Real Madrid have a BETTER team than Man Utd: C. RONALDO.

  Portuguese play maker Cristiano Ronaldo has sensationally claimed that Real Madrid have a better team man-to-man, than his former club Manchester United, ahead of their champions League tie next week.

Ronaldo will face his former teammates for the first time since his record £80m move from Old Trafford in 2009.

Although the Spanish Champions are ranked third in La Liga, a whooping 16 points behind leaders Barcelona, while United have a nine point cushion at the top of the Premier league, Ronaldo is convinced his side have a greater pool of talent to emerge victorious in the two legged encounter.

"I believe things will go well. In my opinion Read Madrid have a better team, but we have to show that on the pitch because United are a very united team and always have been in recent years," he told the official UEFA Champions League magazine.

"They're a team that always does well, every year they're at the top and therefore a team we respect a lot. It will be an extremely difficult match, especially in Manchester."

Having spent six hugely successful years at old Trafford, Ronaldo admitted it would be an emotional occasion for him when he takes the pitch at the Santiago Barnabeu next week.

"I actually said beforehand that I believed we would draw Manchester United. I've wanted to face them for some time. I have great memories from my time there.

"It will be a match in which I will feel a lot. I was there for six years. I have a lot of friends there, people I will see with great pleasure, it will be a match with a lot of emotions."

Ronaldo also revealed that he will not celebrate if he scored due to the respect he holds for Sir Alex Ferguson.

"He taught me the basis of football. I arrived in Manchester when I was only 18. He managed my career in the best possible way and for me he is one of the most important people in football," he added.

"I still have an excellent relationship with him and it will be nice to see him again," he opined.