Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 7y

Cristiano Ronaldo hails Thomas Tuchel and Borussia Dortmund fans

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo has heaped praise on Borussia Dortmund and coach Thomas Tuchel, adding in 11 Freunde: "The fans are crazy."

Ronaldo, 31, has played Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund six times in the last four years, as well as spending one Champions League game at the Westfalenstadion on the bench with minor knee problems.

Although the Portugal international scored in all of his three games at the stadium, Madrid were unable to record a win and it was only in September that they managed their first draw at Dortmund since the turn of the century.

"Dortmund have a fantastic team. Whenever we have to go to Dortmund we know that we'll have a hard time there," Ronaldo told the German football magazine. "The stadium is incredible and the fans are crazy."

The Real Madrid forward also praised BVB's current coach Thomas Tuchel, who in recent weeks has been linked with Madrid by Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Ronaldo said: "Borussia Dortmund not only have a very good team and great fans, but also a very good coach in Thomas Tuchel. They are just hard to beat."

Madrid host Dortmund at the Bernabeu on Dec. 7 in what could be a decisive game in Group F, with the Bundesliga side currently holding a two-point lead over the reigning European champions.

While they have been unable to beat Dortmund away from home, Los Blancos have recorded two straight wins in their last two meetings at the Bernabeu, and also managed a 2-2 draw during the group stage in 2012.

Ronaldo was also asked whether Dortmund have replaced Bayern Munich as Madrid's bogey team. Bayern had been feared as Madrid's Bestia Negra ("Black Beast") but their aura appears to have faded in the Spanish capital after their 4-0 victory at the Allianz Arena in the 2013-14 Champions League semifinals.

Ronaldo remained diplomatic, though, saying: "I can't see a huge difference in the quality of both sides, but Dortmund's team is much younger and moreover Bayern have a bigger squad. That gives them the opportunity to pace themselves better over the season."

Ronaldo also refused to name a player from either Bayern or Dortmund who could make Real better, arguing that because the Bundesliga sides are "two of the best teams in the world and therefore also have the best players," it would be unfair to single out a player.

"Maybe my national team teammate [and Dortmund player] Raphael Guerreiro," he added.

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