Ronaldo delay frustrates Valdano

Real Madrid chief Jorge Valdano has admitted that Ronaldo's non-appearance is creating problems for the club and the player.

The injury-plagued Brazilian is still waiting for his first appearance in a white shirt since moving from Inter Milan over a month ago. With him missing much of his last three seasons at Inter through injuries, tension is mounting at the Bernabeu.

Valdano said: "Every day that goes by without Ronaldo making his debut makes the climate of worry grow."

The 26-year-old will not be risked in Real's visit to AEK Athens, so he could finally make his first appearance against Alaves on Sunday.

And Valdano insists that Madrid have erred on the side of caution with the World Cup-winner.

"He had a slight muscular problem which stopped him training, but now he is fine and looking forward enormously to making his debut," said the sporting director.

"He hasn't played for two months and was nervous following the long negotiations that surrounded the move."

"All this created an atmosphere of tension which was reflected in his physical condition and we had to be cautious."

The player is reportedly at odds with his team-mates with Raul, among others, apparently opposed to the move.

However, Valdano insists that the former Barcelona man is in fact fitting in well at the Bernabeu.

"Ronaldo is a tribal animal, an animal for the dressing room and he has very warm relations with his companions," he said.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo was at the centre of an embarrassing mistake on his personal website yesterday.

The page shows him heading a ball in front of the statue of Neptune in Madrid - the traditional centre of celebrations for Real's rivals Atletico Madrid.

Real celebrate their triumphs 200 yards down the road in front of the statute of Cibeles, and his agent Alexandre Martins said: "He has asked for it to be changed."