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Full-time Real Madrid 1-1 Tottenham

  • Engrossing encounter ends all square at the Santiago Bernabeu
  • Raphael Varane inadvertently puts a Serge Aurier cross through his own net under pressure from Harry Kane
  • Cristiano Ronaldo equalises from the penalty spot after Aurier needlessly brings down Toni Kroos
  • Goalkeepers Hugo Lloris and Keylor Navas make a succession of superb second-half saves to preserve the draw
  • Tottenham top Group H ahead of Real Madrid on away goals, with a 1-1 draw between Apoel Nicosia and Borussia Dortmund opening up a six-point gap to third place
  • Gareth Bale denied reunion with his former side due to a lingering calf injury
  • Danny Rose comes on to make his first Spurs appearance for nine months
  • Elsewhere: Maribor 0-7 Liverpool, Manchester City 2-1 Napoli
Cristiano Ronaldo

That is all for this particular blog, thanks for following along and keep your eyes peeled for post-match reaction.

IBTimes UK will be back tomorrow evening to bring you more live Champions League action as Chelsea host Roma and Manchester United travel to Benfica. Celtic also take on Bayern Munich in Bavaria.

Goodbye for now.

Next up for Real Madrid is a home clash with Eibar in La Liga. They travel to Wembley for the return fixture against Tottenham on 1 November.

Spurs are back at the home of English football on Sunday for the small matter of a heavyweight Premier League match against a Liverpool side that put seven past Slovenian champions Maribor tonight.

They also face West Ham United and Manchester United before doing battle with Ronaldo and co again.

A truly fascinating battle ends level after some stellar second-half goalkeeping from Lloris and Navas. Both teams had chances to win tonight and Tottenham will obviously be far happier with a point that could be crucial to their hopes of topping Group H.

Hugo Lloris

Apoel have also held Borussia Dortmund to a 1-1 draw in Cyprus, which means there is now a six-point gap those teams and Tottenham/Real. A top night for Spurs all things considered.

Full-time

Real Madrid 1-1 Tottenham

Some late Spurs pressure comes to nothing and the final whistle sounds.

Real come forward once more but a wretched pass from Vazquez gives young Achraf no chance. Lloris is relieved to see the ball roll out for a goal kick.

Marcelo's shot is deflected wide by Eriksen and Lloris confidently claims Kroos' corner.

Three minutes of added time signalled.

Sissoko goes down with an apparent ankle problem and requires treatment before walking off under his own power. The Frenchman is replaced by Son.

Lucas Vazquez for Isco is Zidane's second change of the evening.

Alderweireld and Vertonghen work together to ensure that Ronaldo is unable to connect with Asensio's cross from the left.

Approaching the final five minutes in Madrid. Is there a late twist to come?

A nervy moment for Tottenham as Kane collides with Casemiro and is harshly penalised. He initially writhes around in pain before getting to his feet.

After more than nine months on the sidelines, Rose makes his long-awaited Tottenham return.

He replaces Llorente, who has worked hard all evening.

Isco lets fly from distance but his right-footed shot takes a nick off Winks on its way through to Lloris.

Sanchez connects with an Aurier cross and diverts his header just wide.

The first change of the evening comes from Zidane. Benzema makes way for Asensio.

Eriksen collects a smart Llorente knockdown and attempts to beat Navas at his near post.

The Costa Rican pushes the ball into the side netting. Tottenham are posing a real threat with just over 15 minutes plus stoppage time of this engrossing contest remaining.

More tremendous goalkeeping in Madrid. This time Navas makes a glorious save to prevent Kane from restoring Tottenham's lead after some impressive one-touch passing involving Llorente.

Harry Kane
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Tottenham are still getting their opportunities to break, but their threat is steadily diminishing despite Real's obvious defensive frailties.

Ronaldo glides past several purple shirts before unleashing a left-footed drive that is parried by the busy Lloris.

