Alex Ferguson Warns Cristiano Ronaldo He Will Win Less at the Bernabéu
Cristiano Ronaldo will win more trophies at United than Real Madrid, Sir Alex Ferguson has warned
Sir Alex Ferguson has confronted the possibility of Cristiano Ronaldo getting his "dream" move to Real Madrid by insisting that the world footballer of the year can win more trophies by staying at Manchester United.
Madrid have already put in place a provisional deal with the player's advisers but Ferguson said Ronaldo should also consider that the Spanish club seem to be on the wane. "After Barcelona battered Real Madrid 6-2 our players were telling Cristiano that, if he goes to the Bernabéu, he'll have to play center-half," said the United manager.
Ronaldo was given the opportunity to commit himself to United publicly after Saturday's game but was ambiguous when asked about his future. "It's brilliant, the atmosphere here is unbelievable, the supporters screaming, singing songs, it's amazing. But the future, you never know."
Ferguson, nonetheless, says there are no signs that the Portuguese international is unhappy in Manchester. "The indications I'm getting from the dressing room are that the other players don't feel he's behaving as if he's discontented. He seems to be happy in his game and to know that he is at the right club. Obviously you can't stop people pressing him with offers but we have handled that the best way we can. His contract with us runs until 2012 and we are in the driving seat."
Madrid were humiliated by Barcelona in La Liga and suffered the embarrassment of a 5-0 aggregate defeat by Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals, fulfilling Ferguson's prediction that they were "too slow" to win the European Cup.
The message from Ferguson is that Ronaldo can be more successful if he remains at Old Trafford and United's chief executive, David Gill, struck a similar theme.
"In the dressing room after the [Arsenal] game we had the [Premier League] trophy and any footballer would recognise that, in the short to medium term, he would have more chance of winning things at Manchester United than at Real Madrid," said Gill.
Manchester United have opted not to ask the Premier League to give them an extra League winner's medal for Federico Macheda. The rules say that players have to be involved in at least 10 games but United could have asked the league to take into account the 17-year-old's winning goals against Aston Villa and Sunderland.
Madrid have already put in place a provisional deal with the player's advisers but Ferguson said Ronaldo should also consider that the Spanish club seem to be on the wane. "After Barcelona battered Real Madrid 6-2 our players were telling Cristiano that, if he goes to the Bernabéu, he'll have to play center-half," said the United manager.
Ronaldo was given the opportunity to commit himself to United publicly after Saturday's game but was ambiguous when asked about his future. "It's brilliant, the atmosphere here is unbelievable, the supporters screaming, singing songs, it's amazing. But the future, you never know."
Ferguson, nonetheless, says there are no signs that the Portuguese international is unhappy in Manchester. "The indications I'm getting from the dressing room are that the other players don't feel he's behaving as if he's discontented. He seems to be happy in his game and to know that he is at the right club. Obviously you can't stop people pressing him with offers but we have handled that the best way we can. His contract with us runs until 2012 and we are in the driving seat."
Madrid were humiliated by Barcelona in La Liga and suffered the embarrassment of a 5-0 aggregate defeat by Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals, fulfilling Ferguson's prediction that they were "too slow" to win the European Cup.
The message from Ferguson is that Ronaldo can be more successful if he remains at Old Trafford and United's chief executive, David Gill, struck a similar theme.
"In the dressing room after the [Arsenal] game we had the [Premier League] trophy and any footballer would recognise that, in the short to medium term, he would have more chance of winning things at Manchester United than at Real Madrid," said Gill.
Manchester United have opted not to ask the Premier League to give them an extra League winner's medal for Federico Macheda. The rules say that players have to be involved in at least 10 games but United could have asked the league to take into account the 17-year-old's winning goals against Aston Villa and Sunderland.
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