Real Madrid bounces Manchester United from Champions League

MANCHESTER, England - Cristiano Ronaldo sent Real Madrid into the Champions League quarterfinals at the expense of his former club Manchester United by hitting his 40th goal of the season to clinch a 2-1 victory on Tuesday.

The forward completed Real's comeback in the 69th minute to secure a 3-2 aggregate-goals win after the Spanish champions took advantage of United being reduced to 10 men on a controversial red card.

Ronaldo opted not to celebrate the goal that clinched the win. "I am happy inside because Madrid got through," he said. "But on the other hand I feel a little bit sad."

The round-of-16 encounter had been pointing toward a United win at the start of the second half when Sergio Ramos deflected Nani's cross into his own net to give the hosts a 2-1 aggregate lead.

But the game swung back in Real's favor in the 56th minute when Nani saw red for his studs-up, flying tackle into Alvaro Arbeloa's chest as they both went for the ball.

Madrid then took control of the game by scoring two goals in three minutes, with substitute Luka Modric netting a powerful equalizer off the post in the 66th before Ronaldo's goal.

The goal devastated the home fans, who had cheered Ronaldo before his first match at Old Trafford since he swapped Manchester for Madrid for a world-record $131 million in 2009.

But a night that started with affection for the returning Ronaldo and also featured a 1,000th appearance for 39-year-old United icon Ryan Giggs ended in acrimony from the hosts aggrieved by the red card.

At the final whistle, Giggs angrily pointed at Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir while Rio Ferdinand sarcastically clapped in the official's face and manager Alex Ferguson raged on the sideline.

There was sympathy from Real manager Jose Mourinho, who endeared himself to the United crowd by walking off the field without celebrating.

"We didn't play well, we didn't deserve to win," Mourinho said. "Independent of [the red card], the best team lost."