CRISTIANO RONALDO came back to haunt his old side by hitting the winner to dump Manchester United out of the Champions League.
The Madrid star bagged his side’s second goal in three minutes after Luka Modric had equalised for the visitors.
But Alex Ferguson’s anger will be no doubt be directed firmly in the direction of referee Cuneyt Cakir.
The Turkish official sent Nani off for a high foot in hugely controversial circumstances just before the hour mark to change the tide of the match after United looked to be sailing through.
A Sergio Ramos own-goal had given the hosts the lead just after half-time.
But Madrid immediately made them pay with a man advantage and took the lead courtesy of a Modric screamer before Ronaldo grabbed a second moments later.
Fergie stunned the Old Trafford faithful before the match by dropping Wayne Rooney to the bench.
But it didn’t affect his side as they made much of the early running.
Playing his 1,000th senior match, Ryan Giggs quickly showed his class floating a peach of a ball with the outside of his boot to Robin van Persie who failed to find the target with his volley.
United continued to press and came inches away from taking the lead 20 minutes in.
Nemanja Vidic thundered a header against the post before Real keeper Diego Lopez breathed a huge sigh of relief when Danny Welbeck’s attempt from the rebound nestled between the Spaniard’s crown jewels on the goalline.
Madrid had the ball in the net courtesy of Gonzalo Higuain just after the half-hour. But the whistle had already gone for an earlier Sergio Ramos foul and the match remained goalless at the break.
It took less than three minutes for the match to burst into life in the second half.
United surged forward with Van Persie’s shot saved by Lopez. The rebound fell to Nani who drove the ball low into the Madrid box and into the visitors’ net courtesy of an unwitting poke from Sergio Ramos.
If United thought they were home and dry they quickly had to think again with referee Cakir about to turn the game on its head.
Nani flew into into an aerial challenge with his foot high in the air.
But, while his boot thudded into Alvaro Arbeloa’s ribs, the Turk’s decision to show him a straight red stunned Fergie and had the Old Trafford crowd fuming.
With a man down the Reds quickly found themselves on the back foot and a rapid Madrid double sealed the tie.
First Modric picked the ball up on the edge of the box and struck a sublime swerving effort in off the post.
And three minutes later Ronaldo grabbed the headlines with a second. Gonzalo Higuain sent a low cross across the United box and the Portuguese ace poked in at the far post.
Fergie threw Rooney on in a late bid to find a way back into the game and the United boss saw both Michael Carrick and Vidic brilliantly denied by flying Lopez saves as his side were sent packing.
