Cristiano Ronaldo: “It was a special day as we won and I could show the Ballon d’Or to the fans”

“We are in a good patch, I feel good and I want to carry on like this until the end of the season”, added the Real Madrid forward

Real Madrid won at Granada’s ground in a very special match for Cristiano Ronaldo, who celebrated with the fans the Ballon d’Or which he won on 13 January in Zurich. “It was a very special day. Because of everything that has happened and because I could show the Ballon d’Or to the fans. Throughout the year they have really helped to win it. It was a great afternoon and we also won. We will have a good night as leaders and tomorrow we will see what the other teams do,” he said. He also talked about the team’s good run of form: “We are in a good patch. We are playing well, I am playing well and I want to carry on like this until the end of the season”.

On the matter of celebrating the prize and the first photo which included Agustín Herrerín, the ground manager, he said: “Agustín is a gentleman who has been at Madrid for many years and for me it is an honour to have my photo taken with him. He was a little bit embarrassed. It was a nice moment. The Ballon d’Or is not just mine. It belongs to all the fans and everyone who has supported the team throughout the year. It was something Agustín really deserved, who is one of the family and who also symbolizes the dedication of the trophy to everyone who works at the club for having won the Ballon d’Or”.

The forward scored the first goal of the match, and said: “It was an important goal. It opened the scoring and calmed us down”. On the question of the overhead kick which ended the first half and nearly led to a goal he said: “It was bad luck. The keeper was just where the ball went. If he was a little bit further out he would not have seen the ball. But these things happen. It could have been one of the best goals of my career but I scored another and so it does not matter. I am happy”. On the matter of the move which led to the goal and the Granada player who was down injured he said: “I don’t know what happened. I was celebrating the goal. I didn’t realise, I didn’t see anything”.

The team has a perfect record in 2014 with seven wins in seven matches and has not conceded a single goal: "We are playing well, and we feel confident. We have to improve in some areas, but it was a great match. The team looks good; we are getting better all the time. Towards the end of the season I am convinced that things will keep getting better”.

On the subject of Falcao’s injury he said: “It is bad news for the world of football. He is a friend and I am sad for him. I am sure that things will go well for him. He has been operated on by great Portuguese doctor and I am sure that he will recover sooner”. Finally, he spoke about the change of president at Barcelona: “I don’t have anything to say about that. I only care about what is happening at my club. Other people’s clubs don’t matter to me”.