Ronaldo admits admiration for Arsenal ace Henry

Real Madrid star Ronaldo has admitted his admiration for Arsenal captain Thierry Henry.

The personal doubts surrounding two of football's most flamboyant stars adds extra spice to the Champions League last-16 first-leg showdown in Spain.
 
Yet if Ronaldo has major concerns about his own fans, he is certain in his admiration for Arsenal's talismanic Frenchman.

Ronaldo, 29, said: "Henry is in the same position as me - he has nothing to prove to anyone. His record speaks for itself."

"When people talk about the players they want to watch, the players who give football that extra meaning, then Henry is right at the top of the list."

"He has been scoring goals - and scoring great goals - for a number of years now. But his greatest asset is his pace. When he is running at speed with the ball at his feet, there is no one to compare to him."

"We will have to keep a very close watch on him. Yes, Arsenal may be having a few problems but great players like Henry never lose the ability to change the course of a game in a couple of seconds."

"But we have to be careful how we look at this match. In the end, it is Madrid against Arsenal - not Ronnie versus Henry."

"Neither of us has ever won the Champions League. I am 29, have been a professional for 15 years and won practically everything else."

"But my job against Arsenal is to be part of a big team performance that sees us taking the next step towards the final."