Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Ronaldo says it's 'kill or be killed'

Cristiano Ronaldo says it is now "kill or be killed" in the Champions League as the remaining 16 elite teams enter the knock-out stages.

"From now on, all games are important," Ronaldo told uefa.com ahead of

Inter have won the Scudetto for the past three seasons and are on course to do so again, but Ronaldo thinks United have the edge after winning the European club competition last season.

"They're a team we need to respect," the Portugal winger said. "They're a team with very experienced players, but we also have our aces and great players. We have a more experienced team, we're the reigning champions. It will be a good game, a well-contested game."

Ronaldo says he wants to repeat the sensations he felt when United beat Chelsea in last season's final in Moscow, even though he missed a penalty in the shoot-out.

"I always had a great ambition to win the Champions League, because it isn't obtainable for every player. It was my first Champions League win, so the emotion was spectacular. I remember Edwin van der Sar saving Nicolas Anelka's penalty and, for me, it was like the earth stood still. It was a really brilliant sensation."