Real Madrid failed to qualify for the Champions League quarter finals for the sixth successive season after suffering a 2-1 aggregate defeat by Olympique Lyon on Wednesday. The Spanish giants leveled the aggregate score when Cristiano Ronaldo fired them in front after six minutes. The Portuguese wizard latched onto a pass from Guti and placed his low shot through the legs of Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris. Real looked on course to book a last-eight berth and end their Champions League jinx but were made to pay for missing some clear-cut chances after taking the lead. Argentinean striker Gonzalo Higuain rounded the keeper but saw his shot strike the post in the 26th minute before having another effort superbly palmed away by Lloris. Real eased off after the break to allow Lyon to score a decisive goal that earned them a place among the last eight. In the 75th minute, Miralem Pjanic fired in a volley after picking up a loose ball to stun the home crowd. Lyon could have even won the game but squandered two easy opportunities through Lisandro Lopez and Cesar Delgado. "You can say it's a great achievement. We escaped the worst possible scenario in first hallf," Lyon coach Claude Puel said after the game. "Hats off to the players who gave all they had tonight. We played a superb second half and I think we deserved."
