Real Madrid vs AC Milan (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Real Madrid went down to AC Milan in the Champions League group stage at the Bernabeu to leave the two clubs level on 6 points in Group C; a brace from Alexandre Pato and a stunning Andrea Pirlo strike were enough to sink the hosts, who registered goals through Raul and Royston Drenthe.

There wasn’t a lot to choose between the sides in the opening stages as Milan set their stall out effectively to prevent the hosts from cutting through them.

It was the hosts who showed more conviction in their offence and the trio of Kaka, Raul and Karim Benzema combined for the first chance of the evening, which was blocked by the ever capable Alessandro Nesta on four minutes.

Madrid did not have to wait long for their opener though, as Dida’s nightmare soon followed. After saving a tame Granero effort, the ‘keeper bounced the ball off his own knee and into the path of the ever conscious Raul, who netted from a tight angle.

The hosts continued their dominance of the shooting statistics after the break but could not add to their lead; Raul had a chance from Granero’s breakaway but could not trouble Dida.

The hosts were made to pay for their profligacy just after the hour when Andrea Pirlo hit the Bernabeu with a 35-yard sucker punch; he struck the sweetest of efforts inside Casillas’ near post to leave the Spanish capital aghast.

Ambrosini’s speculative punt split Albiol and Pepe and Casillas raced from his goal. He could not get near Pato as the forward rounded him with ease to slot home. The touchpaper had well and truly been lit and the Merengues again had defensive questions to answer.

With 14 minutes to play, they had their equaliser though. Raul’s short corner found Royston Drenthe at the edge of the box and the erstwhile boo-boy elicited cheers with a well-struck shot which beat Dida all ends up.

The sting in the tail for Pellegrini came in the 87th minute; Pato was at least 10 yards from his marker, Marcelo, when Seedorf’s pass was clipped across the area. He made use of his his calm surroundings and held his nerve to pass the ball home right-footed on Casillas’ near post.