Sublime skill gives Real the edge

Bayer Leverkusen 1 Real Madrid 2

A sublime piece of finishing from Zinedine Zidane saw Real Madrid clinch a 2-1 half-time lead against Bayer Leverkusen in an enthralling Champions League final at Hampden Park.

Real striker Raul had opened the scoring in the eighth minute after connecting with a lengthy Roberto Carlos throw.

But the Bundesliga side hit back six minutes later when defender Lucio headed home a Bernd Schneider free-kick.

However, despite maintaining a muted presence in the opening 45 minutes, the French star brilliantly volleyed home in the final minute of the period.

Figo’s assertion that the Germans would prove physical emerged as early as the 50th second when Bernd Schneider clattered Roberto Carlos.

But Leverkusen defender Diego Rodolfo Placente was showing some good touches on the offensive down the left flank.

However, Real proved they could use the one-dimensional route as well as fluency when Carlos hurled a throw 50 yards forward.

But, unfortunately for the Spaniards, Raul’s run was interrupted by Boris Zivkovic.

That same throw was to prove deadly in the eighth minute when Raul connected cleanly with the Brazilian’s near 40-yard throw and slid the ball past Hans-Jorg Butt from the left corner of the box.

However, the Bundesliga side were not prepared to allow Real to rest on the lead and a Schneider free-kick two minutes after the goal saw Dominguez Cesar forced into punching clear.

Then, in the 14th minute, Leverkusen turned their spell of pressure into an equaliser.

Claude Makelele caught Ballack late on the left side of the box and Schneider sent over the free-kick.

Lucio saw the opportunity first and nipped to the edge of the six-yard box to glance home with his head.

Ballack almost set Thomas Brdaric clear in the 20th minute but he was adjudged to have fouled Michel Salgado as he raced towards the by-line.

But Real were almost caught napping in the 22nd minute when Brdaric ghosted past Carlos to collect a Lucio pass.

But goalkeeper Cesar did enough to put the Leverkusen man off and palm the ball away from a corner.

Figo was orchestrating the Real midfield and set Raul up for a cross in the 23rd minute.

But there was little support when the striker crossed and Butt held on.

At the other end, Salgado blocked Ballack as Leverkusen earned a corner.

Schneider’s set-piece looked poor but the Real defence still allowed it to drift across the box before Zivkovic instinctively turned in a shot which Cesar did well to hold.

Little had been seen of Zidane until the half hour mark when his mazy run gave him an opportunity to strike, but his effort was blocked.

Salgado was looking distinctly uncomfortable at right-back and Ballack again left him stranded before crossing, but Frenchman Makelele cleared for a corner.

In the 35th minute Ballack looked set to strike but blazed wide with a first-time effort from a Schneider ball to the edge of the area.

But, seven minutes before the break, the German side were forced into a change when the dangerous Brdaric limped off to be replaced by Dimitar Berbatov.

Neuville looked to be in the clear to head home a Schneider ball but was adjudged offside, to save his embarrassment, after completely mistiming his effort.

But, despite his quiet first 45 minutes, Zidane proved his £40million price tag with one sublime piece of skill to give Real the lead again.

Carlos sent a cross from the by-line which hovered for seemingly ages and the Frenchman looked once at goal and once at the incoming ball before blasting into the top-right corner of the net with his left foot.