Real make do with a point as Ronaldo hobbles off

Real Madrid made do with a point in a 1-1 draw at Racing Santander to cement their title credentials but could be without Ronaldo for next week's Champions League tie as the Brazilian star limped off with a thigh injury.

"I won't play on Wednesday. I've got something odd behind the leg," Ronaldo said after going off in the 71st minute.

Real, who rested Spain international Raul on Saturday as he is getting over an ankle knock, will now look to rush him back to ensure they do not face German giants Bayern Munich with a blunted attack having drawn the first leg 1-1 in Munich.

"We can only say it's a muscular problem," Real doctor Alfonso Del Corral told Cadena Ser radio, revealing the player, who went into Saturday'e encounter with 11 goals in his last 12 starts, would have a test on the injury Sunday.

"He will miss the match against Bayern, the one against Zaragoza in the league next weekend and maybe the final of the Spanish Cup against Zaragoza" on March 18, Del Corral said.

Going into the match with an eight-point lead over nearest rivals Valencia, Carlos Queiroz's galacticos could afford to sit back and soak up some early pressure and could even have snatched all three points had Yossi Benayoun not slid in to level smartly just after Santiago Solari's 28th-minute opener.

The point leaves Real on 60 points from 27 games with Valencia on 51 from 26 ahead of their meeting later Saturday with third-placed Deportivo La Coruna.

Midtable Santander from the far north started impressively and gave Real problems down the left flank as two early headers from Javi Guerrero then Benayour just missed the target.

At the other end a David Beckham corner from the left saw Ronaldo receive the ball at his feet through a ruck of players in the sixth minute but the Brazilian was clearly offside as he drove home.

The visitors and title favourites finally stepped up a gear and took the lead in the 28th minute.

Portuguese international Luis Figo motored down the right and found Ronaldo, who played the ball back to mercurial Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, who appeared to be standing offside as Figo made the initial pass.

Zidane quickly played the ball square to Solari, who fired unerringly low past former Manchester United keeper Ricardo.

But within four minutes Racing were level, a Fernando Moran high freekick from the left eluding everyone until Benayour slid in to score from close range in the confusion.

The second half was a largely low-key affair enlivened briefly when Santander had a penalty appeal turned down after Uruguayan Mario Rigueiro appeared to dive in the area.

Real then suffered the loss of Ronaldo and replaced him with Nunez.

Moments later Figo fired in a meaty drive well parried by Ricardo and both sides then elected to settle for what they had.

Elsewhere in early Saturday action, Osasuna missed a chance to move into the top six after a 1-1 home stalemate against Real Sociedad.

Webbo put Osasuna ahead on 15 minutes before former Juventus and Sheffield Wednesday man Darko Kovacevic scored a late leveller.

Celta Vigo, having just bowed by the odd goal in five to Arsenal in the Champions League ten days earlier, were steamrollered 5-1 at home by Espanyol for whom Raul Tamudo was twice on target.