With just a few days left before he returns to Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo has declared that Real Madrid has a better team than his former club.
The 27-year-old forward moved to Spain in 2009, for a world record £80 million bid from United, but will be hoping to eliminate the Red Devils in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. Despite falling 16 points behind Barcelona in La Liga, the Portuguese has insisted they have what it takes to defeat the English side.
“I believe things will go well. In my opinion Read Madrid have a better team, but we have to show that on the pitch because United are a very united team and always have been in recent years,” he told the official UEFA Champions League magazine.
“They’re a team that always do well, every year they’re at the top and therefore a team we respect a lot. It will be an extremely difficult match, especially in Manchester.”
He however admitted it will be an emotional return, to Old Trafford, where he spent six years of his career and added that he had a premonition he would face United.
“I actually said beforehand that I believed we would draw Manchester United,” he said. “I’ve wanted to face them for some time. I have great memories from my time there.
“It will be a match in which I will feel a lot. I was there for six years. I have a lot of friends there, people I will see with great pleasure, it will be a match with a lot of emotions.”
Ronaldo insisted he would not celebrate if he scores against United and reiterated his admiration for former boss, Sir Alex Ferguson.
He said: “He taught me the basis of football. I arrived in Manchester when I was only 18. He managed my career in the best possible way and for me he is one of the most important people in football.
“I still have an excellent relationship with him and it will be nice to see him again.”
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