Ronaldo: fans still love me

Winger could make his comeback tonight Despite transfer speculation Portuguese does not expect a backlash from the United fans Manchester United's sensational Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to make a surprise return to first-team action tonight in the European Champions League as he insisted that he does not fear a fans backlash following his attempts to join Real Madrid over the summer.

Ronaldo, who was voted the club's Player of the Year following United's success in winning the English Premier League and the Champions League last season, alienated many of the club's fans following a highly publicised on-off transfer saga. The winger stated his desire to join the Spanish giants but eventually changed his mind after United announced they would not sell him for a world record transfer fee reported to be £100million (Dh654m).

Ronaldo had been sidelined for two months following an ankle operation in July and was not expected to make a return to the United team until the end of October. However, following intense physiotherapy and training he is expected to play a part in tonight's match against Villarreal and also be involved in United's next Premier League match against fellow title challengers Chelsea. Further confirmation of Ronaldo's growing stature was provided over the weekend when he was awarded the Golden Boot for being the top scorer in European football on the Portuguese island of Madeira, where he was born.

When asked about a possible negative reaction from United fans at tonight's encounter at Old Trafford, Ronaldo said: "When I play again the fans will love me. When I put on that shirt, I give my all. I am already in the history of the club." Referring to the Golden Boot, which he received for scoring 31 goals in the Premier League, Ronaldo, aged 23, said: "With this I have changed football a little. Usually strikers win this award and I am a winger.

"I think I have been the most consistent and the best. And over time I want to enter the book of all-time greatest players." The Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson also confirmed Ronaldo's early return to the first team and said that he is likely to start tonight's match on the substitute bench. He said: "He has been making great strides in the direction towards first-team football. "Ronaldo is training now, he's with the first team and has come on leaps and bounds. I think we mentioned a couple of weeks ago he was making rapid progress."

vchaudhary@thenational.ae