Roma - 0 Real Madrid - 3 Different class. The reigning European champions Real Madrid last night served warning on all pretenders to their throne with an outstanding display at the Olympic Stadium in Rome last night.
Roma might have been a weakened side, without their playmaker and captain, Francesco Totti. Roma too might not have made the best of their chances in a promising period towards the end of the first half. These, however, are details. The reality is that for much of this match Real were simply in a different class. Even by half-time it was all too apparent Italian football's much needed first step down the road of international rehabilitation was not going to take place at the Olympic Stadium.
In the end Real could afford not only to leave Brazilian Ronaldo in Madrid but also to take off Frenchman Zinedine Zidane midway through the second half. In their absence Portuguese ace Figo and Spanish strikers Raul and Guti proved more than able to see off a disappointing Roma.
Real's 40th minute opening goal was a classic of quick-footed counter-attacking and clinical finishing. Following a Roma free-kick on the edge of the Madrid area, Figo broke clear down the right shaking off two tackles on a 50-yard run before passing to Raul. The Spanish international knocked the ball out to the left towards Zidane. He dummied it in favour of Guti. The latter turned Roma defender Christian Panucci before placing an accurate low shot beyond the reach of Roma goalkeeper Francesco Antonioil.
Earlier Real had hinted at what was to come by mesmerizing a pedestrian Roma with a sustained quarter hour of silky smooth possession football but saw the game played largely in Roma's half.
Notwithstanding a spirited secondhalf start by Roma, Real asserted total dominance with two brilliant second-half goals first from Raul and then from Guti. Long before the final whistle many of the Roma fans had already gone home. Those fans who stayed, however, were at least sporting enough to applaud Real off the pitch at the final whistle. One suspects Real will be earning similar applause from fans all over Europe over the next nine months.
ROMA: Antonioli, Panucci, Samuel, Dellas, Cafu, Cufre, Tommasi, Emerson, Candela, Cassano (Delvecchio 74), Montella. Subs Not Used: Pelizzoli, Sartor, Zebina, Bombardini, Guigou, Guardiola. Booked: Montella.
REAL MADRID: Casillas, Salgado, Carlos, Hierro, Zidane (Solari 79), Helguera, Raul, Figo, Guti, Cambiasso, Makelele (McManaman 77). Subs Not Used: Cesar, Morientes, Bravo, Portillo, Pavsn. Booked: Helguera, Hierro. Goals: Guti 40, Raul 56, Guti 75.
Referee: Markus Merk (Kaiserslautern).
