Real Madrid have backed off in their pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo after Manchester United threatened to report them to FIFA.

Real president Ramon Calderon said today they did not want to upset the European champions and they would not be taking their interest in the 23-year-old Portuguese winger any further.

"You can't buy what the owner doesn't want to sell," he said. "We have not interfered with United's contract agreement with Ronaldo.

"We're sorry United are annoyed with us because Real Madrid have nothing to do with that aspect. I want to assure United we are not going to influence any player to break a contract.

"We are not going to start a conflict. If a club doesn't want to sell a player, why would we insist that they do sell him?"

Ronaldo has promised to sort his future out next week before the start of Euro 2008 and it would now appear he will be at Old Trafford for at least one more season.