Real slip up against Juventus

Big-spending Real Madrid suffered their first defeat of pre-season after a 2-1 loss to Juventus in the semi-finals of the Peace Cup.

Former Madrid defender Fabio Cannavaro headed Juve into an early lead and although Cristiano Ronaldo slotted home his second penalty in successive games to draw the Spanish giants level, Hasan Salihamidzic's second-half header saw Juve through.

Ciro Ferrara's side will now face Aston Villa in Sunday's final after the English outfit also claimed a 2-1 win in their semi-final, sending Porto tumbling out.

Madrid, who have splashed out more than 200million euros in bringing in seven new signings this summer, came into the game having won two and drawn one of their three pre-season matches to date.

However, Manuel Pellegrini's side soon found themselves on the back foot as Cannavaro, who spent three seasons at the Bernabeu before returning to former club Juve this summer, glanced home Alessandro Del Piero's free-kick after just three minutes.

That sparked an impressive start by the Italian side, who also went close through Amauri, whose low shot drifted just wide of the far post, and the same player was then denied by a last-ditch block by Christoph Metzelder after the Brazilian had intercepted a poor back-pass and rounded Jerzy Dudek.

Madrid also had their opportunities in the opening half-hour, with Guti being denied by Gianluigi Buffon and Raul and Metzelder failing to hit the target from close range.

Ronaldo, who was left looking at the poor state of the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan pitch on more than one occasion during the game, was the man to get Madrid back on level terms though after his side were awarded a penalty six minutes before the break.

The Portuguese international played a ball over the top for Raul, who was sent crashing by a clumsy challenge in the box by Giorgio Chiellini, and the £80million man fired the resulting spot-kick down the middle of the goal as Buffon dived to his left.

That was Ronaldo's second goal for Madrid since his world-record move from Manchester United, having got off the mark with a penalty in Tuesday's 4-2 win over Liga de Quito at the Bernabeu.

It was not enough to inspire a Madrid victory, though, as they conceded another goal from a set-piece just three minutes after half-time, and there was no way back for the Whites after that.

Dudek did well to tip over Mauro German Camoranesi's downward header, but from the following corner by Del Piero, Salihamidzic got in front of Karim Benzema at the near post to glance home what would prove to be the winner.

Madrid had enough opportunities to get back into the game, with Raul hitting the post after Buffon had saved from Ronaldo, and Guti, Raul and Benzema also going close.

But the Spanish side could not find the equaliser, and Juve almost added to their lead in the 80th minute when Tiago struck the foot of the post with an effort from the edge of the box.