Ferguson defiant to the end as United refuse to go quietly

Champions' League: Verve of Van Nistelrooy recalls spirit of Old Trafford's past heroes and sends out a warning to Premiership rivals

Real Madrid, even in the absence of the sublimely predatory Raul, dismissed all dispute that they are the most talented club side in the world.

Ronaldo, the World Cup winner and legend, stepped up with three goals, all of them impressive examples of the scorer's art. The second of them followed an exquisite cameo from Luis Figo. Zinedine Zidane was recognisably himself, conjuring space and using it with a languid but unquenchable acumen.

Yet if Real are the best, it can be said that Manchester United are probably the bravest.

By the time David Beckham came on to score a trademark free-kick and help over the line one of Ruud Van Nistelrooy's many strikes on goal, even United's inexhaustible dreaming was, for all practical purposes, over. But though an overall aggregate victory always seemed a fantasy too far, at the end of a night of superb football there was an inextinguishable fact. It was a scoreline that read United 4, Real 3. It repeated, albeit without the crowning success, something that predecessors in Real's own Bernabeu stadium said in 1968, when they came back from a two-goal deficit to win a place at Wembley for a winning final performance against Benfica, and in the Nou Camp four years ago, when they trailed Bayern Munich going into stoppage time,

It was that this is a club which does not know when it is beaten, and Arsenal would do well to remember that before they even contemplate a breather in the Premiership race for which United will not have lost heart last night.

Sir Alex Ferguson's flirtation with 4-3-3, revised when Juan Sebastian Veron moved out to the left with some effect, and his dropping of Beckham, was the action of a man determined to apply maximum resistance to the idea that he had run into an unbreakable European roadblock. Grandstand strategists were debating the wisdom of the moves even as the Old Trafford crowd rose to their feet to celebrate the departure of Ronaldo, but the essential truth was that United had refused to go quietly,

In the stirring process Van Nistelrooy, brought enhancement to his reputation for consistently serious action. If Real Madrid are said to rate Beckham – whose competitive iron was again publicly rejected by Ferguson – at £38m, how hugely would they evaluate the Dutchman if they did not have the luxury of Raul and Ronaldo? Surely, at about twice the price.

When Van Nistelrooy equalised Ronaldo's 13th-minute strike near to half-time he did something that reminded you of Eusebio that distant day at Goodison Park when he pulled Portugal back against the North Koreans in a World Cup quarter-final in which they had spurted into a 3-0 lead. Van Nistelrooy hustled into the back of the net, picked up the ball and charged back to the centre circle. It was the body language of an ultimate football fighter and it brought Old Trafford, which was beginning to resign itself to a night of admiration for the beauty of Real's play, to roaring life.

The United fans were, you had to feel, responding to an illusion, but it was a magnificent one. It was filled with the best tradition of a football club whose glory was shaped by the pain of Munich in 1958, and if Real were too good, too deep in their ability, to be swept off a stage they have dominated beyond compare, they also knew they had been required to do a lot more than shuffle through formal proceedings.

When Arsenal were expelled from Europe in Valencia, they slunk away. United went with their heads immeasurably higher. Whether that can still be translated into something tangible this season is of course an entirely different matter, but their chances, as always, will not be harmed by Ferguson's unbreakable defiance.

After recognising Madrid's untouchable status as European Cup favourites – and acknowledging the brilliance of much of their play – the United manager still asserted that if Veron had not volleyed straight at Real's goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, a minute before Ronaldo scored his second goal, his team would have won. It is belief that, you have to suspect, would survive heavy gunfire. There is just no easy way to kill off some men's dreams.

MAN-FOR-MAN MARKING: HOW THE PLAYERS FARED LAST NIGHT

By Nick Harris

MANCHESTER UNITED

FABIEN BARTHEZ
Stood little chance for Ronaldo's opener in absence of decent protective cover. One good palmed save from looping Figo fluke. Mark: 6/10

WES BROWN
Slow to the ball in a clumsy opening period. Lapses in communication with Ferdinand allowed Ronaldo room. Awol for second goal. 5

RIO FERDINAND
Failed to step up and put Ronaldo offside for opener and was then outpaced. Responded by becoming more physical but not more attentive. 5

MIKAEL SILVESTRE
Imposed himself early, catching Ronaldo to serve notice of intent. Willing to press forward in possession but not enough. 6

JOHN O'SHEA
United's best player in the opening half hour. Sparky, bright and adventurous with some deft touches. Also kept tabs on Figo. 7

ROY KEANE
On a night of such importance, a vintage Keane was desperately needed. Instead he was steady, measured and no more. 6

NICKY BUTT
Ran all evening, harrying and closing down to thwart Figo in particular. Distributed mostly intelligently. 6

JUAN SEBASTIAN VERON
Bright start in first game for seven weeks, chipping, charging and passing. Quietened after spat with Makelele but rallied again in second half. 6

OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER
Came to life in 40th minute when a shot was his first major input. Improved hugely, with important contribution for 1-1. 7

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY
Hungry from the off, chasing up front, dropping deep to gain possession. Powerful, accurate, scored a poacher's goal. 8

RYAN GIGGS
Worked hard to make chances, including for himself. Skipped forward with more urgency after United broke through with first goal. 7

Substitutes

DAVID BECKHAM
Stunning free-kick in the 71st minute to show Real how valuable he will be when he moves. Bundled in second. 7

PHIL NEVILLE
No time to make a difference. 5

QUINTON FORTUNE
Little impact, except rashness. 5

REAL MADRID

IKER CASILLAS
Superb, whether making a fisted clearance from a corner, an excellent reaction save from Solskjaer or going to ground quickly to foil Van Nistelrooy. 8

MICHEL SALGADO
Made his intentions known early on by flooring Van Nistelrooy. But was refined rather than rough thereafter, pushing forward. 7

FERNANDO HIERRO
Showed good vision and anticipation to cut out early threats. Stayed firm in the centre even as United threatened to rally either side of half-time. 7

IVAN HELGUERA
Mobile, powerful and composed. Stuck close to Van Nistelrooy. Blotted his copy book with a sloppy own goal. 7

ROBERTO CARLOS
Setting up the second was important but he threatened all night. If he could not go down the left he went calmly across the box. 8

CLAUDE MAKELELE
Signalled early intent by nailing Van Nistelrooy and then getting into a spat with Veron. Solid work breaking up United attacks. 6

ZINEDINE ZIDANE
Excellence made simple. Patient, careful, intelligent, deft, measured. Always on the look for the perfect pass, mostly made (and made to look easy) 8

STEVE McMANAMAN
Showed potential with a run and pass in the 9th minute but the ball was too long for Ronaldo. Quieter but diligent thereafter. 6

LUIS FIGO
Typically tricksy with his running down the wing, his measured diagonal passes and his forays in the centre. 7

GUTI
Intelligent and patient movement. Set up Ronaldo's opener with a perfectly weighted ball that left Ferdinand standing. 7

RONALDO
Not bad for a fat lad. An absolutely stunning hat-trick crafted with guile, precision, timing, skill and pace. Showed why he became the best in world. 9.5

Substitutes

SANTIAGO SOLARI
How do you replace Ronaldo? Retained possession well. 6

JAVIER PORTILLO
Worked hard as United chased game. 5

FRANCISCO PAVON
No chance to make any impact. 5