Isco's strike takes a big deflection off Sanchez and Lloris has to scramble to keep it from crossing the line.

Dier gives the ball away inside the Tottenham half. Spurs are just beginning to lose their discipline here as Real turn the screw.

You sense the hosts are not far from notching their second goal of the evening.

Navas easily plucks Eriksen's left-wing free-kick out of the air and a clumsy foul from Aurier on Kroos allows Real Madrid some breathing space.

Ronaldo then forces Lloris into an acrobatic one-handed save.

Hugo Lloris

Composed defending from Sanchez to stop Ronaldo's cross from reaching Kroos, who drags a shot wide after Modric powers an effort straight at Dier.

Achraf concedes the corner and Eriksen's latest delivery is headed harmlessly over by Davinson Sanchez.

Ronaldo is caught offside shortly after that incredible stop and quickly gets himself back in possession before lashing a shot over the crossbar.

What. A. Save.

Lloris somehow uses his left foot to keep out a Benzema header from point-blank range. Fine cross from Casemiro.

Superb goalkeeping, but he definitely should have scored.

Varane, who has struggled to contain Kane at times tonight, stays patient and concedes a corner that is promptly cleared.

Winks then remonstrates with the referee after being penalised for a sliding tackle on Modric. He feels he won the ball.

Not long after producing a well-timed sliding challenge to dispossess the confident teenager, Vertonghen pulls back Achraf and is lucky to avoid a booking.

Benzema is just unable to steer a header on target and Ronaldo rushes his shot.

Back underway at the Bernabeu. No personnel changes from Zidane or Pochettino just yet.

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One apiece at the break after Ronaldo's spot-kick cancels out that Varane own goal.

It's been an entertaining contest, one that Tottenham have more than played their part in thus far. They were the better side for a hefty chunk of the middle stages of the opening 45 minutes, with Real starting and finishing the better.

Pochettino will be ruing a needless foul from Aurier, who is impressive on the counter-attack but clearly possesses a reckless streak.

Half-time

Real Madrid 1-1 Tottenham

No mistake from Real Madrid's all-time leading scorer as he sends Tottenham skipper Lloris the wrong way from 12 yards.

All square.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Goal: Real Madrid 1-1 Tottenham (Cristiano Ronaldo)

After an incisive Real passing move, Aurier slides in needlessly on Kroos and concedes the penalty. Ronaldo steps up...

Penalty to Real Madrid

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Lloris denies Marcelo and Alderweireld blocks a hopeful shot from Isco.

Modric then supplies a wonderful ball for Benzema, whose header flashes just wide.

Isco fires a shot at the near post and Lloris is forced to concede the corner. A visibly irate Ronaldo then collects the first yellow card of the evening after clashing with Vertonghen, who earns a free-kick that relieves the pressure.

Things are not going Real's way just at the moment.

A fizzing low shot from Aurier is turned wide by Navas. Tottenham are growing in confidence inside the Bernabeu.

28 minutes on the clock and Spurs take a shock first-half lead over the Champions League holders.

Kane fails to connect properly with a daring flick from an Aurier cross, but that matters little as the ball is accidentally turned into his own net by Varane.

They all count! That is Tottenham's first goal in five competitive meetings against Real Madrid.

Raphael Varane

Goal: Real Madrid 0-1 Tottenham (Raphael Varane OG)

Real overhit a second corner in quick succession and Tottenham race on upfield through Aurier.

Sissoko's ball towards Eriksen is flicked away by Modric and the counter-attack ends with Harry Winks bending a shot high and wide.

Appeals for a Tottenham penalty after Kane beats Ramos and supplies the cross.

Casemiro tackles Llorente, who hits the floor. It looked like the Brazilian midfielder won the ball fairly there and the referee waves play on.

Kane gets a run on Casemiro and meets Eriksen's delivery with a firm header after Ramos concedes the corner.

Navas does just enough to turn the ball behind and Toby Alderweireld's subsequent header lacks direction.

