Mourinho and former proteges have the CL edge

Paris, Feb 23 (AFP) Jose Mourinho''s dreams of landing theChampions League for the third time as a coach remained firmlyalive after Real Madrid secured a 1-1 draw away at Frenchbogey team Lyon in their Last 16 first leg clash.

One of Mourinho''s former teams Chelsea - a rarity in thathe couldn''t guide them to Champions League title successunlike at Porto and last year Inter Milan - got a crucial 2-0away win against FC Copenhagen with former Real Madrid strikerNicolas Anelka getting both yesterday.

The win couldn''t have come at a better time for embattledItalian manager Carlo Ancelotti, whose side realistically canonly hope for this as a potential trophy but if successfulwould deliver the one that Russian owner Roman Abramovich hasalways desired more than any other.

Real had victory in their sights when Lyon old boy KarimBenzema came off the bench for the disappointing EmmanuelAdebayor and scored within a minute - Bafitimbi Gomis was tograb an equaliser seven minutes from time to make up formissing an open goal in a first-half the hosts dominated.

However, Mourinho - who is hoping to take Real furtherthan they have in the competition for the past seven years -was left fuming by what he believed was a glaring error fromexperienced German referee Wolfgang Stark.

Cristiano Ronaldo saw a second-half freekick strike thearm of Yoann Gourcuff in the Lyon - who have yet to be beatenby Real in seven encounters - wall.

Mourinho leapt from the bench to complain at Stark''sfailure to award a penalty and he returned to the incident inhis post-match press conference.

"It''s difficult to be a referee and there are errors inmatches that are due to fatigue or slowness to react. Theseare the errors we have to accept," said Mourinho.

"After, there are other errors that you can''t accept.

There was a free-kick and in the slow-motion replay you cansee it clearly.

"I was 50 yards away and I could see it. He (Stark) wasfive yards away with all his assistants and he didn''t. I don''tunderstand.

"It could still be decisive in the tie. I just hope itwon''t be."

His Lyon counterpart Claude Puel regretted his side''sfailure to put away their chances in the first-half as theyseek to at least repeat their semi-final performance lastyear. MORE (AFP) PM