Real revenge for Leverkusen

Dimitar Berbatov score the third as Bayer Leverkusen beat Real Madrid 3-0.

Bayer Leverkusen gained revenge for their 2002 UEFA Champions League final defeat with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Real Madrid.

Real started as joint favourites for the Champions League, but left Leverkusen bowed by goals from Jacek Krzynowek, Franca and Dimitar Berbatov.

The Spanish side were as poor as the Germans were excellent. Real have changed manager and personnel, but this was another shambolic defensive display, though the midfield provided little help with wave after wave of Leverkusen attacks.

The warning signs were there from the start. In the first minute, left back Diego Placente burst forward, crossed and Paul Freier's header called Iker Casillas into action. Then the sliding Berbatov turned Bernd Schneider's cross on to the Real post.

And though Ronaldo hit the woodwork after a deflection from Michel Salgado's cross favoured him, the pressure was unrelenting. Schneider, neat and precise, played in Franca, who turned Francisco Pavon all too easily only to blaze over.

Krzynowek showed his willingness to shoot from distance. The ferocity of his shot was apparent, and the accuracy soon would be. However, it took a combination of post and the unfortunate Casillas before his 39th-minute shot gave Leverkusen the lead.

Real were rocked. Both Berbatov and Juan could have doubled the lead with headers while Casillas was at full stretch to tip another thunderbolt from Krzynowek over the bar.

Leverkusen kept up their momentum after the interval. Before, Franca was profligate. After a change of ends, the Brazilian redeemed himself with a spectacular strike every bit as sweet as Krzynowek's. Buoyed by his goal, Franca surged down the left wing, crossed and, aided by a deflection off Walter Samuel, Berbatov slid in the third.

The contrast between the teams could not have been starker. Zinedine Zidane, who scored a glorious winner in the 2002 final, limped off now. Only Luis Figo showed the hunger to compete with Leverkusen; his substitution, after the third goal, was an admission of defeat from Real coach Jose Camacho.

And though Raul belatedly stirred himself from his torpor, a comeback would have involved a spirit Real never showed.

Bayer Leverkusen	Team Statistics	Real Madrid
3	Goals	0
1	1st Half Goals	0
7	Shots on Target	2
9	Shots off Target	7
4	Blocked Shots	1
4	Corners	4
20	Fouls	12
1	Offsides	3
1	Yellow Cards	3
0	Red Cards	0
76.7	Passing Success	80.4
54	Tackles	24
59.3	Tackles Success	62.5
45.2	Possession	54.8
51.8	Territorial Advantage	48.2