That was a real chance.

Ronaldo does brilliantly to work a bit of space after receiving possession from Benzema and trickles a low shot just wide of the far post.

I think Hugo Lloris probably had that covered.

I should mention that Pochettino has opted to deploy Aurier and Vertonghen as wing-backs in something of a 3-5-2 formation.

However, that duo are being penned back to such an extent that it's more of a flat back five.

Vertonghen brings down Achraf and concedes the free-kick. It's been a difficult opening for the Belgian, who got caught out for that Ronaldo header that cannoned back off the frame of the goal.

Great defending from Sergio Ramos to snuff out the danger posed by Llorente.

Real work their way back into the Tottenham box but Ronaldo loses his footing at a crucial moment.

Plenty of possession for Real as they probe patiently for another opening. Christian Eriksen looks to break but is dispossessed by a fine sliding challenge from Modric.

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Woodwork!

Marcelo's deep cross is turned back inside by Achraf and Ronaldo crashes a powerful header against the post.

Karim Benzema then inexplicably sends the rebound wide when it looked easier to score.

An enormous early let off for Tottenham.

Eric Dier makes an early interception and the offside flag is raised against Ronaldo.

At the other end, Llorente turns Varane all too easily inside the box but hesitates and allows the French centre-back to recover.

Polish referee Szymon Marciniak gets this tie off and running. Real are decked out in their familiar all-white home strips, with Spurs sporting dark purple and vibrant yellow.

The visitors will kick from right to left in this first half.

A minute's silence will be observed before kick-off to pay respect to those who have lost their lives in the recent wildfires that have spread across Galicia and Portugal.

The teams have emerged from the tunnel, the Champions League anthem has been sounded and players have exchanged pre-match pleasantries.

We are almost ready to get underway.

Twitter/@OptaJose

An undeniably impressive setting for tonight's contest...

Santiago Bernabeu Stadium

The last time these two sides met competitively was back in 2011, when Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid romped to a 5-0 aggregate quarter-final win over a Spurs outfit managed by Harry Redknapp and containing both Bale and Modric.

Cristiano Ronaldo notched the only goal of the second leg at White Hart Lane after a 4-0 home win that saw future Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor bag a brace. Peter Crouch was sent off after just 15 minutes of that opening clash.

Emmanuel Adebayor

The quarter-final of the 1984-85 Uefa Cup was the only time they had previously gone toe-to-toe. Real also progressed on that occasion and went onto win the trophy thanks to an own goal from Steve Perryman.

Twitter/@WhoScored

Former Espanyol stalwart Pochettino was also asked about the prospect of one day coaching Real despite Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy's desire to see him sign a new 15-year contract.

He replied: "I always try to be honest. I don't like to lie.

"Sometimes I lie a bit to my wife but not to the media. It's impossible. I could not train Barcelona, for many reasons we shouldn't get deep into. I hope I stay 10-15 years at Tottenham. If Levy wants I would love to sign that contract."

Pochettino was also inevitably quizzed about those Kane rumours in the build-up to this game and expressed hope that the 24-year-old would follow AS Roma icon Francesco Totti's lead and remain a one-club man for his entire career.

Most important is that he's happy at Tottenham and the future who knows where we'll be. He enjoys Tottenham, he comes from the academy, he identifies with the club. Only football knows the future.

For me, he's a player who likes scoring, loves the Tottenham shirt and was excited when he saw Totti's farewell in Rome and that create extra motivation. I hope he stays with us for a long time because has great quality and great pro and a model for many of his teammates.

Discussing prospective future Galactico Kane at his pre-match press conference on Monday, Zidane described the prolific England marksman as being a "complete player".

He's good at everything and he's always thinking about the goal in everything he does.

I don't know what will happen in the future. But in the present, what he is doing has made him a very important player, a key player.

He is a complete player. He did not seem to be one [at first], but in the end, he is.

