Lippi's strategic mastery gives Real cause for concern

There were many admirable performances in the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night but two of the best went largely unnoticed. In differing ways Terje Hauge, the Norwegian referee, and Marcello Lippi, the Juventus coach, contributed handsomely to making the Champions' League semi-final first leg such a compelling contest.

Lippi was initially caught out by the latest of Vicente del Bosque's occasional left-field selections. The Real Madrid coach unexpectedly recalled Fernando Morientes to the holders' attack to provide an unaccustomed twin-striker formation (the unavailable Raul normally plays a deeper role). This followed similar surprises such as playing Nicolas Anelka on the wing against Valencia in the 2000 final, Géremi against Bayern in last year's quarter-final, and Steve McManaman against Manchester United at Old Trafford last month.

Those schemes all worked and when Morientes put Ronaldo through for Real's opener it seemed this one would too. However, Lippi was already running permutations through his strategist's brain. Aware that Lilian Thuram, at right-back, was torn between covering his centre-halves and trying to prevent Roberto Carlos rampaging down his flank, he switched Gianluca Zambrotta with Pavel Nedved. Zambrotta, who had originally started on the left flank, mostly curtailed Roberto Carlos from then on (the Brazilian's goal followed a set-piece).

In time, Luis Figo began to take advantage of his new freedom on Real's right. To counter this Lippi brought on Gianluca Pessotto. Though Figo dumped the Italian on his backside with his first foray, he never went past him again. Pessotto's intense concentration, as Figo tried to twist and turn him in the penalty box, was a lesson to all defenders. Not once did he dive in, each time Figo was forced to retreat and pass backwards.

With Alessandro Birindelli moving to right-back, the change also enabled Lippi to withdraw Mark Iuliano, whose limitations had been thoroughly exposed by Ronaldo, and move Lilian Thuram into the centre. There he showed that the promising Javier Portillo, who had come on for Ronaldo, still has a lot to learn.

One reason Iuliano was substituted was that he was heading for a dismissal. He was the second of five Juventus players cautioned by Hauge, whose calm and unfussy handling underlined the quality of much of the officiating in the Champions' League. He was unobtrusive but firm and dealt well with the late controversy when three players were flagged offside as Roberto Carlos drove in Real's winner. The three were "passive", not being in Gianluigi Buffon's line of sight, and he was right to allow the goal.

Hauge's ability to do this was a result of the Fifa ruling clarifying, in attackers' favour, who is, and is not, "interfering with play". Credit to Sepp Blatter, the Fifa president, and his then football advisor, Michel Platini, for this. However Platini, who was at the Bernabeu, will have been less pleased to see how another initiative has been diluted. Not so long ago Iuliano would have been dismissed for the brutal challenge that precipitated Ronaldo's premature exit, a lunge from behind with no apparent intent to play the ball. Dispensing red cards for such tackles has, however, gone out of fashion.

The booking Iuliano received brought to 31, plus one red, the tally of yellow cards Juventus have received in this season's competition. Real have received 13. Encouraging such behaviour is one element of Lippi's management which cannot be lauded.