Good evening and welcome along to what is sure to be an exhilarating night of European football. Having drawn 1-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg two weeks ago, current La Liga champions arrived in North-West England this week buoyed by two wins over their great rivals Barcelona. Manchester United, meanwhile, recorded wins over Reading, QPR and Norwich and sit 12 points ahead of Man City at the top of the Premier League.

We’re just over an hour away from kick-off so let’s have your predictions.

BREAKING TEAM NEWS – It appears that, after much speculation earlier this week, Alex Ferguson has opted to leave Wayne Rooney out of United’s starting XI.

So here are the line-ups:

Manchester United: De Gea, Rafael, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Carrick, Giggs, Cleverley, Nani, Welbeck, Van Persie.

Real Madrid: Lopez, Arbeloa, Varane, Ramos, Coentrao, Khedira, Alonso, Di Maria, Ozil, Ronaldo, Higuain.

And the official teamsheet:

Credit: Andy May

Huge call by Fergie to leave Rooney, who has been confirmed on the bench, out and bringing in the clearly talented but often inconsistent Nani. Ryan Giggs also starts for what will be his 1,000th appearance for the club.

Here’s a pic of Welsh veteran making his first start back in 1991. Doesn’t it make you feel old?

Credit: Mike Brett/Mike Brett/Press Association Images

Here’s how Spanish newspaper Marca marked the return of Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford. The Portguese star, who spent six years at United, has seven goals in the competition this season and you wouldn’t back against him adding to that tally tonight.

Credit: kiosko.net

Mrs Rooney is as shocked as many of us:

We may be focused on Old Trafford, but there is an equally fascinating showdown in Germany – where Shakhtar Donetsk take on Borussia Dortmund. The sides drew 2-2 in the Ukraine a fortnight ago and we’ll keep you abreast of how that game is going as well as providing a report on the full-time whistle.

Sitting on the ITV panel is a clean-shaven Roy Keane. “When you walk out onto the pitch you’re getting ready to go to battle but you have to enjoy yourself,” the former United captain says.

The teams are out on the pitch and we’ve just kicked off. United in their usual red while Madrid are in their green third strip.

Early free-kick for Madrid and it’s Ronaldo to take. 30 yards out and wide on the left, Ronaldo strikes the wall and sees the ball run out for a throw-in.

Angel Di Maria finds some space down the left but it snuffed out by Michael Carrick. The corner is headed clear and when Xabi Alonso sweeps a ball to the far side it’s slightly to long for Mesut Ozil to trap.

Tom Cleverley tracks Ronaldo but seems to kick his opponents boot and is in some discomfort. He’s up now and is hoping to run it off.

Gonzalo Higuain, starting ahead of Karim Benzema, wriggles free to find himself a yard of space but shoots wide from the edge of the box.

United haven’t had a lot of possession in the opening 12 minutes but have just won a corner after Fabio Coentrao heads Nani’s cross behind with Giggs lurking.

United then carve out a real chance. Welbeck runs the channel and receives a pass. The English striker is tackled but Giggs curls a ball with the outside of his boot  to Van Persie, whose volley is put out by Ramos.

Welbeck plays in Nani and he has the pace to go by Varane before the young Frenchman makes a last-ditch tackle. Down the other end, Di Maria knocks the ball past Evra and is brought down by the defender. He picks up a yellow card.

Great play by Giggs in the corner to earn a corner. It’s whipped in an Vidic powers a head towards goal. It cracks off the upright and as Welbeck attempts to bundle it in, the linesman signals offside. The closest we’ve come so far.

After Ronaldo gets his first meaningful touches of the ball, Van Persie slots Welbeck through but Ramos blocks the shot excellently.

Ronaldo brings the ball down brilliantly after a ball over the top from Sami Khedira and has a pop which is blocked away by the body of Vidic. United then break with Cleverley but Nani is eventually crowded out.

End to end stuff at the moment.

Madrid come close in quick succession. First Carrick is at full stretch to prevent Higuain’s pass getting to Ronaldo. Then De Gea is out quick to keep out Ronaldo.

The visitors have the ball in the back of the net but Ramos is penalised for climbing on Van Persie.

