Instead, the Manchester United winger sent his third-minute penalty wide, leaving the English champions with a 0-0 draw in front of a crowd of 98,000 at the Camp Nou on Wednesday in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.
Ronaldo's miss could haunt the two-time champion when its hosts Barcelona in the second leg on Tuesday at Old Trafford.
"I didn't score - no problem," Ronaldo said. "Now I'm going to score in Manchester."
Man United coach Alex Ferguson was hopeful the missed chance wouldn't hurt the two-time champion, which has been eliminated at this stage of the competition in seven of its nine showings.
"I hope not. But the game now starts at Old Trafford," Ferguson said. "It's now down to the deciding goal. The big bonus now is, if we win, we're through. And with the record at Old Trafford, the atmosphere, the fans - we have a good chance."
Barcelona, looking for its second European Cup title in three seasons, controlled play after the penalty, and both Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o had chances against the English leaders.
Eto'o put a shot into the side netting in the 53rd after Andres Iniesta had back-heeled Messi's pass to him on the right. Iniesta had a penalty appeal waved off in the 71st.
United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar got his hands up in the 83rd to deny substitute Thierry Henry's hard shot from the left, and the Netherlands goalkeeper stopped Henry's curling free kick from outside the area two minutes from the end.
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard was confident the two-time champions could score at Manchester.
"It won't be easy, but we're capable, we just need to maintain our strength and organization in midfield," the Dutchman said. "It's not a great result, but we'll have to intend to score and wait to see how they do. It won't be easy for them."
Ronaldo was United's one consistent threat and could have had another penalty in the 29th but referee Massimo Busacca waved play on. The Portugal winger had intercepted Iniesta's cross-field pass to move into the area but was knocked to the ground by Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez.
"I think he touched me, but the referee didn't give a penalty," Ronaldo said. "I don't know why. I don't understand."
Man United has won just once in 17 matches in Spain, and Ferguson was pleased not to add a 10th defeat to that tally.
"It was a pressured performance to do that," the Scot said. "Barcelona held possession for most of the games here. When you get this kind of result you have to look at the plus points - and there were some plus points."
Paul Scholes made his 100th appearance in the competition alongside Michael Carrick, who displaced England midfielder Owen Hargreaves at right back. Wes Brown partnered Rio Ferdinand at center back after Nemanja Vidic was left out of the lineup with a stomach infection.
"We went with Wes Brown and Hargreaves for their experience," Ferguson explained.
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard started Eto'o in front of a five-man midfield to stall United's attacking trio of Carlos Tevez, Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo.
Barcelona was without suspended captain Carles Puyol, and France striker Henry joined teenage forwards Bojan Krkic and Giovani Dos Santos on the bench.
Ronaldo had free kick from outside the area deflected out for the corner. That led to the play Milito handled for the penalty.
Eto'o moved Barcelona into Man United's area for the first time in the eighth minute but Tevez hustled back to clear the ball after initially losing it.
Deco, playing for the first time in two months, had trouble adjusting early and could only watch in the 11th when Iniesta's centering pass rolled behind him.
Barcelona, determined to avoid a second consecutive season without a trophy, had most of the possession in the first half.
"They played defensively pretty much and we had to hold out hope to put it through inside," Rijkaard said. "The most important thing is to continue creating chances."
The Catalans opened the second half as it left off with Zambrotta shooting over and Xavi Hernandez saved by Van der Sar.
Carrick made a neat run at the left in the 53rd to go clear with only Valdes to beat but fired into the side netting.
Krkic, the Champions League's only scorer born in the 1990s, came on for Messi in the 62nd.
Man United continued to frustrate Barcelona and the hosts couldn't find any space at the edge of the area for their slick passes to materialize. At the other end, the Red Devils looked helpless in possession, and Carrick sent a long ball out of play in the 70th.
"We didn't penetrate quick enough out of the central areas. We gave the ball away and at this level you have to go back and defend," Ferguson said. "Normally, we're better than that."
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