Manchester United must not obsess themselves with trying to stop Cristiano Ronaldo when he returns to Old Trafford with Real Madrid on Tuesday, manager Alex Ferguson has warned.
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Ronaldo spent six seasons with United after signing from Sporting Lisbon, scoring 117 goals in 290 games and blossoming into one of the finest players in world football before leaving to join Madrid in the 2009 close-season.
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Since arriving in the Spanish capital he has become even more prolific, finding the net 185 times in 184 games, but Ferguson says the second leg of the Champions League last 16 tie will not be decided by Ronaldo alone.
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Asked if he was concerned about Madrid's No 7 drawing inspiration from the reception he receives at Old Trafford, the United manager quipped: "The biggest concern is if he turns up!
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"You know what to expect against a team with Ronaldo in and we have to try and curtail that. It won't be easy because he does it every week. It's not an accident with the lad.
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"The experience Rafael (da Silva) had in the first leg will hopefully help him because he'll be given the same task again.
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"We can't go in worrying about the damage he might do to us, because we might forget about the damage we can do ourselves."
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It is 10 years since another famous Ronaldo, the great Brazilian striker, came to Old Trafford with Real Madrid and produced a performance that condemned United to elimination from the Champions League.
That is a very useful advise Fergie is passing on to the players. They have to play against the whole Real Madrid players not just Christiano Ronaldo.