Ronaldo hat-trick puts Real Madrid into semi-finals

Real Madrid reached the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday after a stunning Ronaldo hat-trick in their 4-3 defeat to Manchester United in the quarter-final, second leg at Old Trafford.

Real advanced 6-5 on aggregate and now meet Juventus in the last four next month.

Ronaldo scored for the reigning European champions after 12, 50 and 59 minutes to seal their semi-final spot against the Italians on May 6 and May 13. A place in the European Cup final at Old Trafford on May 28 awaits the winners.

Ronaldo opened the scoring after a Real counter-attack, which began when Zinedine Zidane found Guti with a square ball.

Guti then released Ronaldo in space and the Brazilian moved ahead of Rio Ferdinand before 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 Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the penalty area with the Norwegian turning the ball past goalkeeper Iker Casillas and Ivan Helguera for Van Nistelrooy to force home from close range.

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 Zidane and his Brazilian team mate Roberto Carlos.

United made it 2-2 almost immediately when Ivan 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.

England skipper David 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 forced the ball across the line for United's fourth after 84 minutes.