The Hindu : Criticism prevents me from settling at Madrid: Ronaldo

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, May 02, 2003

Sport

Sport - Football

Criticism prevents me from settling at Madrid: Ronaldo

MADRID MAY 1. Brazilian football superstar Ronaldo said that the criticism which has been a regular feature of his eight-month stint with Real Madrid had prevented him from settling in fully at the club.

``I'm almost completely integrated but there are things which I can't get used to,'' Ronaldo said in an interview with the leading sports daily Marca published on Wednesday, the day of Brazil's friendly with Mexico in Guadalajara.

The Brazilian cited his hattrick against Manchester United in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg as an example of the fickle attitude shown to him.

``When you score three goals in Manchester you are at the peak of your career and then if you fail the next day you are off-form and overweight,'' said Ronaldo, who arrived at Madrid from Inter Milan last September.

Despite scoring 21 goals and helping Madrid challenge for both the Champions League and the Spanish league, the striker has been accused of being overweight and lacking interest by Spain's press and Madrid supporters.

``I have always been able to tell in what condition I am and Real Madrid's training staff also know. If anyone thinks I'm fat, let them prove it. But up to now nobody has been able to prove the things they have said,'' FIFA's World Soccer Player of the Year said.

The 26-year-old, who made his debut for Madrid on Oct. 6 and scored twice in a 5-2 win over Alaves, said that those who had attacked him would eventually realise the falseness of their allegations.

``In the end, you always discover who's lying and who's telling the truth. That's why I don't think of revenge or vengeance,'' said Ronaldo, who helped Brazil win its fifth World Cup last June.

The Brazilian is set to spearhead Madrid's attack next Tuesday against Italian champion Juventus in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium. The return leg is in Turin on May 14.

``They're going to be two very difficult games. Juventus, and I said this three months ago, is the most complicated team we could have met in the Champions League. It's very ordered tactically and is complemented by very talented players''.

Madrid leads the Spanish league, four points clear of Deportivo de la Coruna and Real Sociedad, with seven rounds remaining. — AP

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