Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp had admitted his side would need a "miracle" to overturn the 4-0 defeat they suffered in the first leg of this quarter-final tie at the Bernabeu last week, and it proved to be a task that was beyond them as goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes allowed Ronaldo's effort from distance to squirm from his grasp and bobble into the net for the only goal on the night.

The only blow on the night for Real coach Jose Mourinho was the booking picked up by Ricardo Carvalho, which will rule the former Chelsea man out of the first leg of that semi against Barca, who Real will now face four times in 18 days starting with Saturday's Primera Division encounter.

Spurs had started in lively fashion and Gareth Bale thought he should have had a penalty in the fourth minute as he skipped by Xabi Alonso and fell to the ground. Referee Nicola Rizzoli waved play on and replays suggested he was right to do so.

Four minutes later and Alonso clipped Luka Modric in the box. The Italian referee once again denied the home side a spot-kick.

The home crowd urged their side on, but Ronaldo reminded them of the threat he posed as he danced past his marker before firing wide after 20 minutes.

At the other end, Rafael van der Vaart executed a brilliant turn to unleash Aaron Lennon down the right. His pass found Roman Pavlyuchenko but the striker blazed over to waste a great opportunity to break the deadlock.

The Russian made amends by gaining an inch on Raul Albiol moments later only to be tripped by the defender in the box. The referee waved play on and Spurs were denied yet another spot-kick, much to the home fans' anger.

Tottenham thought they had the goal they craved just before half-time but Modric was correctly ruled offside after he had headed back to Bale, who smashed home into the net.

The tie was effectively over in the fifth minute of the second half when Gomes let Ronaldo's 30-yard drive slip through his fingers. The Brazilian swivelled and tried to claw the ball away before it crossed the line but the damage had already been done. Any slim hopes Spurs harboured of salvaging the tie were gone.

Redknapp brought Jermain Defoe on for Lennon and he almost scored within moments of taking the pitch, drawing a good diving save from Iker Casillas.

The fierce atmosphere which had been prevalent before the opener had disappeared after Gomes' error, but the keeper did well to keep out Kaka in the 65th minute after the Brazilian had come on for Ronaldo.

Sandro collapsed inside the Madrid box under pressure from Alvaro Arbeloa as Spurs' bid for an equaliser continued but with substitutes Karim Benzema and Kaka in full flight down the other end, the hosts were in danger of slipping further behind.

Marcelo almost made it 2-0 when his audacious chip landed on top of Gomes' goal as the clock ticked towards 90 minutes.

Van der Vaart attempted to curl a 20-yard strike in against his old club with five minutes left, but Casillas watched his effort sail over the bar.

Bale then drifted past his marker to lay off to Defoe in injury time but a block denied Spurs the equaliser they were searching so desperately for.