Manchester United v Chelsea

May 18 2008 By Mark Guidi

CRISTIANO RONALDO has hit back at the snipers who claim he often fails to perform on the big stage.

The Spanish press branded the Manchester United superstar a big-game flop after his displays in both legs of the Champions League semi-final with Barcelona last month.

Although United eventually won the tie 1-0 Ronaldo missed a vital penalty in Spain and was outshone in both games by the Catalan club's talismanic Argentine star Lionel Messi.

But Ronaldo insists he usually produces the goods in top matches and will prove his critics wrong in the Champions League Final on Wednesday night in Moscow.

He said: "I do not play well enough in the big games? I do not agree with that criticism.

"When I look at the games this season it is clear I have scored against Arsenal and Liverpool. I have also set up goals in the big ones.

"I have also won every award this season from the fans, my fellow professionals and the football writers. So I don't think I need to show anything to anyone.

"I am the best at what I do and that is why I'm not angry about the criticism.

"We have a Champions League Final coming up against Chelsea and I'm ready to play well in that game.

"I'm in this final to finish with a medal. I'm excited about the game. It will be a special moment."

Wednesday night will bring down the curtain on a fine season for Ronaldo.

But the next campaign will be even tougher and the 23-year-old knows he has heaped more pressure on himself because of his goalscoring heroics.

He said: "I scored 23 goals last season and in the summer the boys said I wouldn't beat that total.

"Well, I have scored 41. But I know if I only get 20 or 30 next season then I will be criticised. That is just the way it is at a big club when the spotlight is always on you.

"It will be hard to score as many goals again but I'll keep working to improve my game. I feel there is more to come and I am learning all the time.

"The day I believe I have achieved it all is the day problems will start."

Regardless of what happens he can count on the total support of his gaffer Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ferguson stood by Ronaldo in the summer of 2006 after the infamous incident with Wayne Rooney during the World Cup in Germany with England fans blaming the Portuguese star for getting his club team-mate sent off in the fiery quarter-final clash.

Ronaldo was public enemy No.1 in England for several months but Ferguson stood by the player and sheltered him from the fans' backlash.

Ronaldo will always be grateful for the manager's stance and said: "The boss is the reason I'm here. He is my manager and my friend.

"He has been good to me and I hope I have repaid him. I want to keep paying him back.

"But we have good people all over this club. I feel at home here. I am happy here."

Real Madrid are expected to see just how happy this summer when they lodge a bid in excess of £100million to try to take him to the Bernabeu.

Real are desperate to sign him and Ronaldo said: "I think I will be at United next year but you just never know what might happen.

"This is a fantastic club but I will speak more about next season when the European Championship Finals are over and I have had my holidays."