Man Utd vs Real Madrid: 5 Key Moments That Defined The Game

3. Diego Lopez: Take Your Pick

You could say that Lopez does not look like he is a calming presence behind Ramos and company, especially after seeing some of his very sketchy handling throughout the match, and particularly the error which nearly led to a Welbeck goal in the first half. However, there can be no doubting his shot stopping ability: he made numerous sensational saves and it must have left United thinking that he could simply not be beaten by their strikeforce. He saved the aforementioned Welbeck effort superbly, closed down a Robin van Persie effort when his side were 2-1 up and made an absolutely incredible parry to a very powerful Nemanja Vidic header at the death. Xabi Alonso came out after the game and told the press and gathered media that he felt Lopez played a massive role in Los Merengues' progression through to the next round and, had the game as a whole not being overshadowed by a questionable refereeing decision, the press may have been raving about Lopez's performance to the same degree they were regarding de Gea's in the first leg.