Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is confident of stopping Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo when his side take on Real Madrid in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semifinal. Pellegrini revealed that past exerience will aid him as he devises a plan to stop the free-scoring Portuguese superstar.
Speaking ahead of the UEFA Champions League semifinal clash between Real Madrid, the incumbent Manchester City manager revealed that he’s stopped Ronaldo in the past, saying “I knew all about him from playing Manchester United when I was at Villarreal.”
“We played them four times in the Champions League and each time it was 0-0, so defensively we must have been doing something right. It was not only Ronaldo we had to look out for either, because at that time United also had Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Ruud van Nistelrooy.“
Ronaldo was first managed by Pellegrini in Real Madrid, a season that ended with the Chilean’s sacking after going trophy-less. However he noted that Ronaldo’s staggering success at the Santiago Bernabeu has not surprised him, saying “Cristiano was signed before I arrived at Madrid, but I am not surprised how well he has done in Madrid.”
“Ronaldo was a very good player at that time but the fact is he left Manchester United at age 24. He was still to reach his peak and that is exactly what he has done in Madrid.”
Pellegrini names Ronaldo as the dangerman
Cristiano Ronaldo was left out of Real Madrid’s stunning comeback win away to Rayo Vallecano in La Liga, with Gareth Bale thriving in his absence, scoring the winner in a 3-2 win. The Portuguese is likely to be fit against Manchester City and Manuel Pellegrini is in no doubt about the threa he possesses.
When asked who he would pick from the Real Madrid squad, the Chilean was unequivocal in his answer, picking the Portuguese star, saying “Cristiano Ronaldo, without doubt. He is a fantastic player and makes an enormous difference to a game.”
The Real Madrid man has come in for some criticism, although he silenced critics with a sunning hat-trick against Wolfsburg in the Champions League. Pellegrini noted Ronaldo’s brilliance, saying "You can criticise him all you want but he is a true professional, a winner, a player who strives every day. Everyone would want him in their side."
