Real seek to defuse Man. United anger over Ronaldo

Real Madrid sought to appease Manchester United yesterday after the European champions threatened to report them to world soccer's governing body FIFA over their interest in Cristiano Ronaldo.

Real have made clear their admiration of Ronaldo in a number of public statements in recent weeks, whilst also acknowledging that the 23-year-old Portugal winger is a United player.

"We haven't done anything and we are not going to do anything that goes against the wishes of a club we regard as a friend like United. We have a magnificent relationship with them," Real president Ramon Calderon told reporters.

"We aren't going to start a conflict. If a club doesn't want to sell a player why would we insist they sell him? We know they aren't a selling club. It is a problem between the player and his team."

The English champions are determined to hold on to a player who scored 42 goals for United in the season just ended and was voted English Footballer of the Year for a second year running.

On Tuesday, United took the unusual step of issuing a club statement headlined: "United issue Real warning." In it, the club said they had watched with "growing irritation" the comments attributed to Real Madrid.

The statement continued: "The facts are that (1) The player is on a long-term contract and his registration is held by Manchester United. (2) The player is not for sale.

"The club will have no alternative but to report Real Madrid to the world governing body, FIFA, if it continues to behave in this totally unacceptable fashion.

"These public attempts to unsettle the player are completely against the regulations and the club will not tolerate them any longer."