Real Madrid 4 - 2 AS Monaco
Real Madrid 4-2 Monaco
| Scoring Summary | |
| Real Madrid | AS Monaco |
| Ivan Helguera (51) | Sebastien Squillaci (43) |
| Zinedine Zidane (69) | Fernando Sanchez Morientes (83) |
| Luis Figo (76) | |
| Ronaldo (81) | |
| Match Information |
|
Stadium:
Santiago Bernabeu, Spain
Attendance: 70,000 Match Time: 19:45 UK Official(s): Lobos Michel (Referee) |
| Teams | |
| Real Madrid | AS Monaco |
| 1 Iker Casillas | 30 Flavio Roma |
| 2 Míchel Salgado | 32 Gael Givet |
| 15 Raul Bravo | 27 Julien Rodriguez |
| 33 Alvaro Mejia | 19 Sebastien Squillaci |
| 23 David Beckham | 14 Edouard Cisse |
| 5 Zinedine Zidane | 8 Ludovic Giuly |
| 10 Luis Figo | 7 Lucas Ademar Bernardi |
| 14 Guti | 25 Jerome Rothen |
| 6 Ivan Helguera | 15 Vassilis Zikos |
| 7 Raúl | 3 Patrice Evra |
| 9 Ronaldo | 10 Fernando Sanchez Morientes |
| Substitutes | |
| 25 César | Tony Sylva 29 |
| 8 Borja | Hugo Benjamin Ibarra 4 |
| 22 Francisco Pavón | Hassan El Fakiri 35 |
| 21 Santiago Solari | Jaroslav Plasil 6 |
| 19 Esteban Cambiasso | Dado Prso 9 |
| 34 Torres Belen Juanfran | Emmanuel Adebayor 24 |
| 11 Javier Portillo | Jim Ablancourt 39 |
| Substitutions | |
| Francisco Pavón for Raul Bravo (28) | Jaroslav Plasil for Edouard Cisse (65) |
| Borja for Guti (77) | Hugo Benjamin Ibarra for Gael Givet (83) |
| Santiago Solari for Ronaldo (82) | Hassan El Fakiri for Patrice Evra (89) |
| Yellow Cards | |
| David Beckham (90) | Lucas Ademar Bernardi (40) |
| Sebastien Squillaci (75) | |
| · Club Squads: Real Madrid | AS Monaco | |
Updated: March 24, 2004, 10:36 PM UK
A typical Ronaldo-inspired fightback gave Madrid a foothold in the semi-finals of the Champions League.Ronaldo scored his side's fourth goal and won the penalty that led to his side's third as Real Madrid overturned a 1-0 half-time deficit.
Real Madrid fans and coach Carlos Queiroz no doubt heaved a sigh of relief to see Ronaldo striding out onto the pitch against Monaco.
In the two and a half weeks the Brazilian has been out Madrid have suffered a 3-2 Cup final defeat to Zaragoza and a 4-2 hammering in Bilbao which have seen Queiroz criticised for running his first choice 11 or 12 players into the ground.
Madrid's only changes from Saturday were the return of Raul Bravo for the suspended Roberto Carlos and of course Ronaldo, who replaced Santiago Solari.
Meanwhile, all eyes in the Bernabeu were focused on Monaco striker Fernando Morientes who was loaned to the French side this summer.
Monaco immediately made their intentions clear stringing four men across the back and with midfielders Vassilis Zikos, Lucas Bernardi, Edouard Cisse and Jerome Rothen forming a defensive screen whenever Madrid got the ball.
David Beckham was keen to get into action and almost picked Ronaldo out with two long passes as Madrid got on top.
Raul headed over a Zidane cross on eight minutes and did the same seven minutes later as Beckham curled over a pinpoint free-kick.
It looked as if Ronaldo would break the deadlock on 17 minutes as Figo set Michel Salgado free inside the Monaco penalty area, but the full back's clever ball across goal was cleared as the Brazilian was winding up the finish.
Then Morientes got his chance to shine; first he headed a Ludovic Giuly cross wide to earn ironic applause from the home fans before setting up Giuly, who missed his chance.
The Monaco striker rounded the keeper, but took the ball too wide, allowing Salgado back to clear.
At the other end Flavio Roma tipped a Figo cross away from the onrushing Zidane minutes later.
Ronaldo was then guilty of heading another Figo cross wide when unmarked four yards out.
Zidane hit the post from another Figo cross on 34 minutes and it seemed only a question of time until Madrid got the breakthrough.
As it was Monaco reacted, Giuly beat three Madrid defenders with a run through the middle and Iker Casillas had to be at his best on 41 minutes.
He could do nothing to prevent Madrid taking the lead a minute later.
Once again Giuly sent the ball over and when Madrid failed to clear a bouncing ball, Squillaci flicked the ball over Casillas and into the net.
But six minutes into the second period, Madrid were level.
Roma tipped Raul's header away for a corner which David Beckham took and the ball found the net.
The goal was finally credited to Helguera who was one of several players who challenged for the ball.
That was the signal for Madrid to step up a gear and Roma was at full stretch to deny Ronaldo's powerful left foot volley from outside of the area.
Monaco were now under siege. Beckham fired over when unmarked from 15 yards, and a Zidane fall had the crowd howling for a penalty on 68 minutes.
A minute later Zidane put Madrid ahead.
He passed to Figo and when Roma blocked the winger's shot, Zidane slammed home from close range.
On 75 minutes referee Michel Lubos gave Madrid a penalty and although Ronaldo's fall was theatrical it was a just decision.
Roma saved Figo's initial spot-kick but the Portuguese winger nodded home the rebound.
When Ronaldo slammed a left-foot shot past Roma on 81 minutes it looked all over.
But on 83 minutes Morientes showed what he is capable of with a towering header to throw his side a lifeline for the return leg.
All that was left was for Beckham to earn an injury time booking, which will keep him out of the return leg.
However, he will be available for a possible semi-final against Arsenal or Chelsea.
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
| Chelsea | 1 | |
| Arsenal | 1 | FT |
| Real Madrid | 4 | |
| AS Monaco | 2 | FT |