Manchester United's Champions League dream was left dangling by the thinnest of threads after they were taught a footballing lesson by mighty Real Madrid.

A battling last 35 minutes at the imposing Bernabeu Stadium, which should have brought them more than Ruud van Nistelrooy's single strike, could not gloss over what had gone before.

With Zinedine Zidane at his dazzling best and Raul clinical in his finishing, United were almost out of the tie before they had got a foothold into it.

Just as he did at Old Trafford three years ago, Raul scored twice, either side of the interval, his efforts following a magnificent opener from Luis Figo, one of the holders' galaxy of true world stars.

And if the margin of defeat was not bad enough, Sir Alex Ferguson will be forced to plan for the second leg without England duo Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, who both picked up cautions which mean they will miss the visit of the nine-times European Champions to Old Trafford in a fortnight.

In his pre-match press conference, in which he also apologised for his claim that UEFA fixed the quarter-final draw - a move that will probably fail to prevent him being landed with a hefty fine - Ferguson claimed the Champions League was bigger than the World Cup.

As a comparison, the early stages of this encounter was the equivalent of Brazil squaring up to an enthusiastic minnow, determined and eager but lacking in true quality, Ferguson's beloved Scotland for instance.

For a side who claim to be among Europe's elite, the gulf in class was almost embarrassing. In Zidane, Real had the man who dictated the tempo of the game and carved out the opening two goals with stunning simplicity.

All over the pitch though, the white shirts were dominant. Once again, David Beckham was badly outgunned by Roberto Carlos, who, apart from testing Fabien Barthez with one blistering drive, also nearly benefited from a kind bounce when he chased 40 yards downfield to pressurise Neville into a back pass and continued his run, eventually charging down Barthez's rushed clearance with the rebound bobbling inches wide.

If talent among the offensive players was to be expected, Ferguson might have been alarmed at the ease with which the home defenders, marshalled superbly by veteran Fernando Hierro, kept the visitors at bay.

Apart from an early snap-shot from Paul Scholes which Iker Casillas did well to save at his near post, United created a single chance, which Van Nistelrooy should have taken instead of burying it into the side-netting after Scholes had sent him clear.

By that time though, the Old Trafford men were already two down and starting at elimination.

The goal from Figo which opened Real's account was a moment of pure genius.

Taking Zidane's square pass 10 yards from the byline and a couple of yards outside the box, the Portuguese international spotted Barthez marginally out of position and drifted a curling effort over the Frenchman's head and into the top corner.

Barthez could hardly be blamed for that, although questions will be asked about how Rio Ferdinand was caught out of position for the home side's second, Zidane again providing the assist, threading a pass beyond England defender into the path of Raul, who clinically dispatched a low shot.

It could hardly have been worse for Ferguson's men, although it should have been, referee Anders Frisk somehow failing to spot Wes Brown's clear penalty box foul on Ronaldo.

A small mercy that proved to be as the visitors, unable to bring on the couple of extra men it looked as though the needed, were carved open again three minutes after the restart, Figo taunting Wes Brown in the box before laying the ball off to Raul, who fired home his second from the edge of the area.

Outclassed they may have been but one accusation never levelled at Ferguson's team is that they gave up. So, led admirably by Neville, they managed to force their way back into the game.

The England defender followed up his inspirational right-wing charge with a pin-point cross which Ryan Giggs would have prodded home had it not been for Casillas' point-blank save.

Fortunately, van Nistelrooy was on hand to nod home the rebound, setting a new competition record of 11 goals in a single season.

It was little consolation to the Dutchman at that stage but if he had followed it with a 12th shortly afterwards after somehow dribbling his way into space eight yards out, Real might have been quaking.

Instead, Casillas made the block and the home side escaped, just as they did when Beckham drove a tame effort wide from a good position.

The patience Ferguson had been calling for from his team had disappeared in a frenzy of desperate attacks, which somehow failed to bring a just reward.

However, it also left them wide open to conceding a fourth on the counter.

Fortunately, it did not arrive, a small piece of fortune on a night which will not be fondly remembered in the red half of Manchester.

Teams

Real Madrid: Casillas, Salgado, Hierro, Helguera, Carlos, Figo, Flavio, Zidane, Makelele, Raul, Ronaldo (Guti 83).

Subs Not Used: Cesar, McManaman, Morientes, Portillo, Solari, Pavon.

Goals: Figo 12, Raul 28, 49.

Man Utd: Barthez, Gary Neville (Solskjaer 86), Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre (O'Shea 58), Beckham, Keane, Butt, Giggs, Scholes, van Nistelrooy.

Subs Not Used: Ricardo, Blanc, Forlan, Fortune, Fletcher.

Booked: Gary Neville, van Nistelrooy, Scholes, Keane.

Goals: van Nistelrooy 52.

Att: 75,000

Ref: Anders Frisk (Sweden).