Real Madrid 0 Manchester United 0

After 144 group matches and qualifying rounds that started last July the knockout stage of the Champions League started with holders Manchester United earning a draw at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

This even game saw United become the likelier winners as time passed with Real failing to beat goalkeeper Mark Bosnich when they did manage to gain ascendency in the tie.

Bosnich was equal to a fierce free kick from Roberto Carlos in the opening seconds of the second half and a 72nd minute shot from Savio but the game failed to deliver on the attacking promise of the first 45 minutes and the match petered out to a scoreless well tempered draw.

The sides cancelled each other out and Real failed to take their home advantage and and turn it into goals.

David Beckham failed to shine in the first session. He was faced with runs from Savio and Roberto Carlos down the Real left flank and the Brazilian pair had all the time they needed to control the play on that side of the pitch.

The twin wide threats in the Real team pattern of McManaman on the right and Savio on the left came close to dominating the early stages of this match.

Excellent saves by Mark Bosnich kept United in the game during the first half.

In the eighth minute Savio fed Steve McManaman with a clipped cross to the far post and the former Liverpool star forced a good save from Bosnich with a sharp header.

Raul ran in from the right in the 20th minute and fired a high shot which the Australian international palmed over and four minutes later Fernando Morientes also saw a snap shot saved when he turned on a cross from McManaman.

Only seconds later United wasted their best chance of the night.

David Beckham hit a near post corner allowing Jaap Stam to head across goal for Andy Cole to follow in on goal. Cole skied the chance from under the cross bar when he hit the ball with the top of his head. Dwight Yorke scored in the 45th minute after Paul Scholes had a low drive fumbled by the 18 year old goalkeeper Casillas which Yorke smacked into the net. The effort was ruled out for offside.

Cole edged the top of the bar with a drive in the 44th minute when Giggs found him in space with a low cross after a hard tackle from Roy Keane had won the ball in midfield.

The power down the left side of Real saw two good shots from Carlos in the space of one minute on the half hour but the Brazilian wasted free kick chances and other shooting opportunities with inaccurate play.