THE GUARDIAN
Sir Alex Ferguson's unerring belief that Cristiano Ronaldo is "the best player in the world" was given further credence last night when the Portuguese winger scored with a sublime free-kick to confirm Manchester United as winners of Group F in the Champions League.
"It was a marvellous strike," said a relieved Ferguson after watching his team come from behind to win 2-1 against Sporting Lisbon, Ronaldo's former club. The winning goal came two minutes into stoppage time and Ferguson, notoriously reluctant to single out individual players for special acclaim, could not help but eulogise about the reigning footballer of the year.
The splendour of Ronaldo's goal did not, however, conceal the fact that United had produced a performance that for long spells must have dismayed their manager. Sporting, with only one away win in Europe's premier club competition since 1970, led 1-0 at half-time, as well as having a goal dubiously ruled out for offside, and Ferguson had strong words with his players to inspire a second-half revival.
"We marginally won," he said, sounding not altogether impressed with the performance. "I don't think we were a great deal better than them but we certainly increased our game in the second half, with more speed and more tempo, and I think we might have edged it narrowly."
The victory spares United from a match of great consequence when they visit the Stadio Olimpico to play Roma on December 12. Ferguson's men play Liverpool four days later and he intends to rest his most important players from the trip to Italy.
"It's important [to finish top] in the sense that when we go to Rome I can look at using all my squad players," he said. "One or two won't even travel because of the importance of the Liverpool game."
A satisfying night for Ferguson got even better when Sporting's coach, Paulo Bento, declared that the club would be willing to negotiate with United for the transfer of Miguel Veloso, who demonstrated his ability with an accomplished performance. "I'm sure we are going to lose him," said Bento. "Why do I say that? Because of the quality of the teams who are wanting to sign him."
THE INDIE
Of course, it had to be Cristiano Ronaldo's night. The Portuguese is currently in the form of his life and the piece of genius which delivered his side into the second round of the Champions League as group winners last night was one for his old side to remember him by: a vicious, dipping 30-yard free-kick which clinched this tie four minutes into injury time.
The free-kick which led to the strike was a soft one - Anderson did not seem to have been fouled by Liedson - but it would be churlish to dwell on that. The winger's blue boots fashioned all that was good about United before and after a half-time transformation which, with Carlos Tevez and Ryan Giggs arriving from the bench, turned a languid side into a captivating one.
Just as in Lisbon in September, Ronaldo did not make a meal of the kind of strike which keeps him as joint top scorer in this tournament with five goals. But the shrug of his shoulder, outstretched arms and his manager's barely concealed grin said everything. "Fabulous" was how the winger later described it. Not modest. But accurate.
Sir Alex Ferguson already had his eyes on the ramifications this win will have on his team's league campaign, last night. He will rest several players for United's concluding group game in Rome on 12 December, with Anfield beckoning four days later. "One or two players won't travel," said Ferguson.
The manager had had more of a hand than usual in affecting the course of an evening which ended in what he described a "marginal" win. For 45 minutes, his team struggled for fluency and a frustratingly indifferent Louis Saha was a shadow of Wayne Rooney who, Ferguson revealed, will be back to play Fulham here next Monday evening.
Then came some kind of half-time conversation from the manager, followed by Giggs and Tevez in place of Darren Fletcher and Nani. Ferguson, on his feet for much of the second half and out on the pitch with instructions for Patrice Evra, clearly wanted to win this group more than even he had suggested.
The impact was immediate. Tevez glided past Marat Ismalov, who was booked for upending him and only some stout defending from Marian Had prevented Ronaldo scampering through on to Tevez's pass. Michael Carrick began supplying from the deep; Giggs, who is 34 tomorrow, offered purpose; Tevez terrorised.
THE TIMES
On scoring the goal that defeated Sporting Lisbon on his return to the Estádio José Alvalade in September, Cristiano Ronaldo suppressed his instinctive glee and bowed respectfully to the supporters who saw him take the first steps in his professional career. Back in his Old Trafford realm last night, having eliminated them from the Champions League with a spectacular stoppage-time free kick, he did what came naturally, offering a self-satisfied shrug that told his former team-mates it was nothing personal, just a genius going about his business.
It was a moment that evoked memories of two of Ronaldo's predecessors in the Manchester United No 7 shirt. If the execution was worthy of David Beckham, the celebration was pure Eric Cantona. Like them, Ronaldo exhibits a sense of theatre in the way he composes himself, inviting the gaze of the entire crowd before stepping forward to strike a free kick. When he misses, it can look preposterous, but when he is on target, it is tempting to wonder whether there is a more devastating talent in football.
Ronaldo is not perfect. Here, as has often been the case this season, his performance was punctuated by moments of self-indulgence, but it will always be thus with a player whose first instinct is often to showcase his talent.
What has changed since he left Sporting as an 18-year-old in 2003 is his end-product. Even if he is not performing with the consistency he showed last season, this was his eleventh goal of the campaign and his ninth in his past eight matches. It was also his fifth of the season in the Champions League.