Ronaldo: I’ll be a Red next season
Much like last year, Ronaldo’s future is constantly under the spotlight and Real Madrid have again been linked with a move for the Portugal international.
United are adamant he is not for sale but if Florentino Perez wins the Madrid presidential elections he is likely to make signing the world player of the year his number one priority.
However, Ronaldo claims Perez’s efforts would be futile.
“At the moment, I’m only thinking about the (Champions League) final independently of what will happen to me or my team-mates next season,” he said yesterday.
“I’m sure Perez would create an incredible team at Madrid but at the moment I’m at United and I don’t care about what happens there.
“I only care about what will happen next season at Manchester United.”
United face Madrid’s bitter rivals Barcelona in Wednesday’s Champions League final.
Alex Ferguson’s team are looking to become the first side to retain the trophy since the European Cup was rebranded as the Champions League in 1992, something Ronaldo admits will be a tricky test.
“It will be very difficult to do it again, because Barcelona have a good team, great players and a great coach,” he added. “The two teams are very good, they play very well and they have dream squads.”
Both teams have had great seasons. Barcelona are on course for the treble while United are looking to add to the World Club Championship, Carling Cup and Barclays Premier League trophies they have already lifted this season.
Ronaldo is relishing the clash but insists it should not be billed as a personal duel between him and Barca star Lionel Messi.
“It’s a battle of teams,” he said. “Without my team I won’t win and neither will Messi without his team-mates.
“It’s clear that we are the two best teams in Europe. Not only because we are in the final but also because of the football we have played this season and for the trophies we have won.
“It will be the match every fan dreamed about.”
Meanwhile Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta is “convinced” he will be fully fit for Wednesday’s final.
Iniesta, who has had a stunning season for the newly-crowned Primera Division champions, tore a thigh muscle in Barca’s 3-3 draw with Villarreal, and there were initial fears he would miss the final in Rome.
However, the inspirational midfielder is adamant he will be at his best in Rome’s Stadio Olimpico.
“There’s only one week left for the final match in Rome,” he wrote on his official blog, www.andresiniesta.es.
“I write just to inform all of you that my injury is on the right road, since I injured myself against Villarreal, in the last match in the Nou Camp, I have tried to put everything into recovering and managing to be at 100% for next Wednesday.
“Today I can say that for the past two days I’ve already been doing work in the mountain with Emili Ricard, my physiotherapist, to strengthen my muscles and I’m getting fitter.
“The truth is that it is incredible training and I hope shortly to be able to begin to run and to touch the ball.
“I am convinced that I will arrive in Rome at my best to be able to help the team. It is my greatest desire.”
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is honoured to squaring up to Ferguson in a match he describes as the most important of his life.
The former Barca captain has enjoyed incredible success in his first season as coach, having already led the Catalans to a league and cup double in Spain.
Barcelona are now only 90 minutes away from achieving a historic treble of Primera Division, Copa del Rey and Champions League titles in the same season, something that has never been achieved before.
And Guardiola joked that, if they do so, he should retire.
“If we win, I’ll go home and finish my career, it will have been a big, big success,” he said yesterday.
But the Barca coach is thrilled to be sharing European football’s biggest stage with Ferguson and is hoping to learn from the Manchester United manager.
“I have a lot of respect for him, I’m so proud for us to be here and come up against his team,” Guardiola continued.
“His career is amazing – he has won trophies and had to build a new team, and then won again and again.
“I will try to learn from him – it’s a proud moment for me to be there playing against him and a huge team like Manchester United.”
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