Zidane the inspiration as Real pull away

Real Madrid 4 Monaco

Ivan Helguera, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Ronaldo scored second-half goals here last night as Real Madrid fought back to beat Monaco 4-2 in a pulsating Champions' League quarter-final first leg.

Ivan Helguera, Zinedine Zidane, Luis Figo and Ronaldo scored second-half goals here last night as Real Madrid fought back to beat Monaco 4-2 in a pulsating Champions' League quarter-final first leg.

The Monaco defender Sebastien Squillaci opened the scoring and his team-mate Fernando Morientes, on loan at the club from Real, added the last goal of the night to give the French team a faint hope of turning the tables in the second leg on 6 April. The winner will face either Arsenal or Chelsea.

Madrid, who had Ronaldo playing his first game since pulling a thigh muscle early in the month, recovered from a poor start to gain their first victory in four matches.

Carlos Queiroz's team, who were without the suspended Brazilian left-back Roberto Carlos, lacked fluidity before half-time and were repeatedly beaten to the ball by Didier Deschamps' hungrier-looking side.

Monaco gave a hint of their threat in the 19th minute when Morientes headed to Ludovic Giuly. The midfielder turned his shot past Iker Casillas and it required a desperate clearance by the right-back Michel Salgado to keep Madrid level.

Madrid, whose striker Raul was playing a record 86th Champions' League match, then briefly gained the ascendancy. However, Ronaldo, when unmarked, headed wide from Luis Figo's right-wing cross.

Monaco regained control again with Giuly bursting through the Madrid defence in the 42nd minute only for Casillas to parry the goalbound shot. Madrid's relief was short-lived as Monaco took the lead from the corner. The Argentinian midfielder Lucas Bernardi sent the ball across goal and Squillaci evaded a lunge by Alvaro Mejia before turning the ball past Casillas.

Madrid came out for the second half in much better shape and took only six minutes to level when David Beckham's corner landed in a cluster of players and rebounded off Helguera's back and over the line. The home side took the lead in the 70th minute when Zidane fired past Flavio Roma after the Monaco goalkeeper had parried Figo's volley. Their third goal arrived seven minutes later when Ronaldo was brought down by Squillaci in the area. Roma blocked Figo's spot-kick but he headed home the rebound.

Ronaldo grabbed Madrid's fourth goal in the 81st minute when he shot past Roma after taking a pass from Zidane.

The goal rush continued two minutes later when Morientes headed home a cross from the left. The Spaniard pointed upward after scoring as a mark of respect to the victims of the recent Madrid train bombings.

Beckham, who was shown a yellow card in injury time, will miss the second leg because of the infraction.