Real Madrid director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueno has paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo after Los Blancos booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

The Spanish outfit lost 4-3 at home to Schalke 04 in the second leg of their last-16 clash, but squeezed into the next round 5-4 on aggregate.

Ronaldo scored twice at the Bernabeu on Tuesday and Butragueno has branded the Portuguese 'the club's saviour'.

"We suffered a lot, it was closer than any of us expected it to be," the club director told TVE. "We played poorly, they were the better team and it cost us.

"If it wasn't for Ronaldo's goals in the first half we'd be out. It was him who saved us. It is abnormal for Madrid to concede four goals in a Champions League match, but these are problems we have to overcome."

Real Madrid are without a win in their last three games in all competitions.