Ronaldo: I think Mourinho will stay

Posted Thursday, January 03, 2013 by YAHOO Sport

Cristiano Ronaldo believes coach Jose Mourinho will stay at Real Madrid.

The Portuguese boss has seen his future at the club shrouded in doubt of late, with a string of controversial decisions and a 16-point gap to Liga leaders Barcelona leaving his position weakened with los Blancos.

However, Ronaldo feels his compatriot is not about to quit Santiago Bernabeu, and insists he is the right man to lead the club forward.

When asked whether he thought Mourinho would leave, he told reporters at a press conference: "I do not know. It depends on his situation and the club. I would love him to stay because he is the right coach. He is a top coach for a top club. I think he is going to stay but everyone chooses their future."

Mourinho came under fire recently following his decision to drop club captain Iker Casillas for the defeat to Malaga, but Ronaldo the coach's decision is final.

"For me, in football, nothing surprises me," he contined. "His [Casillas'] replacement was a technical decision that we must respect. Here the coach is the boss and he makes decisions for the benefit of the group."

Ronaldo's own future has been the subject of speculation lately, with the player seemingly embroiled in a dispute over the extension of his contract, but the 27-year-old insists he is happy at the club and focused on winning trophies.

"That issue has already been spoken about. I will not talk any more about my renewal," he said. "The important thing is to win the next matches. We are fighting for La Liga, the Copa Del Rey and the Champions League. The important thing is being together.

He added, "Right now I feel more comfortable with the fans, not only in the Bernabeu, where I've always been comfortable, but outside. Give me a great Carin. And I feel those who are far away, and this makes me happy, and I intend to repay them in the best possible way, which is to play well, to give my best for the shirt and to be on top of my game to help Real Madrid."