I have no problem with Ronaldo: van Nistelrooy

RUUD VAN NISTELROOY insists reports of a major rift with Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo are inaccurate.

When Alex Ferguson hinted the Dutch striker was undermining team spirit after he was turfed out of United’s team hotel prior to the final Premiership game against Charlton, speculation immediately surfaced about a training ground row between van Nistelrooy and Ronaldo, which is supposed to have left the young winger in tears.

Ronaldo has since rejected the claims and, as the duo prepare to meet for the first time since van Nistelrooy was cast into exile, the former PSV Eindhoven has added condemned the rumours too.

“There is no problem between Cristiano and me,” stated van Nistelrooy. “I know, he knows and everyone at United knows that. Nothing has happened between us at all. In fact, we both get along really well.”

Throughout the World Cup, van Nistelrooy has continually confirmed his intention to return to Manchester for pre-season training unless he is told otherwise.

Although Holland sauntered out of the so-called Group of Death to set up Sunday’s first knockout round meeting with Portugal in Nuremburg, van Nistelrooy contributed just a single goal to the Oranje effort.

“I expect more from a player of his standard,” said van Basten. “Ruud is training well but I just feel he needs to show a little bit more.”

Van Basten admitted his statement was partially an attempt to fire van Nistelrooy into life in the same way Ferguson has done on occasion down the years.

Meanwhile Portuguese coach Luis Felipe Scolari, speaking on the prospect of facing the Dutch, admitted: “This game is kill-kill.

“Much is decided in a match by the way you prepare for it from a psychological point of view. You need to focus the mind in anticipating what could happen. It is important to look at where you might make mistakes and try to eradicate them.”

Scolari uses psychologist Regina Brandao as a sounding board and phones her regularly in Brazil.

Sometimes that can be every day depending on whether he might have problems or issues to deal with surrounding the national squad.

He also phones a priest back in his home city of Sao Paulo — Padre Pedro — for spiritual advice. It is said that Scolari makes the sign of a cross and receives a blessing down the line.

From time to time he leaves motivational notes in the players’ rooms.

All of this makes the man touted for the England job a special character — and his team look a bit special too.

However, Scolari is aware of the threat Holland pose and he admires the progress they are making under van Basten.

“Van Basten deserves our congratulations for the great job he is doing,” he said. “Holland are very well organised and had a marvellous qualifying campaign. They are working well in this World Cup and know our characteristics.”