Ronaldo hits hat trick

Real Madrid falls to Man Utd 4-3 but makes semifinals

Ronaldo is finally becoming the player Real wanted him to be. AP

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -- A stunning hat trick from Ronaldo sealed Real Madrid's passage into the semifinals of the Champions League on Wednesday despite the reigning European champions losing a spectacular match 4-3 to Manchester United at Old Trafford.

In a throwback to the high-scoring European nights of the 1950s and 60s, Real went through 6-5 on aggregate with the Brazilian striker, the top scorer at last summer's World Cup, finding the target three times with his only three shots of the night.

Real will now play Juventus in the last four with the winners of that tie facing the winners of the AC Milan-Inter Milan derby semifinal in the European Cup Final at Old Trafford on May 18.

Ronaldo scored for the reigning European champions after 12, 50 and 59 minutes before United set up a storming two-goal finish with substitute David Beckham scoring twice to give them a 4-3 victory on the night.

But it was not enough to keep alive their hopes of lifting the title on their own ground.

"It was a marvelous night for football, but of course we are disappointed," said United manager Alex Ferguson.

"We made chances, some excellent chances, but did not take them and you have to do that against a team like Real. Good luck to them now, I hope they go on and win it."

Beckham dropped

England captain Beckham had been replaced in United's starting line up by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as Ferguson gambled on extra firepower to try and overturn Real's two-goal first leg advantage.

Dutchman Ruud Van Nistelrooy almost provided the perfect start for United with a vicious angled drive in the third minute that was parried away by Iker Casillas.

However, the downside of United's all-out attacking policy was that the Spaniards could score themselves to nullify the away goal Van Nistelrooy grabbed in Madrid.

Those fears materialized with just 12 minutes gone as Ronaldo struck his first with deadly accuracy after moving clear of Rio Ferdinand and driving the ball between Fabien Barthez and the Frenchman's near-post.

United weathered a long period of Real domination and eventually equalised in the 43rd minute.

Ryan Giggs found Solskjaer in the penalty area with the Norwegian turning the ball past goalkeeper Casillas and Ivan Helguera for Van Nistelrooy to force home from close range to make it 1-1.

It was his 10th goal in seven games and his 12th in the Champions League this season, a record for the competition.

Ronaldo put Real 2-1 ahead five minutes after the break with a gaping goal at his mercy following a build-up involving Zinedine Zidane and his Brazilian team mate Roberto Carlos.

United made it 2-2 almost immediately when Helguera turned the ball into his own net in the 52nd minute before Ronaldo secured the overall victory with a stunning 25-metre strike that gave Barthez no chance with 31 minutes to play.

Beckham, who came on as a 63rd minute substitute for Juan Sebastian Veron, made it 3-3 with a brilliantly-executed free-kick in the 71st minute. Beckham also forced the ball across the line for United's fourth after 84 minutes.

Great match

In a night of brilliant attacking soccer from both sides, both were able to step up a gear and put the other under pressure.

There were several key moments, but the vital turning point came after 50 minutes when Real grabbed the crucial second away goal.

Luis Figo hit the bar with a delicate chip over Barthez, and before United could clear their lines Roberto Carlos raced onto Zidane's defense-splitting pass and squared for Ronaldo to slot into an empty net.

Almost immediately, Helguera squared things up on the night with a comical own goal from Veron's low cross.

Casillas then maintained Madrid's two-goal aggregate lead with smart instinctive saves from van Nistelrooy and Veron.

Ronaldo capped his magnificent solo display just before the hour mark with a stunning third goal from 25-yards before Beckham squared things up again with a trademark free kick, tapping in his second from close range six minutes from time.

But by then it was too little, too late and Real were through.

Ferguson: No regrets after leaving out Beckham

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -- Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson said he had no regrets after leaving David Beckham on the bench against Real Madrid on Wednesday.

Ferguson opted to start with Norwegian striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the right side of midfield while Juan Sebastian Veron returned to the side after a nine-game absence for the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal against the European champions.

Ferguson said Solskjaer offered more firepower as his side needed to overturn Madrid's 3-1 first leg advantage.

England skipper Beckham -- who the tabloid press has linked with a transfer to Real Madrid over the last few months -- was finally introduced as a 63rd minute substitute for Veron and scored twice as United beat Real Madrid 4-3 in a sensational match, only to lose 6-5 on aggregate.

"The decision was based on the fact that Solskjaer's form has been fantastic in that position," Ferguson explained afterwards.

"There is always a temptation to use him as a substitute knowing he can come on and score late in games. But I feel the lad has progressed and there is only so many times you can hit a guy over the head.

"When someone is playing as well as him, what do you do -- leave him out because David Beckham is a great player too?

"Those are the simple facts and when David came on it was because Veron was tiring. With hindsight I couldn't have brought David on any sooner."

Dream over

Ferguson's dream of lifting the Champions League trophy at Old Trafford in May was effectively ended by Brazilian striker Ronaldo, whose exquisite hat trick earned holders Madrid a semifinal showdown with Juventus.

But Ferguson said the pain of defeat was tempered by the pleasure of competing in a European tie that will live long in the memory.

