UK Football

Ferguson slams Real over Ronaldo speculation

15:03 BST, Fri 23 May 2008
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Manchester United's manager Sir Alex Ferguson reacts during their UEFA Champions League final soccer match against Chelsea at the Luzhniki stadium in Moscow May 21, 2008.     REUTERS/Darren Staples (RUSSIA)

By Jeremy Butler

MANCHESTER, England, May 23 (Reuters) - Alex Ferguson told Real Madrid on Friday that Manchester United would not be bullied into selling Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ferguson's comments came as Ronaldo, who scored in United's Champions League final win over Chelsea, spoke to reporters in Lisbon to deny media speculation he had agreed to join Real and to say there could be news on his future in two weeks.

"Real Madrid are not the only club interested in Ronaldo, but other clubs are not saying so," Ferguson told reporters.

"Do you not think we've not had interest from big clubs around Europe about our best players? Of course, we have. But they don't get into the nonsense (Real) get into.

"They think they can ride rough-shod over everyone, but they won't do it with us. We only sold them Ruud van Nistelrooy (in 2006) and David Beckham (2003) because we wanted to."

Ronaldo, speaking at Lisbon airport, said: "Right now my mind is set on the European Championship. My future will be discussed during the next two weeks, we'll see."

He denied media reports that he had accepted an invitation to move to Real Madrid, saying: "It's a lie. Right now I have nothing. I have a contract with Manchester."

Ronaldo prompted speculation on his future by sending mixed messages after Wednesday's Champions League final victory.

"I don't promise nothing. I don't promise nothing to my mum, I don't promise nothing to supporters," he told Radio 5 Live.

"I want to stay but the future - no-one knows. I want to stay. We are going to see in the next two weeks, I don't say I make a decision."

Ronaldo was on his way to join Luiz Felipe Scolari's Portugal squad preparing for next month's Euro 2008 tournament.

"It would be amazing to win the Euro, but we have to look at one match at a time. The first match is crucial," he said.

"Now the group will be together in Viseu and then in Switzerland, we have all it takes to create a great team and from then on all will be easier."

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