Cristiano Ronaldo will return to the club where he took his first steps towards superstardom when his Juventus side faces Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Champions League tomorrow night.
Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo moved to Manchester United as a preciously talented 18-year-old from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 and would score 118 goals for the Red Devils, winning three Premier League titles and the Champions League under the tutelage of Sir Alex Ferguson.
The Portugal international would leave Old Trafford for Real Madrid in a then world record transfer deal of £80 million in the summer of 2009 where he would go on to become Los Blancos all-time leading goal scorer, as well as winning another four Champions League titles.
Now 33-years-old and having joined Italian giants in a £88 million deal this summer, he has admitted it will be emotional returning to his old stomping ground tomorrow night and paid tribute to United’s fans and his former boss Sir Alex.
“It is emotional for me. I can remember I won lots here. Cups and leagues,” he told reporters at a pre-match press conference.
“The support was fantastic and my best possible wishes to Sir Alex Ferguson. He gave me a huge lift in my career.”
The last time Ronaldo played at Old Trafford was also in the Champions League during Sir Alex’s last season in charge of United in 2013, when he rather predictably scored as a Jose Mourinho managed Real Madrid side knocked the Red Devils out at the quarter-final stage.