‘Sir Alex Ferguson will be confident Man United can stop Cristiano Ronaldo’

Michael Owen says Sir Alex Ferguson will not fear facing Cristiano Ronaldo when Manchester United travel to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday.

The Portugal international scored a hat-trick in Madrid’s 4-1 victory over Sevilla in La Liga on Saturday, taking his tally to 24 goals in 22 league appearances this season.

Ferguson nurtured Ronaldo into a world-class player during the 28-year-old’s six-year spell at Old Trafford before United sold the forward to Los Blancos in a record £80m deal in 2009.

“I have never been managed by anyone that has got so much confidence and belief in his own team as Sir Alex Ferguson,” Owen told Sky Sports News.

“As much as he respects the opposition, he has so much confidence in his own team in how they attack and can score.

“I’ve never heard any team-talks from him saying we will man-to-man mark someone.

“Yes he [Ronaldo] is a potential danger, but they will be working more as a team in how they will stop him, doubling up in certain situations. But I would doubt they would man-to-man mark him.”

Although Owen feels Ronaldo will be the best player on the pitch at the Bernabeu, the former Red Devils striker is adamant Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are better than Madrid’s other stars.

“Ronaldo is the best players on the pitch, but United would have the second and third best players,” he added.

“If anyone is going to stop him it would have to be United who have had him on their books for many years and they will know his strengths and weaknesses.

“If anyone is going to stop him it is United, but on the flip side of that you have Rooney in form and Van Persie scoring freely.

“I think United could have the edge.”