LIAM MACKEY: Finely poised ahead of Ronaldo’s return

Given the feverish intensity of the media build-up to last night in the Santiago Bernabeu, it would have taken something of the order of Brazil beating Italy in the 1970 World Cup final for this match to have fully lived up to its extravagant billing.

But, if hardly one for the ages, Real Madrid and Manchester United are to be commended for serving up an open, engaging game of football that, especially in a pulsating first half, had little of the caginess one might expect when two heavyweights clash and the fear of shipping the killer punch outweighs the determination to land it.

Of course, the longer the game went on, the more that consideration came into play because, as Jose Mourihno and Alex Ferguson needed no reminding, this was, after all, only the first leg of a round of 16 tie, even if Sky Sports — with their images of the United squad out taking a stroll in the Madrid sunshine broadcast live as early as midday — seemed intent on bringing us back to those long ago days when the dear old FA Cup final was an all-day event.