Jorge Valdano

With the transfer window now closed, what is the situation with Ribery?
Ribery is a thing of the past and perhaps something for the future, but the present consists of the 24 players who make up the Real Madrid squad.

Will you launch an offensive for him during the winter market?
I don't think the winter market is for players of the stature of Ribery, but I do not know.

Robben insists he wasn't treated well by the club.
Robben was invited to leave Real Madrid when the preseason began. After playing in several matches his performances were brilliant.The coach believed he could be a good resource for certain situations, which didn't convince the player, who wanted a larger role on the team. We could not make that guarantee with the competition there is among some of the best players in the world. He brought the offer from Bayern Munich to the table and asked to leave.

Was his transfer necessary?
In the real world, when Cristiano Ronaldo joins a team a player of Robben's characteristics must leave. It is hard for two players of the same category to play on the same team; one as a starter and the other as a reserve. In this case, the salaries were impractical for the club. Even then, it wasn't us who made the first move. Robben offered us different options, especially speed. But if this team has gained anything with respect to the last one, it is speed, both individually and collectively.

In Sneijder's case, what pecularities were there with respect to Robben's?
The coach counted on Sneijder and told him that, but then two things happened. The arrival of Xabi Alonso and Granero and the preseason, during which the coach played with four forwards. We knew then that Sneijder's role would be very secondary.

What are your thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo?
He has so much media power that he generates strong prejudices. Ronaldo is an excellent professional who has marvelous natural ability and extraordinary ambition. This makes him very professional, which is one of the matters that worried the average Madridista. He lives for football. He is so sure of himself that he only settles for being the absolute best. Not the best of the match or of the team. The best in the world.

When he left in 2006, Florentino Perez said his decision was due in large part to his excessively close relationship to the players. How do you see it three years later?
He thought it was a problem then. He now sees things from a different level; a higher one than before. That distance makes him good at what he does. We had an excellent team during my last year as Sporting Director. Now we have an excellent squad.