EUROPEAN ‘Ronaldo to be with Real for next 2-3 years’
Los Angeles, Jul 23: Cristiano Ronaldo will remain a Real Madrid player for “the next 2-3 years”, coach Zinedine Zidane said Saturday, ending talk the Bernabeu superstar might depart for Manchester United.
On the eve of Real’s preseason friendly against United at Santa Clara, California, Zidane spoke in Los Angeles about the 32-year-old Portuguese forward who is currently on vacation.
“There has been a lot of talk surrounding Cristiano, that he wanted to go,” Zidane acknowledged. “I only believe in one thing — whenever I’ve spoken to him, he has been very relaxed.
“He’s on holiday and he will be back with us on the fifth (of August). I listen, just like everyone else, but the only thing I am concerned with is what he wants to do with Real Madrid.
“He’ll be here with us on the fifth and I think he’ll stay for the next 2 or 3 years he’s got left with us.”
Real will also play US tune-up matches on Wednesday against Manchester City at Los Angeles and next Saturday against bitter rivals Barcelona in Miami before next month’s scheduled return for Ronaldo.
“He’s on a very welldeserved holiday after the year we’ve had,” Zidane said. “He has to come back in and we’ll look at when he will get some playing time. I’m sure he’ll be ready in no time.”
After Real’s title runs in La Liga and for a second consecutive year in the Champions League, Zidane is confident his club will be ready when the time comes to defend those crowns.
“We know what we achieved was incredible and now there are trophies to be played for and we’re preparing for that in the best possible fashion,” he said.