Manchester City, Ronaldo-less Real Madrid play to dour goalless draw

Champions League top-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo was a frustrated spectator as his Real Madrid side played out a slow-burning 0-0 draw at Manchester City in Tuesday's semi-final first leg.

Injury prevented the Portuguese superstar from adding to his 16-goal tally and in his absence the visitors were unable to convert the handful of chances they created, with a sensational late Joe Hart save to deny Pepe the closest either side came to a goal at the Etihad Stadium.

As an occasion, City's first semi-final appearance in the competition was a let-down, but by preventing Madrid from notching an away goal the Citizens safeguarded their hopes of reaching the final ahead of next week's return leg at the Bernabeu.

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There was concern, though, for Manuel Pellegrini's side in the shape of a first-half injury to Spanish playmaker David Silva, which leaves both him and Madrid counterpart Zinedine Zidane sweating on the fitness of key attackers going into the teams' reunion.

Neither fellow semi-finalists Bayern Munich nor Atletico Madrid, however, were given much to sweat about by the on-pitch fare.