed satisfied. De Gea ensuredthat.

AT the final whistle, Manchester United fans sang loudly about going to Wembley,venue of this year’s Champions League final. There is much work to be done, manymiles to travel, many obstacles to clear, but this was a good night for Sir Alex Fer-guson’s side.If David de Gea continues to keep goal as defiantly, athletically and occasionally

as unorthodoxly as this, United will continue to progress towards Wembley. Fergusonis confident. “It is within our grasp.”As well as De Gea, United enjoyed many positive performances as they showed

no fear in the Bernabéu. Rio Ferdinand, such an experienced, alert defender, madea mockery of his continued England omission for “footballing reasons”. Questionson a postcard to R Hodgson Esq, Wembley, London.Ferdinand read situations well, clearing well time after time, rightly keeping Hodg-

son’s favourite Chris Smalling out of a team 12 points clear in the Premier Leagueand now narrow favourites to pip the team of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Özil, Ángeldi María and Karim Benzema for a place in the quarter-finals.Alongside Ferdinand, Jonny Evans was an able assistant in repelling Real attacks.

Michael Carrick and particularly the dynamic Phil Jones shielded the back four well.Jones remains raw at times but the rich potential, the energy and hunger to win theball back, bodes well for United and England. Rafael recovered from his first-halfmauling by Ronaldo and Özil to enjoy a steadier second half. Before cramp tookcontrol of his legs, Danny Welbeck was outstanding, scoring with a fine header andstriving hard to ensure Ferguson’s tactical game-plan paid off.But it was a slight-framed Spaniard who took the headlines. It would be tempting to suggest that akeeper born in Madrid came of age here on Wednesday night. De Gea is only 22,still developing and will make mistakes in the future, particularly when placed underpressure at corners in the Premier League, yet this was undoubtedly a significantmoment for him.At a time when there is plenty of talk about United looking to recruit Asmir Begovic

from Stoke City, De Gea picked the right moment to remind his critics of his qualities.Early on, he had to endure the barracking of the Ultras Sur, inevitably as a formerAtlético player but he ignored them, focusing on frustrating their players. No blamecan be directed at De Gea over Ronaldo’s goal, a header that carried echoes of hisgoal in the 2008 quarter-final in Rome.Some of De Gea’s saves were routine, some were inspired while others would not

have been found in any goalkeeping manual. He denied Fábio Coentrão early on,stretching out his fingers to steer the shot against a post. He kept out three effortsfrom Di María, one from Ronaldo, two more from Coentrão, including one extraordi-nary stop with his feet, prompting the thought that he was a defender with gloves.He also frustrated Gonzalo Higuaín and Sami Khedira. “He has been improving allseason,’’ said a delighted Ferguson. “There was one save in the first half which hetouched on to the post, a superb save. I’m pleased for him, an Atlético boy playinghere in Madrid, but he has done well.’’ He needs to do well again, and again andagain, gaining the consistency that sets the great keepers like Gianluigi Buffon apart.He needs to do well in the second leg on March 5. Real will counter-attack, hunting

goals through Ronaldo again and the Portuguese would love to score on his returnto a place where he spent six productive years. The respect between Ronaldo andUnited was reflected by the way he kept his goal celebrations to a minimum, by theway Ferguson waited by the tunnel to embrace him at the end, by the way Ronaldowent into the away dressing room to see old friends.Real will need a huge performance from Ronaldo at Old Trafford. It is the game

which could decide Mourinho’s future here. Going out of the Champions League inthe Round of 16, and trailing Barcelona in La Liga, is not a fate Real’s powerbrokerswill accept demurely.He was constantly out of his seat, never able to relax. When United fans began

chanting “sit down Mour-inho”, he respondedwith a regal wave.Mourinho’s radi-cal fashionstatement ofsnood andsuit wasrather likesome ofReal’s de-fending atcorners: it did

not quite work.After 19 minutes,

Wayne Rooneycurled over a cornerand Welbeck timed hislittle run and leap well,exploiting SergioRamos’ lax markingto score with a firmheader.

MANCHESTER UNITED

REAL MADRIDRonaldo ‘30

Welbeck ‘20

11

CHIEF FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENTHENRY WINTER

REAL Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has conceded hewas at fault for Danny Welbeck's goal at the Bernabeuon what the Spain defender said was a "bittersweetnight" against Manchester United.The eagerly-anticipated Champions League last-16

tie is finely poised at 1-1 after a first leg in which Madriddominated possession but United missed numerouschances to take a lead back to Old Trafford for the returnin three weeks' time.The visitors went ahead through Welbeck's 20th-

minute header but Cristiano Ronaldo levelled matters10 minutes later.On the Welbeck goal, captain-for-the-night Ramos

said: "He got the better of me but it was not a corner inthe first place, that is certain. The margin for error in theChampions League is tiny."Madrid boss Jose Mourinho also suggested an indi-

vidual error had cost the nine-time champions, tellingreporters: "If you see it on television you can see whathappened."We train, we organise ourselves, we define each

player's role, look at the videos to get to know our op-ponents' strengths at set pieces, but when you lose in-dividual battles there is no level of organisation that canstop it."Despite the setback, Madrid responded well with

Ronaldo's leveller followed by long spells of domination.But with United goalkeeper David De Gea in wonder-

ful form they could not find a second goal, the formerAtletico Madrid man making stunning stops to denyFabio Coentrao and Sami Khedira, while a trademarkRonaldo free-kick whistled inches over the top.Despite the fact United had even better opportunities

to snatch it - Robin van Persie hitting the bar and seeinga mis-hit volley cleared off the line - Ramos remainsconfident Madrid can win in Manchester and advanceto the quarter-finals."We know that we can win at Old Trafford," he said.

"We dominated and had a great attitude and the resultwould have been different if we were more clinical."We would have liked to go there with another result

but it was not to be."The team had a great match despite having lots of

chances that we couldn't capitalise on. I have a bitter-sweet feeling but that's football. There are days that theygo in and others that they don't."I'll take away with me the great attitude of all our play-

ers. We will go with the same mentality, believing thatwe can win."We realise that we have to go there to win, but we

know that Manchester United are a great team and mustbe respected."When asked if he felt a draw was a fair result, Mour-

inho said: "It doesn't exist. In football, only the resultcounts and nothing else."We could have scored more goals and they would

have been deserved if we had done."Despite being a little out of context with the football

that they played, they also had clear chances and couldhave won."The expectations and excitement are high for the

second leg."

RAMOS: Myfault for theopening goal

BY JAMES HALE

68

RONALDO REVEALS ‘EMOTIONAL’RESPECT FOR UNITED FAMILYBY JAMES YELLEN

DE GEA: Made astring of impressivesaves to keepUnited level

6968UEFA CHAMPIONS

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAST 16 1ST LEG

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2013SPORT SPORTLEAGUE SPECIAL

MATCH FACTS AND STATS 46%

The amount ofpossesionUnited enjoyedat theBernebeau

29 The number ofshots Madrid firedat the United goal 14

The number offouls Madrid committed,United gaveaway four less

35 After his equaliser,the amount ofgoals Ronaldo hasscored this season

Ronaldo: noddedthe equaliser againsthis former club

ON THEIRWAY TOWEMBLEYWelbeck is United’shero as they earnslender advantadgeat the Bernebeau