The last time Real and United met (Video)

When Real Madrid were pulled out of the pot in the Champions League draw, there were two teams they could’ve been drawn against – Paris St. Germain and Manchester United. In the end, it was the latter with fans frothing at the prospect of the two European giants going toe-to-toe for 180 minutes.

The two teams have met eight times in recent years, with United only coming away as victors twice. On top of that, the last time played each other, it turned out one of the finest performances in recent history – that of ‘El Fenomeno’ Ronaldo.

In 2003, Real were at the height of their first Galactico era and travelled to Old Trafford as they looked qualify for the next stage of the Champions League. Los Blancos held a 3-1 lead from the first leg at the Bernabeu before travelling to Manchester.

United may’ve secured an impressive 4-3 win, but it wasn’t enough to overcome their Spanish counterparts, who secured their place in the quarter-finals courtesy of a Ronaldo hat-trick. The Brazilian was at his lethal best that evening, leading to the home crowd giving a standing ovation for the former Barcelona and Inter Milan star.

With the two teams coming up against each other for the first time in almost 10 years in February, it will see Cristiano Ronaldo head back to his former stomping ground. Will we see another standing ovation for a brilliant individual performance almost a decade after the first? 

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