Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 8y

Sergio Ramos relieved he chose Real Madrid stay over Manchester United

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos says he is very relieved to have decided against leaving for Manchester United this summer, as he prepares for Saturday's Champions League final against Atletico Madrid.

Ramos, 30, was linked with a move to United last summer, but he ultimately signed a new five-year contract at the Bernabeu.

The defender has since has come through injury troubles to find his best form as Madrid's campaign came together in recent months under new coach Zinedine Zidane.

Meanwhile, United's 2015-16 season was a difficult one, with Louis van Gaal's side dropping out of the Champions League in the group stage and finishing fifth in the Premier League table -- although they did have success in Van Gaal's last game in charge as the FA Cup trophy was secured.

Speaking to El Larguero radio show, Ramos was asked about the decision he made to reject United last summer, and said that "fortunately" he had made the right call at the time.

"Well... that is something that has passed, decisions which fortunately I got right," he said. "The choice was clear. I am proud to be here many more years."

Speaking at Madrid's open media ahead of Saturday's final at San Siro, Ramos had joked about his side's struggles through the first 92 minutes in the decider against Atletico two years ago, when Diego Simeone's side were seconds away from beating their neighbours before Ramos famously equalised and Madrid then won 4-1 in extra time.

"The first time [in a final] is like when you make love, you always remember it, but it is true you can always improve, as to start with you're a disaster," he said. "The first one remains special as I had a leading role with a great goal, but I am optimistic and ambitious. I like to keep progressing and adding [trophies] to my CV. Hopefully I'll have the good fortune to lift [the Champions League trophy] again."

Zidane was assistant to then coach Carlo Ancelotti in 2014, but the Frenchman will be in charge of his first final this weekend, just five months after stepping into the job to replace Rafa Benitez last January.

Ramos said that on taking charge himself the French coach had been able to immediately use the good relationship he had previously built up with the players.

"On a personal level I had a good relationship with him when we were teammates, and played together," he said. "Then with Ancelotti, Zizou got to know almost all of us. That makes things easier, to build a good feeling with the group. Maybe that is why things changed so radically. Zizou learned a lot from Ancelotti and they have many things in common."

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