OH baby, just look at David De Gea now.
By SHAUN CUSTIS
BECK IN THE GOALS ... Danny Welbeck celebrates scoring for Manchester United in the Bernabeu
The United keeper was described by Alex Ferguson on the eve of this classic encounter as like a little kid who kept wobbling and falling over before learning to walk.
It was an honest assessment of the difficulties the Spanish keeper has had since arriving at Old Trafford for £17.8million in June 2But last night in the Bernabeu, De Gea, 22, took a giant stride forward in his United career.
Back in his home city where he made his name at Atletico Madrid, De Gea was immense as he made a series of superb saves.
In doing so, he helped give United a slender advantage in this last-16 Champions League tie.
They have a vital away goal in the bag courtesy of Danny Welbeck’s 20th-minute header.
But it would be a brave man who would bet against Real scoring at Old Trafford in just under three weeks’ time.
Their equaliser came on the half-hour from, who else, but old-boy Cristiano Ronaldo with a header of his own.
Robin van Persie, who did not have the best of nights, will be cursing that he did not get a second for the visitors on 72 minutes.
First, he smashed in a shot which was turned on to the bar by keeper Diego Lopez.
When the ball came back into the box, the Dutchman found himself all alone 12 yards out. But as his scuffed effort bobbled towards the line, Xabi Alonso whacked it away.
That said, United were relieved to see Ronaldo’s unbelievable, dipping free-kick from 35 yards land on the top of the net rather than under the bar four minutes from the end.
Ferguson omitted Nemanja Vidic from the squad because he has struggled to play two games in succession since returning from a knee operation in December.
But the vastly-improved Jonny Evans did not let United down in his absence.
For Brazilian defender Rafael, however, it was anything but a comfortable evening. He was detailed to mark Ronaldo for what Fergie said would be “the test of his life” and never got to grips with the task.
He was turned inside out by both the Portuguese superstar and German ace Mesut Ozil and Fergie might need a re-think when the teams meet again on March 5 — how lucky we are that we get second helpings of this titanic battle.
The first half was fantastic and United did well not to concede in the early stages.
Impressive Argie wideman Angel Di Maria shot just wide from 20 yards. Then Rio Ferdinand only cleared a cross as far as left-back Fabio Coentrao, whose shot looked to be on the way in until De Gea got the faintest touch to deflect it on to the inside of the post.
Despite all the pressure, United sensationally took the lead.
They won a corner on the left and Wayne Rooney curled in the kick. Welbeck got free of Sergio Ramos, leaned backwards and flicked a header beyond the stranded Lopez.
De Gea was there again to prevent a Real equaliser, getting down to his left to turn away an Ozil shot.
Criticism of De Gea comes largely from the problems he has with high balls and he twice flapped at corners, failing to punch clear.
It was a minor gripe considering how good he was at shot-stopping. But he could not do anything about the Real equaliser.
A cross to the far post by Di Maria was a beauty and Ronaldo got above Patrice Evra, hanging in the air before heading in.
While Ronaldo has supreme skills on the ground, he was always good in aerial combat at United and he has not lost the art.
It was a really open game and Welbeck almost turned in a Van Persie cross.
But then De Gea saved well at his near post from Ozil’s volley after a glorious 60-yard pass from former Liverpool man Alonso.
Ronaldo, as expected, was always a real threat and just after half-time he turned well on the edge of the area only to shoot straight at De Gea.
Di Maria was then inches wide with a 20-yard volley before De Gea carried on his rescue act.
Sami Khedira’s cross picked out the sliding Coentrao and the keeper managed to save with his feet. Unorthodox maybe but highly effective.
Van Persie then missed his double chance to get the second and it probably haunted him all the way back to Manchester.
Ronaldo’s late dipping free-kick was mighty close. And, even then, Van Persie almost had the final word but his angled shot was turned behind by Lopez.
Bring on the return.