Van Persie himself creates an opening for United moments later. Turning Varane, the Dutchman has a strike which is punched out by Diego Lopez. Welbeck follows up but doesn’t make a great connection and it’s blocked by the opposing keeper.

A good passage of passing gets Rafael away but he goes down easy under pressure from Ramos. Ronaldo attacks and switches the play to Arbeloa, whose touch is a bad one so he makes up by taking Evra out with a late challenge… and picking up a booking for his troubles.

Jose Mourinho has been forced into an early substitution as Di Maria looks to have stretched his thigh muscle. Kaka is preparing to make his introduction.

Ronaldo fires a shot wide and his manager has seen enough – he’s gone walking towards the tunnel as the clock strikes 45 minutes.

Half-time: Manchester United 0-0 Real Madrid

In the other game it’s 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund meaning they lead Shakhtar Donetsk 4-2 on aggregate.

Second half, here we go.

GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Real Madrid (Sergio Ramos o.g.)

We’ve got our first goal and it’s come in unusual circumstances. Rafael gallops forward from the right-back position and plays in Welbeck. He is tackled but the ball falls to Van Persie, whose shot is deflected off target.

Nani recycles by drilling it back in and Welbeck gets the slightest of touches to put Ramos off and force the Spanish defender into poking the ball into his own net. Advantage Manchester United.

Looks who’s a happy man:

Madrid look to hit back with an equaliser and Higuain is frustrated when no team-mate takes a chance on his inviting cross.

Nani then hurts himself with a high boot on Arbeloa. After eventually dragging himself up off the ground, he is shown A RED CARD! Unbelievable scenes and United will have to play 35 minutes with 10 men.

With an extra player to make use of Mourinho has just brought on Luka Modric. His opposite number is acting as a cheerleader right now, encouraging the fans to act as a 12th, erm, 11th man.

United are soaking up a huge amount of pressure and it’s looking ominous.

GOAL! Manchester United (2) 1-1 (2) Real Madrid (Luka Modric)

What. A. Hit. Luka Modric picks up possession, goes by Carrick, and rockets a strike past De Gea and in off the post. We’re all-square on the night and on aggregate now. As it stands, we’re heading for extra time but Madrid must be favourites to go on and win it.

GOAL! Manchester United (2) 1-2 (3) Real Madrid (Cristiano Ronaldo)

And they’re ahead. Higuain and Ozil exchange a one-two before the Argentine sends the ball to the back post, where Ronaldo is on hand to tap home. United need two now.

Pepe on for Ozil while Cleverley has made way for Wayne Rooney.

Here’s the Nani incident. What do you make of it?

YouTube credit: WonderkidComps·

Welbeck strikes a shot straight at Ramos and the home fans appeal for a handball despite the fact that it hit his chest. That’s Welbeck’s last involvement as Ashley Young will play the final ten minutes.

Super chance for United to pull one back but Rooney blazes a volley over after Lopez had initially saved from Van Persie.

Rafael is struggling and makes way for Antonio Valencia. Pepe then receives a yellow card and Ramos heads the resulting free-kick clear.

Kaka strikes the ball off the post and it nearly creeps in after coming off the back of De Gea but the keeper recovers to collect.

Lopez is getting heckled for going down rather easily and there is just 5 minutes of time added on to play. The same player then has to be at his best to palm away a Vidic header.

Appeal for a United penalty as Evra goes down under a challenge from Ramos while De Gea saves Ronaldo’s shot from an acute angle.

Full-time: Manchester United (2) 1-2 (3) Real Madrid

The final whistle goes and boos ring around Old Trafford. Rio Ferdinand gives Turkish referee Cuneyt Cakir a sarcastic clap. United will feel hard done by but that’s football and Real Madrid progress to the quarter-final.

Strong words from Jose Mourinho: “Independent of the decision, the best team lost. We didn’t play well,” he says before walking off.

Over in Dortmund, the Bundesliga cruised to a 3-0 victory (5-2 on agg) tonight thanks to goals from Felipe Santana, Mario Gotze and Jakub Blaszczykowski. That’s all from the liveblog but we’ll have plenty more reaction pieces tonight so stick around.