Manchester United was able to secure a vital away goal at the Bernabeu Wednesday. The match between Manchester United and Real Madrid ended in a 1-1 draw, which will ensure an exciting second leg match at Old Trafford. Following the match, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho said Manchester United did not play to win, a statement many have made of Mourinho’s teams when they face Barcelona.
“They came here to defend well,” Mourinho said according to ESPNFC. “They came here to not concede space and goals, and they did not play to win. But they know they have in attack very important players with great potential that out of nothing can create chances and score goals.”
Real Madrid dominated United statistically outshooting United 28 to 13 in total shots and eight to six in shots on goal. Madrid also out possessed United 61 percent to 39 percent. However, at the end of the day, the result of the game is all that matters. And the final result has United manager Sir Alex Ferguson feeling confident about their chances of moving on to the next stage of the Champions League.
“All in all we created a lot of chances in the match and played some good attacking football at times. I’ve got to be pleased, they’ve dug in to take us back to Old Trafford with a chance. We’ve got a big task but its within our grasps,” Ferguson said according to ESPNFC.
Another big storyline with this game was Cristiano Ronaldo facing his old manager and club. Ronaldo was able to make an impact against his former side, scoring a fantastic header to tie the match and give Madrid a chance in the second leg. Despite scoring, Ronaldo said he did not want to celebrate the goal against his former club.
“I did not want to celebrate the goal out of respect, as I played there for six years. I grew up there, and I have a special affection [for Manchester United],” Ronaldo said according to ESPNFC.
If Real Madrid is knocked out of the Champions League at this stage, it will be a major disappointment to add to their disappointing season in La Liga. There are already questions regarding Mourinho’s possible departure after the season. One of the main reasons Mourinho was brought in at Madrid was to win the Champions League and end the clubs drought in the competition. If he fails to win, you have to wonder if an early Champions League exit will be the deciding factor in his departure from the club after the season.
Written By: Eric Stoyanov, Contributing Writer, soccerprose.com
