Auxerre 0 - 1 Real Madrid (Highlights)
(0-1) 81' Di Maria
Real Madrid left it late to secure a win in Auxerre which leaves them on course to qualify for the knock-out stages of the Champions League. Yet all those question marks that have been hanging over Mourinhos men remain as they produced another misfiring performance in the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps. It's a pattern which has plagued Real Madrids showings since the start of the season: largely untroubled at the back, relatively lacking in creativity and in the middle and woefully inaccurate infront of goal. Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain are now officially in the midst of a crisis of confidence, both in desparate need of a goal or two. As for Karim Benzema, it's becoming increasingly clear he simply is not good enough to play for Real Madrid. With those three in dire form, Madrids lack of goal isn't hard to understand.
On the up side, young Angel Di Maria hopped off the bench to slam home a superb late winner and do that funny heart-shape thing with his hands. Good job too, cause no-one else would have scored for love nor money. Still, it's six points from six in the so-called 'group of death' and you have to wonder how efficient this Madrid team will become once Ronaldo and co get their scoring boots on. Not all doom and gloom by any means.