Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is keen to face former club Manchester United next week, but insists sentiment won't cloud his desire to win.
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Los Blancos travel to Old Trafford on Tuesday in the first leg of their crunch UEFA Champions League last-16 tie.
The Red Devils have been in scintillating form in the Premier League this season and are nine points clear at the top of the standings with Robin van Persie leading the goalscoring charts.
Meanwhile, the La Liga champions are slowing but surely losing their grip on their crown to rivals Barcelona, but Ronaldo still feels pretty confident ahead of their European trip.
"I believe things will go well. In my opinion Read Madrid have a better team, but we have to show that on the pitch because United are a very united team and always have been in recent years," he said in the official Champions League magazine.
"They're a team that always do well, every year they're at the top and therefore a team we respect a lot. It will be an extremely difficult match, especially in Manchester."
Ronaldo announced himself to the world during his impressive six-year spell at United until his big-money move to the Bernabeu in 2009.
However, the 28-year-old admits he was hoping to face the 19-time English champions again as he is still respectfully fond of the club, and Sir Alex Ferguson in particular.
"I actually said beforehand that I believed we would draw Manchester United," the Portuguese ace said. "I've wanted to face them for some time. I have great memories from my time there.
"It will be a match in which I will feel a lot. I was there for six years. I have a lot of friends there, people I will see with great pleasure, it will be a match with a lot of emotions.
"He (Ferguson) taught me the basis of football. I arrived in Manchester when I was only 18. He managed my career in the best possible way and for me he is one of the most important people in football.
"I still have an excellent relationship with him and it will be nice to see him again."
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