When will David Beckham stop hogging all the best scripts? On a night of extraordinary drama, England’s returned hero, his country’s saviour, took a full part in a spectacular reversal of fortune. It has taken him to within touching distance of a league title on his final day as a Real Madrid footballer, a first trophy for him and for them in four years.

Five minutes from the end of this, the penultimate fixture in La Liga, Madrid thought their lead in the table had been eaten away. 2-1 down while Barcelona led elsewhere, the gap between the top two clubs was three points. Then, in Catalonia, Espanyol drew level in the derby, and Ruud van Nistelrooy took Madrid to 2-2 in Zaragoza. The tables had turned utterly.

Madrid now need only match or better what Barcelona do next Sunday to win the championship. In front of their own crowd, Beckham and company can be relied on to oblige. The drama would be played out to a theatrical backdrop last night. Squally thunder and lightning accompanied a vivid atmosphere, with Zaragoza, placed fifth, pursuing points that would gain their place in next year’s Uefa Cup, and of course wanting to put one over the grandees from the capital.

Via transistors and text messages, cheers or jeers greeted news from the Nou Camp. For much of the night Barça had apparently leapfrogged Madrid. But when it mattered, Madrid conjured up another stirring comeback.

As for Beckham, he had perhaps his least effective night for many weeks, which is to say he was good, but not decisive. He lasted 90 minutes on his wounded ankle, but it was as if his magical right foot had used up its genius for the week. Or maybe he was saving it. He will hear a handsome farewell at the Bernabeu in seven days’ time.

There was a background irony in the identity of yesterday’s opponents, too, that would not be lost on Beckham. Real Zaragoza had denied the former England captain the first of many ungained prizes during his Madrid adventure on a spring night in Barcelona’s Olympic stadium back in 2004. It was the Copa del Rey final, Beckham scored that night and as his Real Madrid and the underdog Zaragoza went into extra-time at 2-2, he looked in reach of his first Spanish silverware. Zaragoza scored next and from that date a long Madrid decline can persuasively be traced.

Over the next two years, coaches would come and go, and the so-called galacticos faded to a parade of cameo acts. Until now, Beckham would never again be so close to a prize in Spain. His Madrid have gone no further than the last eight of the Champions League, have reached just one Copa del Rey final, and the pursuit of a 30th championship had always wheezed away before the penultimate day.

The difference this spring? Not simply Beckham’s recent zeal. Not since his first season have the Madrid of the Beckham era played an entire campaign under one head coach. Fabio Capello has appeared to teeter on the edge of resignation at times during a drab autumn and a patchy new year, but remain he has and the stalking of the top spot in the table has been accompanied by praise from his players.

What Capello has not done, even in the eyes of many Madridistas, is produce the most watchable team in La Liga this season, not even the second most attractive side in a division where Sevilla and Barcelona have produced some vintage evenings.

Against a sky streaked by forks of lightning, the regular drum-rolls of thunder and under a constant drizzle, Madrid showed their anxiety. The pace of Ewerthon troubled Beckham and Fabio Cannavaro in the early stages and his centre, clipped goalwards by Diego Milito, drew one of two sharp saves from Iker Casillas. In reply, Robinho tested Cesar in the Zaragoza goal with a volley from 40 yards, arcing his shot to bounce just in front of the keeper, who struggled to clutch the slippery ball. On the stroke of half-time Cesar would save superbly from Van Nistelrooy’s far-post header.

By then Zaragoza had the lead. Just after the half hour, cheers from the two small sections of visiting fans greeted the news that Espanyol had scored against Barcelona at the Nou Camp. Celebrations would be brief, Ivan Helguera’s challenge on Milito earning Zaragoza’s penalty. Milito converted and tempers frayed. Sergio Ramos joined Helguera in the referee’s book. Mahamadou Diarra could regard himself as fortunate not to already be there, his cynical foul on Pablo Aimar leading to a feisty melee of rival players.

Madrid had been largely unthreatening, their captain a ghost, so Raul gave way to Gonzalo Higuain, Emerson to Guti.

Fresh legs or not, conditions became no easier as the rain continued, and Gerard Pique, the Manchester United player on loan at Zaragoza, slid dangerously into Beckham on the wet surface. It earned Beckham a free kick in promising territory, though he struck it without menace. Better would be the volley Beckham looped in from the touchline and at a difficult angle. Cesar had to make a shrewd judgment not to be lobbed.

Zaragoza fans roared with delight at news of a goal, and a lead, for Barcelona. Almost immediately, Van Nistelrooy brought Madrid back into this contest, meeting a Sergio Ramos cross with a firm downward header.

It also appeared a goal in vain six minutes later, Milito’s second following a bullish run into the Madrid box. With 2-1 home advantages on the scoreboards of La Romareda and the Nou Camp, Madrid’s title dream seemed cooked.

Van Nistelrooy changed all that.

Star man: Ruud van Nistelrooy(Real Madrid)

Real Zaragoza:Cesar, Zapater, Sergio Fernandez, G Milito, Herrero; Pique, Celades (Lafita 78min), D’Alessandro, Aimar; D Milito (Gonzalez 85min), Ewerthon (Movilla 56min) Real Madrid:Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Helguera, Cannavaro, Roberto Carlos; Beckham, Diarra, Emerson (Guti ht), Robinho, (Reyes, 66min); Raul (Higuain ht), Van Nistelrooy

Scorers: Real Zaragoza:D Milito 32 (pen), 63 Real Madrid:Van Nistelrooy 57, 89

Referee:A Undiano Mallenco (Navarra) Attendance:34,500