Real Madrid 3 - AC Milan 1

Real Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Iván Helguera, Pavón, Roberto Carlos; Makelele, Flavio Conceiçao; Figo, Raúl (Portillo 89'), Zidane (Solari 87'); Ronaldo (Guti 67'). 4-2-3-1.
Milan: Abbiati; Simic (Nesta 62'), Costacurta, Laursen, Maldini; Seedorf, Redondo (Pirlo 79'), Dalla Bona (Rui Costa 46'), Brocchi; Shevchenko, Rivaldo. 4-4-2.

Goals:
1-0. 12. Raúl. Ran on to Ronaldo pass on left of area to volley past Abbiati.
2-0. 57. Raúl. Took Roberto Carlos pass and turned defenders before shooting..
2-1. 81. Rivaldo. Headed Maldini cross down past Casillas on far post.
3-1. 85. Guti. Following up on goal line after keeper got a hand to Zidane shot.

Group C:
AC Milan............................ 12
Real Madrid....................... 8
Borussia Dortmund.......... 7
Lokomotiv Moscow.......... 1

A Raúl inspired Real Madrid beat AC Milan 3-1 to put a foot and a half in the quarter finals. With their rivals for second spot Borussia Dortmund at home to Lokomotiv, Del Bosque's side had to win this game to be in control of their own destiny, and the manager was lucky to be able to count on Ronaldo and Iván Helguera after they passed late fitness tests. Their opponents were already qualified though as group champions, and although Ancelotti lined up with ex Madrid midfielders Redondo and Seedorf and ex Barcelona forward Rivaldo in the initial line up, he left several of his star players out of the starting eleven.

Raúl though was in a determined mood, and with twelve minutes gone he became the first player to score 40 goals in the Champions League when Ronaldo touched on Roberto Carlos' pass into the open space. Madrid continued to dominate but Abbiati saved well from Raúl and then Ronaldo, and the Italians came back early in the second half after Rui Costa came on for Dalla Bona. It was left to Raúl again to turn the tide, and he made it two with an individualist goal, throwing Laursen and Redondo off with a quick turn before hitting a right foot shot past Abbiati.

Rivaldo headed a goal back from Maldini's cross to give the fans a scare, but with five minutes to go Raúl played a return pass to Zidane who fired in a shot from a wide angle. Abbiati got a hand to it, but could only knock it into the path of substitute Guti who hooked the ball into the empty net to put the game out of Milan's reach. Madrid now need to win in Moscow next week to be sure of second spot, although a draw could be good enough if Dortmund don't win in Milan on the same day. They will however be missing Roberto Carlos, who picked up a third yellow card in the second half.