Magic Madrid take charge

Real Madrid CF remain on course for a record tenth European crown after a 3-1 victory over Manchester United FC in their UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Santiago Bernabéu. In last night's other first-leg encounter, AFC Ajax and AC Milan drew 0-0 in the Amsterdam ArenA.

Figo curler
In Madrid, United went close in the 12th minute when Ruud van Nistelrooij looped an overhead kick narrowly over the bar but the hosts were ahead just seconds later as Luis Figo opened the scoring with a spectacular strike. Zinedine Zidane nudged the ball into Figo's path on the left of the area and the Portuguese winger curled a right-foot chip over Fabien Barthez and into the far corner.

Raúl on target
The visitors found themselves further behind two minutes shy of the half-hour mark. Paul Scholes gave the ball away just outside the United area and Zidane threaded a ball through to Raúl González, who turned and drilled a low shot past Barthez for his 42nd Champions League goal.

Away goal
Raúl scored his second of the night four minutes after the interval, firing a 20-metre shot low into the right corner after a clever pass to the edge of the area by Figo. But United scored what could prove a vital away goal three minutes later when Van Nistelrooij was on hand to head in from close range after Iker Casillas had parried a Ryan Giggs effort. The goal was the Dutchman's eleventh in this season's competition - a new Champions League record.

Shevchenko goes close
In the goalless match between Ajax and Milan it was the Italian side who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half when Andriy Shevchenko's powerful fifth-minute effort from the corner of the area was well parried by Ajax keeper Bogdan Lobont. Milan then lost Clarence Seedorf, their former Ajax midfield player, who was forced to leave the field midway through the opening period with a knee injury.

Advantage Milan
The second half was a slightly brighter affair, with Rafael van der Vaart only centimetres away from diverting Steven Pienaar's shot into the Milan net in the 60th minute. Milan introduced Rivaldo and Jon Dahl Tomasson in a bid to bring a spark to their forward line but neither team was able to make a breakthrough. However, the Italian side will be the happier of the two ahead of the second leg at the San Siro on 23 April.