• Champions League

'Surprised' Giggs jokes about Real Madrid move

Ryan Giggs says it is vital Manchester United scored at the Bernabeu after Danny Welbeck's goal earned them a 1-1 draw against Real Madrid, and he joked that he may have to move to Spain after receiving a warm reception.

The Premier League leaders go into the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on March 5 knowing that a 0-0 draw will be enough to send them through to the quarter-finals.

United had to withstand plenty of pressure from Jose Mourinho's Madrid side but Giggs, who came off the bench to make his 150th appearance in Europe, was pleased with the way they held on.

He told Sky Sports: "There's plenty of positives. It's obviously a good result. We scored the goal - which is always important, getting that away goal - and we defended really well, so we're relatively happy.

"The team that we picked, we had goals in us, and that's what we tried to do, score goals and create chances."

The veteran singled out Welbeck for praise after the England international scored only his second goal of the season for United and troubled Real, whether playing as a left winger in the first half or as a striker in the second.

"He was brilliant all night, Danny," he said. "He was causing them all sorts of problems. He deserved the goal."

Giggs, 39, was applauded on to the pitch by many of the Real supporters when he replaced Shinji Kagawa in the second half, and said he was grateful for the reception.

"It took me by surprise," he said. "It was obviously very good - I'll have to play here more often!"

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