Big-spending Real Madrid were knocked out of the Champions League by Lyon on Wednesday and Manchester United spoiled David Beckham’s return to Old Trafford with a 4-0 victory over AC Milan.
Madrid were held 1-1 at home by Lyon leading to their exit, 2-1 on aggregate, and failed to reach the last eight for the sixth season in a row.
Madrid spent 250 million euros (US$340 million) on new players to try and win the trophy for the first time since 2002 and now will have to wait at least one more season.
PHOTO: AFP
“We didn’t score enough goals in the first half to be able to play calmly in the second half,” said Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini.
“We didn’t try to get the second goal collectively, we were making too many individual plays.”
To make matters worse for Madrid, the May 22 final is at their Bernabeu Stadium.
PHOTO: REUTERS
“It was a nice night out,” Lyon coach Claude Puel said. “In the first half Real Madrid posed plenty of problems for us ... In the second half we deserved to qualify.”
It all looked hopeful for Madrid when they wiped out Lyon’s 1-0 first-leg lead within six minutes of the kickoff.
A pass by Guti released Cristiano Ronaldo down the left who an angled shot through the legs of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
It should have been 2-0 in the 26th when Gonzalo Higuain got clear and rounded the goalkeeper but fired against the post.
Jean II Makoun squandered a rare chance for the visitors when a cross found him unmarked in front of goal but he miskicked the ball from 10m out.
Sidney Govou missed a similar chance early in the second half but Miralem Pjanic made it 1-1 in the 75th minute when he got clear down the left and fired home.
In Manchester, two goals by Wayne Rooney helped Man United triumph 7-2 overall against AC Milan.
Rooney scored United’s first two and Park Ji-sung and Darren Fletcher added two more to send United into the last eight.
“When we play at that tempo, we’re difficult to play against and it was a really solid performance,’’ said United manager Alex Ferguson.
“With that kind of team I’ve got it doesn’t matter who we play.”
Ferguson expected to see Madrid in the draw for the last eight.
“I was surprised at Real Madrid’s result tonight, particularly with them winning 1-0 at half-time. European football is very tough now. The last few years English clubs have done very well and I think they will be there again,” he said.
It was 3-0 by the time Beckham went on as a substitute to a big ovation from the United fans but he could do little to stop AC Milan going out of the competition.
“It was nice to be back and obviously a disappointing night,” Beckham said. “When you don’t start in a game it’s one of those things when you always want to play. But it was an unbelievable reception and I have to say thank you.”
Beckham earned his most rousing applause as he left the pitch simply for wearing a green and gold scarf that symbolizes the protest by Manchester United fans against the club’s American owners.
United fans are trying to force the Glazer family into selling the club, which has debts of around US$1.1 billion. As part of that push, the protesters are encouraging fans to wear the scarves.
Beckham picked up a scarf from the pitch as he walked off.
“I saw the scarf there. I put it round my neck,” Beckham said. “It’s nothing to do with me the way everything is run, that’s to do with other people, but I’m a Manchester United fan and I support the team.”
“Obviously, you hear it week in and week out about the protests. There’s always protests going on. Let’s hope it gets sorted out,” he said.
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