Ronaldo ‘sad’ after eliminating United as Ferguson distraught

The game’s turning point arrived in the 56th minute, when Ronaldo’s international colleague Nani was contentiously shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa.

 

Cristiano Ronaldo admitted he felt “sad” after his goal ended former club Manchester United’s involvement in the Champions League and put Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.

 

The Portuguese forward struck a 69th-minute winner at Old Trafford on Tuesday as Madrid fought from behind to earn a 2-1 win on the night and a 3-2 aggregate victory.

 

The 28-year-old, who spent six highly successful seasons at United, received a round of applause prior to kick-off and made a point of not celebrating his winning goal.

 

“The reception was unbelievable. It was an emotional moment for me, for both games, especially tonight,” he told Sky Sports. “I do not have words to explain how I feel. The supporters made me feel shy as I did not play how I play all the time.

 

“Anyway I helped my team, and I feel a little happy inside. On the other hand I feel sad as Manchester United are out.”

 

The game’s turning point arrived in the 56th minute, when Ronaldo’s international colleague Nani was contentiously shown a straight red card for a high challenge on Alvaro Arbeloa.

 

Nani had forced Sergio Ramos to put through his own goal eight minutes earlier, but Madrid immediately capitalised on his dismissal, with Luka Modric equalising in the 66th minute before Ronaldo notched the winner.

 

“To be honest, I did not see what Nani did, but these situations happen in football,” Ronaldo said. After the match, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson was too “distraught” to face the media.

 

Ferguson was visibly enraged after Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir sent off Nani for a high challenge on Real’s Alvaro Arbeloa after 56 minutes with United leading through Sergio Ramos’s own goal.

 

Real took advantage of the dismissal with quick goals from Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo on his return to Old Trafford to confirm a 2-1 win on the night and 3-2 aggregate victory to reach the last eight.

 

United assistant manager Mike Phelan replaced Ferguson at the post-match media conference and said: “It’s a distraught dressing room and a distraught manager. That’s why I am sitting here now.

 

“I don’t think the manager is in any fit state to talk to the referee about the decision. It speaks volumes that I am sitting here now rather than the manager of this fantastic football club.”

 

Phelan continued: “We are extremely disappointed and wondering what has happened and why it has happened.

 

“We feel as though we had the tactics right for the game on such a big occasion. We felt we were comfortable at 0-0. It was where we wanted to be, then we scored the goal that put us in a commanding position.

 

“We were in reasonable control and then the game totally changed. The decision was amazing but we had to carry on because it is hard enough playing Real Madrid with 11 men.

 

“Referees are there to make decisions but there is also an element of doing the right thing. All the media and a television audience watching all over the world will have an opinion on the decision but it was a disappointing one and it spoiled the game.”