'Healthy' Ronaldo set for comeback

MANCHESTER: Alex Ferguson is determined Manchester United will become the first club to defend its Champions League title, and what better time to reintroduce Cristiano Ronaldo after ankle surgery than for the start of the group stage.
It is likely the Portugal winger, who struck 42 goals last season, will make his highly anticipated return from July's ankle surgery against Villarreal tomorrow, Ferguson said .
It should help the Red Devils obliterate memories of Saturday's first Premiership loss at Liverpool in seven years.
"You have to recover, that's the name of the game," Ferguson said Sunday. "It's the Champions League and I think we are in a good group and I think we have a good chance of qualifying."
Striker Giuseppe Rossi has missed Villarreal's opening league games with a sprained left ankle and is doubtful for the return to Old Trafford.
Group E also includes the Celtic team from Ferguson's native Glasgow and Danish side Aalborg.
"The way I look at the Champions League is to get to 10 points," Ferguson said.
"If you get that you know you have qualified and you can look forward to February when it really starts to kick-in."
Twenty-four hours earlier, Chelsea, which was denied the European Cup on penalty kicks in May, hosts Bordeaux at the start of a long journey to the final at AS Roma's ground.
The Italians are also in Group A and meet Romanian Champions League newcomers CFR Clujnapoca. A Champions League triumph is top of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's priority list, and a second place wasn't enough to save former manager Avram Grant's job.
"For me, the Champions League is not more important than the Carling Cup," said new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, referring to England's second-tier knockout competition.
"It is important but it is not more important than a league game. We need to think game by game."

source : http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=229097&Sn=SPOR&IssueID=31180