Real move to diffuse United row over Ronaldo
Earlier this week, United threatened to report Madrid to FIFA over persistent comments emerging from the Spanish capital about their interest in the Portuguese talisman.
However Calderon – to whom quotes about Ronaldo have been attributed regularly over the last two years – has moved to calm United’s anger.
“You can’t buy what the owner doesn’t want to sell,” he said.
He added: “We have not interfered with Manchester United’s contract agreement with Cristiano Ronaldo.
“We’re sorry that Manchester United – a club with which we have an excellent relationship – is annoyed with us because Real Madrid have nothing to do with that aspect.
“I want to clear this up with him and assure him we are not going to influence any player to break a contractual relationship. We are not going to start a conflict.
“If a club doesn’t want to sell a player, why would we insist that they do sell him?”
Meanwhile the English FA will consider launching an appeal against an independent commission verdict that cleared Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and his assistant Carlos Queiroz of improper conduct.
The pair were charged in relation to comments made following United’s FA Cup defeat by Portsmouth on March 8.
Ferguson’s charge concerned comments about referee Martin Atkinson and referees’ chief Keith Hackett and Queiroz’s charge related to comments about Atkinson.
At an independent regulatory commission hearing on Wednesday the charges were found ‘not proved’.
The FA have confirmed they have the option to appeal – and rejected suggestions a transcription error led to the commission finding the pair not guilty.
The governing body will await receipt of the full judgment and ‘written reasons’ before considering further action.
As for suggestions their case failed because their belief Queiroz described Atkinson as a ‘robber’ proved to be incorrect, the FA insist the charge did not centre solely on that alleged comment. “The charges were brought on more than just the issue of the word ‘robber’,” said an FA spokesman.
“At any disciplinary hearing the FA, as the prosecutor, argues its case, as does the defence. The fact that the commission found the charge was not proved does not mean that the FA made any errors in putting the case together.
“The commission has to make a decision based on the applicable standards of proof, which is balance of probability.”
Speaking after Sulley Muntari’s penalty gave Pompey a shock victory at Old Trafford, Ferguson felt his side had earlier had a blatant spot-kick denied when Cristiano Ronaldo was blocked by Sylvain Distin.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous,” Ferguson said. “I cannot explain it. Managers get sacked because of things like that and he’s going to referee a game next week.” He added: “He (Hackett) is not doing his job properly and he needs to be assessed.
“I’m assessed as a manager, players are assessed, referees should be assessed properly by the right people. That performance today should not be accepted by our game.”
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