Sir Alex Ferguson has reaffirmed his belief that Cristiano Ronaldo will be at Manchester United next season, offering to put a "big bet" on tomorrow's Champions League final not being Cristiano Ronaldo's last game for the club.
Ronaldo has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer, despite having signed a new five-year contract at United last April. United officials have repeatedly insisted that Ronaldo will not be allowed to leave, and Ferguson was clearly frustrated at being asked yet again about the player's future by a Spanish journalist this afternoon.
"You get some idiots in this place don't you," said Ferguson when asked if Ronaldo would be sold to Madrid. "If you want to have a bet on it, I'll put a big bet on with you."
Ferguson acknowledged that United's record in European competition is not as good as might be expected for a club of their size. The club have won the competition only twice, a record dwarfed by, among others, Real Madrid's nine European Cups and Liverpool's five.
"There is a weakness in the European trophies we've won and I hope we can go some way to making that better tomorrow night," said Ferguson. "We have had 10 days' good preparation, it has helped staff more than the players, it's a long season and we all feel the strains and stresses of it. It's given the players the opportunity to do some serious work on the training field and we're in our best shape for this game against Chelsea."
United defenders Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown insist the domestic meetings between the sides - one home win apiece - will have no bearing on the match tomorrow. Ferdinand said: "Form goes out the window, on the day it's who performs. Brown added: "In the league we both won once, but this is a cup final. We know the players, it's a one-off match and we will definitely be prepared to beat them."
Ferguson, who felt there would be no problems with the relaid pitch, admitted that selecting his side - particularly his substitutes - was proving no easy task. "I will tell the players tomorrow afternoon," he continued. "It is not easy, but I have got a team in mind. I think it is the right team."
Ferguson, who confirmed that Nemanja Vidic would be fit to play, believes he will have a stronger bench available than he did for last season's FA Cup final, when his side were beaten by Chelsea at Wembley. "I think that is the main difference from the FA Cup final last year," he said. "I think with seven substitutes you hope at least three will have an impact.
"With three out of the seven, the ones you make have to have an impact. I have to give a lot of consideration to the players on the bench. I wish it was 11 substitutes, it would make my job easier."
On his own feelings ahead of the match, Ferguson added: "It is not as though it is my first final, it is my fourth European final. The one person who should not be nervous is myself. I have got to use my experience and composure to hopefully help everyone else."
