• Ronaldo says he is confident he will win titles at Madrid
• Player gives his backing to coach Manuel Pellegrini
Cristiano Ronaldo has scored 26 goals in 28 La Liga games for Real Madrid this season. Photograph: Andres Kudacki/AP
Cristiano Ronaldo is satisfied with his first season at Real Madrid even though it looks destined to end trophyless. The 25-year-old has scored 26 goals in 28 La Liga games since moving to the Bernabéu from Manchester United for a world-record £80m last summer.
Madrid head into this weekend's final round of fixtures a point behind Barcelona. Manuel Pellegrini's side must win at Málaga and hope Barça fail to beat Real Valladolid at Camp Nou if they are to pip their rivals to the title.
Regardless of the outcome this weekend, though, Ronaldo is content with how things are progressing in the Spanish capital.
"I really enjoyed the season that I've done, but what's missing is winning a title," he said. "I'm very happy here in Madrid and my team-mates have helped me a lot, but the team has not won anything. We have to keep fighting and I am confident we will win many titles (in future)."
Of this term's final weekend, he added: "It's hard to win the league, but in football anything can happen. Mathematically it is possible. We have to win in Málaga and see what happens in Barcelona. We must have hope."
Ronaldo considers the Champions League exit - at the last-16 stage to Lyon in March - the biggest disappointment of his first 12 months in Spain.
"It was very bad, very difficult, but the circumstances must be taken into account," he told the Spanish television programme Punto Pelota. "We have new players, a team under construction, a different coach and we know that success does not come straight away - you have to slide a bit.
"I remember in my first two years at Manchester we did not win anything and we went on to win the Champions League."
One man who has not had to deal with Champions League elimination this season is the Internazionale coach José Mourinho, who will lead his team into the final against Bayern Munich at the Bernabéu on 22 May, and has been heavily linked with a summer move to Madrid. Ronaldo is impressed by Mourinho's coaching record but remains behind current boss Pellegrini.
"The successes speak for themselves," he said of his fellow Portuguese. "A person earning titles is a good person. Success does not come just like that. At the moment, Pellegrini fits more with me."
As for his own future, Ronaldo appears settled where he is but refused to categorically rule out a move when quizzed about the possibility of joining arch rivals Barça.
"Madrid is my home and Real Madrid my club, but you cannot say never," he said. "I do not know what will happen in the future. You never know, although I would like to retire in Madrid."
I hope that maybe next season will be better for him
Fast forward to the current year and leagues, I can say that he is at the peak of his career, both as a Real Madrid player and as Portuguese national player. But then, he also had also been trailing a road of bumps and shortcomings. Nevertheless, he's one of the best players I've seen in soccer so far. I could even compare him to a seasoned rugby league club player. (I watch both soccer and rugby).
Football and rugby leagues are nearing their respective finals. The games are going to be very intense, for sure!