Twitter/@OptaJoe

There is predictably no shortage of hand-wringing across social media from anxious Tottenham supporters understandably flummoxed by that lineup.

A 4-2-3-1 with Vertonghen at left-back and Kane operating as a number 10 behind Llorente seems the most likely guess at a formation, although that could well be wrong.

A bold and slightly puzzling team selection from Pochettino, who uncharacteristically opts to field two strikers in Kane and Fernando Llorente.

Trippier makes way for Serge Aurier and Moussa Sissoko comes in for the suspended Alli. Heung-Min Son drops to the bench, where he is joined by Rose.

There is no place in the matchday squad for Dembele, however. Four of Tottenham's seven substitutes are defenders.

Navas, Varane, Casemiro, former Spurs favourite Luka Modric and Isco all return for Real at the expense of Casilla, Nacho, Lucas Vazquez, Marcos Llorente and Marco Asensio.

In the absence of Carvajal, who is still sidelined with a viral pericardium infection, Zidane keeps faith in 18-year-old Moroccan prodigy Achraf Hakimi at right-back.

Gareth Bale and Luke Modric
Reuters
Twitter/@SpursOfficial
Twitter/@realmadriden

Tottenham's Danny Rose, who has been out with a knee injury since January, could take a seat on the Tottenham bench this evening after travelling to Madrid and training with his teammates.

Ben Davies has yet to recover from the bout of illness that saw him miss Saturday's 1-0 defeat of Bournemouth, meaning that the versatile Jan Vertonghen could once again feature on the left-hand side of defence. Right-back Kieran Trippier is another option.

Danny Rose
Getty

Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (concussion) and Victor Wanyama (knee) were also left behind, while Dele Alli is set to serve the final game of his three-match Uefa suspension. Mousa Dembele is back in contention having missed the last four outings with an ankle problem.

It remains to be seen exactly when Erik Lamela will return after undergoing operations on both of his hips, although it is perhaps telling that the Argentine was not handed a place in Pochettino's squad for the group stages.

A calf injury has denied Gareth Bale a reunion with his former employers and Zinedine Zidane does not yet know if the Welshman will be fit for the return fixture at Wembley Stadium on 1 November.

Dani Carvajal, Mateo Kovacic and Luca Zidane all remain sidelined for the hosts, while Borja Mayoral and Jesus Vallejo were omitted from the 19-man squad.

Gareth Bale
Getty Images

However, first-choice goalkeeper Keylor Navas has recovered from a groin injury sustained while on international duty with Costa Rica and should reclaim his starting berth from deputy Kiko Casilla.

Luca Zidane's injury means that 17-year-old Moha Ramos has been called up from the second team.

Elsewhere, Casemiro and Raphael Varane are expected to return after being rested for Saturday's narrow Madrid derby win over Getafe.

Good evening and welcome to IBTimes UK's latest live coverage of another hectic week of European football. The Champions League returns to the agenda over the next two nights, with Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Celtic all in action.

However, our focus here is solely on one of the standout fixtures of matchday three - a top of the table Group H clash between holders Real Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Mauricio Pochettino has described such a high-profile meeting with the 12-time champions as a "big opportunity" for his side to show that they are capable of competing at the very top level.

All eyes are sure to be on rumoured Real target Harry Kane as the competition's top scorer seeks to continue his sublime run in front of goal and prove that he is worthy of that rumoured £200m+ price tag.

Harry Kane

The omens are certainly not great for Spurs, who, like Real, saw off Borussia Dortmund and Apoel Nicosia in their opening two fixtures. They have yet to beat tonight's opponents in four previous contests and will be coming up against a team that are unbeaten in their last 29 group games since 2012.

It has been eight years since Los Blancos - Champions League winners in three of the last four seasons - last lost a group game on home turf, a run that includes 21 wins from 23.

Kick-off tonight is at the familiar time of 19.45 BST, so stay tuned for live updates. We will also be bringing you all the latest team news and confirmed lineups as they drop.

This is not one to miss...