LONDON: Red-hot in front of goal in the Premier League all season, Manchester United striker Robin van Persie was left to rue his misfortune in the Champions League draw with Real Madrid on Wednesday that left the last 16 tie evenly poised.
The Dutch striker has enjoyed a fruitful first campaign after swapping the red of Arsenal for United, his league-leading 19 goals putting the Old Trafford side well on the way to regaining the title.
Van Persie was out of luck, though, in an intriguing first leg at the Bernabeu which ended in a 1-1 draw in the Spanish capital.
United, who led through Danny Welbeck’s header only for former player Cristiano Ronaldo to equalise, were indebted to a series of fine saves from goalkeeper David De Gea.
Van Persie might have swung the tie in United’s favour in the second half, having one fierce shot turned on to the bar by Real keeper Diego Lopez and a scuffed effort cleared off the line by Xabi Alonso soon after.
The Dutchman controlled the ball in the area but miscued his volley and Alonso was able to race back and hook the ball away with Lopez stranded.
“I had three (chances) in the second half, especially the one just after I hit the bar. That was a big chance. I should have put that one in. I just slightly mis-kicked it, didn’t hit it properly,” Van Persie said.
“With a bit of luck it could have gone in but they didn’t and in the dying seconds the keeper made a really good save – I was counting on that one to go in.”
In the frenetic dying minutes, Lopez palmed a van Persie drive around the post.
Van Persie said the 1-1 draw was a “good result”.
“We had a couple of good chances and I think if you’d said we would play out a 1-1 before the game, most of us would take it,” the 29-year-old said.
“Away from home it’s a good result. For the people who watched that game, they’ve seen chances on both sides and I think it was a great game to watch.”
There has been widespread speculation that Real manager Jose Mourinho will move on at the end of the season whether Real win the Champions League or not but elimination at the hands of United and his old rival Alex Ferguson as well as a Cup reverse to Barca could hasten the Portuguese’s exit.
“I am not feeling any pressure,” Mourinho said at a news conference after Wednesday’s showdown at the Bernabeu.
“I do serious work, I give my all and I go home satisfied with what I have done and with my head held high,” added the former Chelsea and Inter Milan manager.
Asked whether his future in Spain depended on the United tie, he said: “I have no idea and I am not concerned.
“Both results in the Cup and the Champions League (first legs) are 1-1 but Real Madrid can score goals and win matches away from home.”
Real will have to defend better from corners if they are to get past United and Mourinho singled out captain Sergio Ramos for criticism after he let Welbeck spin away from him and head into the net for the opening goal.
Ramos, who was lucky to be on the pitch after appearing to strike United defender Jonny Evans with an elbow in the first half, admitted his error.
“I am realistic, he (Welbeck) got the better of me,” the Spain international told reporters.
“We are optimistic about the game at Old Trafford. We will go there with the same mentality, convinced that we can win.
“We know that we have to go there to win, although we know that Manchester are a great rival and we have to respect them.”
In the night’s other last-16 tie, German champions Borussia Dortmund drew 2-2 at Shakhtar Donetsk in a game overshadowed by a horrifying plane crash at the Ukraine city’s airport which killed five fans. (Reuters)