Madrid - AFP
1916 GMT: Team news just in - Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic has been left out of the team by Alex Ferguson, who has opted for Jonny Evans to partner Rio Ferdinand at the heart of the United defence for the first leg clash.
Vidic, who has been troubled by a knee injury this season, was not even in the matchday squad.
Teams
Real Madrid:
Diego Lopez, Arbeloa, Sergio Ramos, Varane, Fabio Coentrao, Khedira, Alonso, Di Maria, Ozil, Ronaldo, Benzema.
Subs: Adan, Pepe, Kaka, Carvalho, Essien, Modric, Higuain.
Man Utd:
De Gea, Da Silva, Ferdinand, Evans, Evra, Welbeck, Carrick, Jones, Kagawa, Rooney, van Persie.
Subs: Lindegaard, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Smalling, Hernandez, Cleverley.
Referee: Felix Brych (GER)
WELCOME TO AFP\'S LIVE REPORT on the first leg of the hotly-anticipated last-16 Champions League tie between Real Madrid and Manchester United at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.
The Spanish champions, currently 16 points adrift of La Liga leaders Barcelona, know that success in Europe will define their season as they prepare to come up Alex Ferguson\'s high-flying United side, sitting pretty 12 points ahead of their rivals at the top of the Premier League.
Real boss Jose Mourinho is under intense pressure from the club\'s fans to add to his European triumphs with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010 as he prepares to renew his rivalry with Ferguson that dates back to his time in charge at Chelsea in the Premier League.
Another intriguing twist to the narrative will be the performance of Real\'s star striker Cristiano Ronaldo against his former club United, the first time he will have faced them while playing for the Spanish giants.
Stay with us for all the action as it happens in Madrid -- kick-off is at 1945 GMT.