The best pictures from Wednesday's Champions League action

Manchester United faced a difficult challenge in Moscow - not only in terms of their opponents, CSKA, but also the artifical pitch at the Luzhniki Stadium Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

Milo Krasic of CSKA vies with Nemanja Vidic of Manchester United Photograph: Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images

Chidi Odiah towers over Nani Photograph: Yuri Kochetkov/EPA

The Luzhniki Stadium is familiar territory for United - it is the ground in which they won the Champions League two years ago - but this time the atmosphere is more hostile Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

Nani shields the ball from Milo Krasic Photograph: Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images

Dimitar Berbatov takes a tumble in the box and is booked for diving Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

CSKA manager Juande Ramos organises his players from the touchline Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar blocks a shot Photograph: Yuri Kadobnov/AFP/Getty Images

Plastic grains are scuffed into the air from the artificial pitch Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

Antonio Valencia scores for Manchester United with only four minutes left after Berbatov's flick Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

United celebrate the 1-0 win puts them on the brink of qualification to the knockout stages Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea romp to a 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Ashley Cole goes down early in the game and receives medical treatment Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

In what turns out to be an open game, Diego Forlan evades John Terry before getting his shot in Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Raul Garcia delicately brings down a high ball Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Frank Lampard's lovely no-look pass sets Cole free on the wing and his cross is poked home by Salomon Kalou. 1-0 to Chelsea Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Kalou is joined in celebration by Lampard, Nicolas Anelka and Juliano Belletti Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Chelsea are rampant in the second half Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Kalou nets his second before Frank Lampard gets a third in the 69th minute. An own goal in the dying seconds wraps up a 4-0 win for Chelsea Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

At the Bernabeu, two European heavyweights go head-to-head as Real host AC Milan. Kaka, playing against his former side, is pictured leaping above Massimo Ambrosini Photograph: Victor R. Caivano/AP

Real's French forward Karim Benzema grimmaces in pain Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images

Milan goalkeeper Dida drops an absolute howler as he needlessly fumbles the ball at the feet of Raul and the Spaniard strokes the ball into an empty net Photograph: Andres Kudacki/AP

Raul slides away as Dida slumps in disbelief Photograph: Andres Kudacki/AP

Kaka looks dejected as Milan celebrate a thunderbolt goal from Andrea Pirlo that levels the scores Photograph: Pierre-philippe Marcou/AFP/Getty Images

Then Iker Casillas ludicrously rushes to the edge of the box to attempt a clearance, but is beaten to the ball by Alexandre Pato, who scores to make it 2-1 to Milan Photograph: Juan Medina/Reuters

Royston Drenthe equalises amid crazy scenes in the Spanish capital Photograph: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images

... but Pato scores a volley with two minutes left to give Milan a 3-2 win in Real's backyard Photograph: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images