Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen fought out an exciting 1-1 draw to leave qualification from Champions League group B still up in the air for both sides here Tuesday.
Bayer’s Bulgarian international Dimitar Berbatov tormented Real just as he had done in their first encounter in Germany two months ago and put the visitors ahead after 36 minutes.
Real club captain Raul then gave the nine-times European champions a deserved share of the points 20 minutes before the whistle to take him on to 49 Champions League goals and a share of the all-time record with former Real legend Alfredo Di Stefano.
The Spaniards were clearly the better side in the second half and could have secured their qualification 10 minutes from time after Zinedine Zidane was brought down in the area by Bayer defender Juan.
However, the fall was more of a dive and justice was done when Bayer goalkeeper Jorg Butt palmed away Luis Figo’s penalty.
Bayer waited patiently for their chances during the first 45 minutes and had two efforts by Jacek Krzynowek go respectably close before Berbatov found the net for the third time in the season’s Champions League campaign.
Ukrainian striker Andrej Voronin put the ball on the cross bar only for Ivan Helguera to head the rebound stright to the feet of Berbatov, who didn’t fail from close range.
Real could have equalised shortly after the break but David Beckham missed a sitter and was then taken off after 54 minutes to be replaced by Fernando Morientes.
The pressure will rise on Real coach Mariano Garcia Remon to drop Beckham for Sunday’s league game against Levante after another poor outing by the England captain.
It was Beckham’s fourth dismal display since returning to action 10 days ago after a six weeks absence due to two broken ribs in England’s World Cup qualifier against Wales last month.
Noticeably, Real were a better side without Beckham and they seemed to move up a gear.
Raul’s goal came after a neat one-two with Figo, which caught the Bayer defenders napping.
Seven minutes after Raul entered the Real record books, Ronaldo also hit the post to reinforce the impression that the home side were going to snatch three points but Bayer held on thanks to Butt’s heroics.
The match was the first in the Santiago Bernabeu since last Wednesday’s notorious international between Spain and England, sadly only remarkable for the racist abuse heaped upon the black England players.
Tuesday night saw stewards clampdown on the neo-Nazi banners that Real’s Ultra Sur hooligan element have often displayed in the past when German teams have been visitors.
However, monkey-like grunts were still often audible when Bayer’s two black Brazilian defenders Roque Junior and Juan touched the ball to show that little has been learnt by some sections of the Real spectators.
Another negative note for Bayer, in addition to being unable to convert their first half superiority into more than one point was that their Argentine defender Diego Placente was booked.
Placente will now miss the vital decider at home to Dynamo Kiev in two weeks time. – Sapa-AFP