Portugal’s prodigal son ends Red dream

Cristiano Ronaldo held his hands above his head almost in apology; in fact he looked almost as forlorn as when Denis Law scored against his beloved United back in 1974. But we always knew it was going to happen.

Law, whose goal for Manchester City at Old Trafford helped relegate United all those years ago, admitted recently that he has regretted his back-heel ever since and felt depressed when he saw the ball cross the line.

Whether Ronaldo will feel the same is unlikely; but on his emotional and much-heralded return ‘home’ he scored the defining goal by sliding in at the far post to convert a Gonzalo Higuain cross and put Real Madrid 2-1 up in a game in which he had been largely tamed by United’s current heroes and particularly by full-back Rafael.