* This article was written before the 2nd leg of the Utd - Roma.
Gianfranco Zola has shot down suggestions Cristiano Ronaldo is on the same level as Francesco Totti. “Totti deserved more respect.”
The Champions League quarter-final with Manchester United was painted as a duel between the two talented stars, but Zola insists there is simply no competition. “If you could mix the characteristics of the two, then you would come up with the ideal player,” he told ‘Il Romanista’.
“But the Portuguese international does not have the tactical intelligence and vision of Francesco. Besides, he is still in his first real year of confirming his qualities. "For me Ronaldo remains a man who belongs on the flank and has great potential, but he does not possess Francesco’s instinct for goal.”
The Giallorossi were seen as the underdogs in this competition, but have defeated Olympique Lyonnais and won the first leg 2-1 against Manchester United. “Everyone must respect Roma,” continued Zola, who is now working with the Italian Under-21 squad.
“They proved that this team can play on a par with any side in the world. Sir Alex Ferguson certainly did not expect to find Roma so strong and on form, so he was surprised.” The second leg is on British soil on Tuesday evening, but Simone Perrotta and Paul Scholes are suspended.
“Qualification is still open and I’d say they both have a 50 per cent chance of getting through. Manchester are always strong at Old Trafford, because they prefer to go on the attack,” added the ex-Chelsea hero. “This is a good Manchester United line-up, but the side that won everything in my day was stronger.”
The Italians have been surprised by the negative Press reaction to the Stadio Olimpico crowd trouble, in which the police were accused of being heavy-handed. “The English media is always aggressive,” noted Zola. “But when it comes to admitting mistakes, they hit hard too. They don’t pull punches with anyone.”
Subject: Zola: Cristiano Ronaldo's no Totti ! 
Wed Apr 11, 2007 12:00 pm
