Ronaldo finds his inspiration to overcome 10-man Bayern

are also aiming to create history in becoming the first to retain the European Cup in the current Champions League format and they justified their favourites status.

Real had been forced to demonstrate their defensive resolve early in the match and the turning point of the game – perhaps also the tie – was Artur Vidal’s missed penalty on the stroke of half-time with Bayern leading 1-0.

Real also had to absorb the second-half loss of Gareth Bale to a hamstring injury and it is unclear whether he will now be available for the return leg. As he walked out of the Allianz Arena with a slight limp, Bale indicated that he had felt only stiffness and was “OK”.

Zidane seemed a little more concerned. “He felt something at halftime and we didn’t want to take a risk,” he said. “Now he is bad; we hope it’s not serious.”

Bayern will certainly be without Martínez next Tuesday but Ancelotti is confident that Robert Lewandowski will be recovered from the shoulder injury that forced him to miss this match in which Bayern took an early hold of possession.

Yet Real were more incisive and created the first chances. Bale demonstrated both his quick thinking and ability to launch a sudden attack with a throw-in by releasing Karim Benzema behind Bayern’s defence. The France striker crossed to tee up Toni Kroos but his shot cannoned out for a corner from which Benzema’s downward header was clawed onto the cross- bar by Manuel Neuer. It was the jolt that Bayern seemed to need.

Franck Ribéry had a powerful volleyed shot deflected wide by Bale and, from Thiago’s corner that followed, Vidal surged into the penalty area and beat Real goalkeeper Keylor Navas with the sheer force of his header. Ribéry then turned to create space and referee Riccardo Di Fiore pointed to the penalty spot when his shot was blocked by Nacho’s arm. Vidal went for power rather than precision and smashed the penalty well over Navas’s goal.

Ronaldo had been anonymous to this point but that all changed within two minutes of the restart. Full-back Dani Carvajal latched on to Casemiro’s pass and sprinted forward to deliver a low cross to the edge of Bayern’s six-yard box. Ronaldo gambled with his near-post run and brilliantly turned the ball past Neuer to equalise.

The momentum had switched and Bale could have put Real into the lead when he met Luka Modric’s cross but headed straight at Neuer.

Bale was replaced by Marco Asensio and soon his team also had a numerical advantage. Martínez was beaten by Ronaldo and reacted rashly despite being booked only 173 seconds earlier by tripping the current holder of the Ballon d’Or.

Di Fiore reached for his second yellow and Bayern were facing more than half an hour with 10 men. They could not hold out. First Ronado forced a brilliant onehanded save by Neuer before then meeting Marcelo’s cross and shooting past the Germany goalkeeper.

Real had chances for a third – notably when Marcelo blazed wide – and Ancelotti was ultimately relieved simply to bereturning to Madrid with some hope. “Maybe Real Madrid could have killed the qualification if they scored another – we are still alive,” he said.