Ronaldo v Shamrock Rovers

Highlights of the game showed Ronaldo feeding Higuain with a low cross from inside the eighteen yards box but the Argentine striker could not manage to deny the goalkeeper.

Ronaldo, who was placed wide on the right wing – his preferred position – had a good chance to put Real Madrid in front from a long range free-kick. However, the ball flew just wide.
He took another free-kick which ended in disappointment as his strike hit the wall.

After 45 minutes, Cristiano Ronaldo was substituted and despite failing to score at the expectations of many, Real Madrid went on to win with debutant Karim Benzema stealing the spotlights.

Speaking to the media after the match, Ronaldo said:

“I’m a bit tired because we have been training hard three times a day,”

“During the game, I felt a little overloaded, but I’m sure that… soon my performance will be much better.”

“I am in a spectacular team,”

“We played the ball well but the most important thing of this first game is that we won.

“I’m very happy at Real Madrid. It doesn’t matter to me where I play because all the positions are the same. What I want is to integrate into the team as quickly as possible.

“I believe the team have done well, but now we need to find our rhythm.”

(Watch the video highlights of Real Madrid’s match against Shamrock Rovers in the VIDEO GALLERY.)

Alex Ferguson misses Cristiano Ronaldo

Meanwhile, Alex Ferguson was also talking to the media yesterday and he revealed his regret at seeing Ronaldo leave Manchester United. The manager, who praised his former ace, said:

“His best is yet to come because he is just 24.

“I will be very proud when I see [him at his best] because we had a part to play in it. He came to the right club at the right part of his career.

“He could have gone to Real Madrid or Barcelona as a boy but he came to the right club and he appreciates that.

“And he may come back, you never know.”

“I don’t see it happening if things go wrong at Real Madrid necessarily, but he loved Manchester United so it may happen.

“He loved the club. If you look at the six years he had with us, he never missed training and he was never injured.

“He always played. He was fantastic.

“It wasn’t easy to see him leave. I had a good chat with the boy about it but he had made up his mind.

“Last year he was begging me to let him go but this year it was a sensible discussion.”

Manchester United will now have to defend their titles and challenge for more without the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo. Regarding this fact, Ferguson declared:

“It is a challenge for us because it won’t be the same without Ronaldo. He is the best player in this world of ours – by absolutely miles.

“He is streets ahead of Lionel Messi, streets ahead of Kaka. Look at his figures. They are unbelievable.

“The attempts he has had on goal, the attacks in the penalty box, his positions, his headers, his shots.”