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Rio Ferdinand
Flag day: Manchester United captain Rio Ferdinand enjoys the taste of victory - and his medal - after United's amazing shoot-out victory in Moscow last night

Evasive Ronaldo refuses to rule out a transfer to Spain

Ken Dyer, Football Correspondent, in Moscow
22 May 2008


Cristiano Ronaldo today cast a shadow over Manchester United's Champions League victory by refusing to commit his future to the club.

Just 12 months ago Ronaldo signed a new five-year contract, worth £120,000 a week to the Portugal winger. But reports from Spain suggest the 23-year-old could be close to agreeing a move to Real Madrid if United are prepared to negotiate.

Significantly, in the wake of last night's triumph over Chelsea, Ronaldo would not confirm that he will be at Old Trafford next season.

"I never promise anything," he said. "I don't promise anything to my mum and I don't promise anything to the supporters. I want to stay. But the future? No one knows."

It is rumoured that Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, met with Real Madrid sporting director Predrag Mijatovic just before the match in Moscow.

The player said: "Nobody spoke with me." But he added: "We will see in the next two weeks."

The only thing on Rio Ferdinand's mind, however, after lifting the Champions League trophy was not who was leaving or staying but that Manchester United missed out on the Treble. Last night's victory, which Ferdinand said was largely thanks to an inspirational team-talk from manager Sir Alex Ferguson, saw United add Europe's top prize to the Premier League title.

That sparked mass celebrations among a side who, had it not been for a 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final defeat to Portsmouth, could have emulated United's Treble-winning heroes of 1999.

"Nights like this are what you play football for," said an ecstatic Ferdinand. "Who would have thought that, when you were kids playing football on your estates, you would have an opportunity to play in and win a game like this. It's the stuff of dreams and we're lucky to be living that dream now.

"The manager's talk before the game was brilliant. He said this is the time you have to go out and try to become champions. The manager is the heartbeat of the club. We have to mirror his expectancy.

"The big regret, though, was that we didn't win the Treble, especially the way we lost in the FA Cup.

"But I suppose you can't have it all. We should have sewn the final up in the first half. Petr Cech made two superb saves. Then they hit us with a sucker punch and in the second half I suppose we rode our luck a bit."

Ferdinand admitted the pressure of playing in his first Champions League Final had got to him.

"I tried to sleep in the afternoon," said the England centre-half. "Normally I do, but this time I only got about 20 minutes and that tells you how big a game this is."

Ferdinand collected the trophy with Ryan Giggs, who played his 759th game for the club last night to break Sir Bobby Charlton's United appearance record.

"Ryan is Mr Manchester United," Ferdinand said. "The incredible thing is he came on and made an impact. He could have scored if John Terry hadn't headed off the line. He's not appreciated as much as he should be.

"To play that many games is unbelievable but that many for one club is unheard of."

Giggs, meanwhile, predicted a new era of European supremacy for United as he clutched a second Champions League winners' medal.

And the 34-year-old, victor in 1999, reckoned he would still be around for a little while to help make sure United's young breed don't take another nine years to rule Europe again.

"This team has got the potential, the players, and the experience of what it takes to win in Europe to do it again," said Giggs. "We've got everything in our favour. We've got to look to the future. And I want more nights like this."

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