Manchester United and Atletico Madrid was always expected to be a tight contest and it looked very much like that in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. The hosts had started the game on the front foot and took an early lead through Joao Felix, and had the better of the chances in the first half, as the Red Devils struggled to carve out any good opportunities.
The game got much more cagier in the second half and at times, it looked like Atletico Madrid were satisfied with holding on for a 1-0 win.
That was not to be though as Anthony Elanga would end up equalising for the Red Devils in the 80th minute of the game.
As a result, it leaves the tie wide open, going into the second leg at Old Trafford. It does feel a bit like advantage Manchester United right now though.
Manchester United vs Atletico Madrid: 3 things we learned
Here are three things we learned as Manchester United and Atletico Madrid played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Champions League Round of 16 tie:
The perfect set up for Cristiano Ronaldo?
Another match another blank from Cristiano Ronaldo. This has to be becoming a worry for Manchester United as the Portuguese superstar’s struggles in front of goal continue. He is nowhere near his best at this point of time.
But then, Manchester United will know that they need him to be on top of his game if they are to have a successful campaign.
Over the years, nobody has risen to the occasion like Ronaldo has though. While the first leg might not have gone his way, do not count the Portuguese superstar out ahead of the second leg. He has a penchant for coming up with a big moment and winning games. And there is certainly a game out there to be won.