"I never thought about the final tonight and it doesn't really matter where finals are held -- the important thing is to be there.

"In the end, I was proud of the effort the players put in and I think from a football point of view we have seen a game played in the true tradition of two teams wanting to win a match.

"Because of the way both teams play, there was always going to be a lot of chances and it was a pleasure to be involved from every aspect.

"We had the best referee [Pierluigi Collina] in charge of the best game seen in Europe this season.

"It produced football of tremendous skill and imagination and people will talk about it for a long time.

"That doesn't make it any easier for me as a manager because I felt we could win the tie. When you score four goals at home you expect to do that, but you can't legislate for someone like Ronaldo."

Ferguson, whose side must now concentrate on beating Arsenal in the race for the English title, added: "We wish Real Madrid every success and they now have a marvelous chance to win the cup.

"I wouldn't like to choose any side above them because they carry a goal threat and they showed that tonight."

Del Bosque delighted at improvement in Ronaldo

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -- Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque said on Wednesday that Ronaldo is finally becoming the player he wanted to sign.

The Brazilian striker, who has taken a long time to settle down at Real since his move there from his injury-blighted years at Inter Milan, struck a brilliant hat trick to earn his side a 6-5 aggregate victory over Manchester United despite losing the second leg 4-3 at Old Trafford.

But Del Bosque said the current World and European Footballer of the Year is again close to the form he was showing before four years of injury torment threatened to wreck his career.

"He is gradually coming into form and becoming the player we want him to be," del Bosque said after the game.

"Tonight was his night and he proved that with the goals he managed to score. We only created three opportunities for him all night, but he converted all three."

Two were brilliantly-taken long-range efforts, one was a simple tap-in, bit overall the threat posed by Ronaldo unhinged a somewhat over-awed United defense. Ultimately his goals secured Real their place in the last four and eased Del Bosque's worries as United played their part in a mesmerizing tie that was always just out of the Reds' reach.

Three times on the night, the English premier league side cancelled out Ronaldo's strikes -- through Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ivan Helguera's own goal and a David Beckham free kick.

Beckham then reduced the aggregate deficit to one goal as Alex Ferguson's men laid siege to the Real goal, in which goalkeeper Iker Casillas was in stunning form.

Del Bosque added: "At 1-1 at half time we were already thinking of playing Juventus in the next round.

"Certainly I was pleased that we were better position than at the start of the game, but as the game progressed I was always concerned.

"We created a lot of chances, dominated the ball and played well on the counter-attack.

"But at any stage, Manchester United were also creating chances and could have taken the tie.

"It was to-and-fro all night a draw might have been the right result, but the main thing was to get through and that is what we managed to do."

Madrid's reward for defeating old rivals United is a two-legged semifinal showdown with Juventus, with the first leg in Madrid on May 6. The return is in Turin on May 14.

Looking forward to the conclusion of the competition, Del Bosque added: "It is one Spanish team defending our title against three Italians and obviously Juventus are a team we have to respect.

"But we will be going out to retain our title the best way we can."

Raul returns home after surgery

MADRID (Reuters) -- Raul will be able to watch Real Madrid's Champions League quarterfinal second leg against Manchester United from home after being given the green light to leave hospital on Wednesday.

Raul underwent emergency surgery after suffering acute appendicitis on Monday, ruling him out of Wednesday's second leg at Old Trafford.

He was kept in on Monday and Tuesday night but was released on Wednesday to begin a recovery that is expected to last around a month.

"I'm feeling a few twinges but basically I'm fine," Raul told reporters as he left the Ruber clinic in the Spanish capital.

"It wasn't that big a deal and now I'm just thinking about getting better and watching the team on television."

Raul, who scored two goals in Real's 3-1 win in the first leg, said he was relieved he had been sent into surgery immediately after a quick diagnosis.

"It could have been a lot more serious if we'd got to it later," Raul said. "Hopefully, the team will win tonight and everyone will forget about me."

Summary

Manchester United 4 Real Madrid 3 -- result

Champions League quarterfinal, second leg

First leg: 1-3. Real Madrid win 6-5 on aggregate.

Scorers:

Manchester United -- Ruud van Nistelrooy 43, Ivan Helguera 52og, David Beckham 71, 84

Real Madrid -- Ronaldo 12, 50, 59

Halftime: 1-1

Teams:

Manchester United: 1-Fabien Barthez; 27-Mikael Silvestre (3-Philip Neville 79), 24-Wes Brown, 6-Rio Ferdinand, 22-John O'Shea; 11-Ryan Giggs, 16-Roy Keane (Quinton Fortune 82), 8-Nicky Butt, 4-Juan Sebastian Veron (7-David Beckham 63); 22-Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, 10-Ruud van Nistelrooy.

Real Madrid: 1-Iker Casillas; 2-Michel Salgado, 4-Fernando Hierro, 3-Roberto Carlos, 24-Claude Makelele, 6-Ivan Helguera; 5-Zinedine Zidane, 8-Steve McMananam (Javier Portillo 69), 14-Guti; 10-Luis Figo (22-Francisco Pavon), 11-Ronaldo (21-Santiago Solari 67).

Referee: Pierluigi Collina (Italy)

 

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