MANCHESTER, England (AP) - Manchester United was held by Villarreal to 0-0 in a frustrating start to its Champions League title defense that even the return of Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't energize on Wednesday.

Villareal was the last team to deny the Red Devils a European victory at Old Trafford - in November 2005 - and ended their 12-match winning streak in the competition.

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Ronaldo's return from ankle surgery in the final half hour injected vitality and pace, but couldn't produce a winner.

The Portuguese winger nodded wide from Nani's cross in the 81st minute and a minute later provided a deep cross that beat goalkeeper Diego Lopez, but Jonny Evans headed against the post.

"It wasn't the worst result, but would have been better to win," United manager Alex Ferguson said. "With Celtic and Aalborg drawing it is the status quo in the group."

It was 120 days since Ronaldo's last club appearance in the penalty-shootout victory over Chelsea.

Not that the Portugal winger wanted to be here, having used the weeks after the Moscow final to push for a move to Real Madrid until Ferguson bluntly told him two months ago it wouldn't be sanctioned.

But he didn't look like a player being retained against his will and the fans gave him a rapturous reception, roaring "Viva Ronaldo."

"It was important to Cristiano," Ferguson said. "I think he now realizes what a great club he is at, how loyal and supportive they are to him, and he will take great encouragement from that."

Villarreal was without injured strikers Nihat Kahveci and Giuseppe Rossi, relying instead on Guillermo Franco.

"Ronaldo did cause us one or two problems," Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini said. "He's a great player and he came on fresh to the game where there were quite a few tired legs.

"What really hurt us more though was not having enough attacking options and we weren't decisive enough when we got in front of goal."

Ferguson made six changes from the side he publicly blamed for United's first defeat at Liverpool in seven years on Saturday, with captain Gary Neville returning for his first competitive start since March 2007, while Ji-Sung Park, Nani Owen Hargreaves made their first starts of the campaign.

"I felt looking at Saturday's game at Liverpool we lacked some energy in the team, and today we put the two wide players (Nani and Park) on who have great energy and are very bright," Ferguson said.


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Rio Ferdinand flashed a shot across goal when latching onto an 8th minute corner and Nani drove a shot fiercely from 35 meters that almost took Lopez by surprise in the opening exchanges.

Park's effort was deflected wide in the 24th and Darren Fletcher and Patrice Evra exchanged passing to release the South Korean midfielder.

Former Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires forced the first save out of Edwin van der Sar from a tight angle in the 29th, while his opposite number was at full stretch to parry a Carlos Tevez strike at goal.

Angel Lopez threw his body at Darren Fletcher's header from Wayne Rooney's cross. The England striker was more often provider from the flanks than poaching in front of goal.

Park thought he had won a penalty in the 36th after tumbling down from Joan Capdevilla's challenge.

Lacking spark and imagination in midfield, the match was crying out for Ronaldo, and the visitors nearly went ahead on the hour after Guille Franco had a backheel flick rebound off the post.

The crowd roared in delight as Ronaldo replaced Anderson in the 62nd.

It wasn't long before his trademark stepovers were gracing Old Trafford, although his first attempt on goal was scuffed and easily collected by Diego Lopez.

Ronaldo also started the move that nearly provided a breakthrough in the 72rd, with Wayne Rooney squaring to Tevez who beat Lopez only to be denied by captain Gonzalo Rodriguez's goal line clearance.

"We are a bit short in terms of the real sharpness and clinical finishing I expect from us, but more games will bring that on and we will improve," Ferguson said, already looking ahead to Sunday's Premier League match at Chelsea.